Wheels0204

ASH EXOTICS

April 2, 2015

Dealers in Superfine Exotic and Sports Cars

Witness

Tel: 033 345 1971, 033 342 4717 Fax: 033 342 2900 - www.ashcarsales.co.za

WHEELS

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534/550 Church Street, Pietermaritzburg 3201 PO Box 8390, Cumberwood 3235

… NOW YOU’RE MOTORING

Make every litre count ALWYN VILJOEN reveals seven tricks to save fuel.

THE new Smart is a prime exam­ ple of clever buying to save fuel, but locally it won’t beat the benchmark pricing set by Ford’s 1,0 EcoBoost engine and six­ speed gearbox.

If you are the average driver, the tank you filled up on Tuesday night to save about R70 is al­ ready down to three quarters to­ day. You are wondering if you can afford to drive the family on the weekend outing. For even in a small­engined car that gives you 12 km to a litre in city traffic, the new fuel price means to get there you will be paying over a rand a kilometre just in fuel.

You forget that we are still about R4 cheaper per litre than last year August and fume in­ stead that more than half of the latest increase is made up by an 80,5 cents levy for the dismally administered Fuel and Road Ac­ cident Fund; and none of the road levy seems to be used to fix the bloody potholes.

But that way lies madness, so meditate on these calming solu­ tions instead to save fuel and your sanity, as well as money.

JUST STIFFEN THAT RIGHT ANKLE There are a plethora of fuel addi­ tives on the market, a few drops of which in your tank is sup­ posed to dramatically improve any engine’s fuel consumption.

Buy them by all means if it makes you happy, but know that by just lifting your right foot a little, you will achieve even more dramatic fuel savings.

As we published in last week’s Wheels under “Save fuel like a trucker”, the trick is to drive with your eye (and ear) on the rev counter to keep the needle in the so­called green band — that sweet spot where your engine produces the most torque at the lowest revs.

For most petrol engines, this is between 2 000 and 2 500 rev­ olutions per minute (rpm). For diesels, the needle should play around 2 000 rpm.

By using your right ankle to hover the needle around this sweet spot, you will automati­ cally drive a lot more economi­ cally. Once you’ve mastered the keep­the­revs­low trick, you can move to the next level, where bad drivers brake and good drivers just cruise at the right speed.

ALSO STIFFEN ALL FOUR TYRES Think of your tyres as your legs.

The sidewalls are your knees, and the tread your feet. The more bent your knees/sidewalls and the flatter your feet/tread are, the less capable you are of running. Stiffen those knees and firm those soles, and you can dash like Usain Bolt.

A tyre that is typically under inflated by about 0,3 bar will give a softer ride, but will also add two percent to your fuel con­ sumption and wear a lot quicker.

Which is why truckers, who use a lot of tyres on a single vehi­ cle, believe you simply cannot have your tyres pumped too hard. If you decide to buy the harder tyre compounds that of­ fer lower rolling resistance, note these do add markedly to your stopping distances in an emer­ gency.

KEEP THE OIL GOLDEN Remember that dream where you are trying to run, but your legs can only move in sluggish slow motion? That is what your engine feels like when you drive it with dirty oil.

It is the mantra of Jens Denk at Denk’s Motors that oil is the lifeblood of an engine and the fil­ ters its lungs. Thick, black oil on your dipstick tells you your car’s life blood is choked with choles­ terol and it may soon give you a heart attack bill at the work­ shop.

Even if your car was sold to you with service intervals only every 20 000 km, you will save yourself a lot per kilometre in the long run by changing the oil when it is dirty, rather than when the handbook says you should.

Talk to your mechanic to get the best viscosity for the tempera­ tures you drive in, as all oils are nowadays tailored to help en­ gines that operate in either cold, humid or very hot conditions.

TAKE A DEEP BREATH Next time you stand downwind from the braai fire and cough from the smoke, think of your poor engine, for that is how it feels with a dirty air filter.

Your engine needs three things to work — air, fuel and spark. If it cannot get enough air through a clogged filter, it will use more fuel. Use the pressur­ ised air at fuel stations to blow out the dust from your filters on a regular basis, and replace the filter when it is oily or has holes.

AVOID THESE FUEL GUZZLERS Passengers, roof racks and air conditioners working at full blast all add to the workload on your engine and will make it thirstier. A 100 kg passenger will increase the consumption on an average 1 500 kg car by 6,7%. The air conditioner can add 20% to your fuel bill if you keep it on full blast in station­ ary traffic, so turn it down and open the window a bit to allow the hot air to escape. However, when moving at even moderate speeds, an open window will cause more drag than the air conditioner, so close the win­ dows tight and turn the fans on for best results while moving.

Racks on the roof are the worst offenders as the speed in­ creases. At the legal highway speed of 120 km/h, an empty roof rack will add 20% to your fuel bill. Take the time with the screws and store the carriers in the garage if you are only going to load the boat or bike on the weekend.

DRIVE LIKE A BOWLS PLAYER Stick to the speed limits. Yes, it is more boring than watching beige paint dry to drive this way, but the fun comes in not­ ing how far you suddenly get

on each litre of fuel. As an exam­ ple, my six seat, big­assed 1,9 turbo diesel family mover with the aerodynamic properties of a brick, gives me more than 20 km from each litre of 50 ppm diesel when I drive like a bowls player.

The reason for this is that the air resistance increases expo­ nentially as your speed increas­ es. At 120 km/h, air has the con­ sistency of wet cement.

The slower you go, the easier it becomes for your car to slip through the invisible walls in front of you.

BUY A SMALLER ENGINE If you are a frequent traveller or the type of driver who insists on the reassurance that comes with

a brand new car, we strongly rec­ ommend you prepare for the next fuel price increase by in­ vesting in a car with a smaller engine.

But first forget everything you thought you knew about small engines. Especially Ford’s little EcoBoost engine which will sim­ ply shred even your recent ideas about one­litre engines.

This little block has won the International Engine of the Year award for three years running since 2012 and really is a marvel of techno wizardry that produ­ ces 92 kW and 170 Nm at just under 2 000 rpm.

All car makers have followed Ford in offering such

sub­1 000 cc fuel misers, with the offerings from Chevrolet, Hyundai, Kia, Renault and Volkswagen also worthy of a test drive. Base your final decision on the discount you are offered.

As benchmark you can men­ tion that the top Ford 1­litre en­ gines is now sold in the Fiesta with a six speed manual gear box from less than R195k, which gen­ eral marketing manager at Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa Tracey Delate said will open “a world of improved per­ formance, lower fuel consump­ tion and reduced emissions”.

Ford also offers a four­year or 120 000 km comprehensive warranty.

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The new Smart is a prime example of clever buying to save fuel, but locally it won’t beat the benchmark pricing set by Ford’s 1,0 EcoBoost engine and six­speed gearbox.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

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Tel: 033 940 1382. www.audipietermaritzburg.co.za

2

WitnessWheels MOTORING

April 2, 2015

BMW truck ready to roll All­electric drive truck to make deliveries on public roads as part of a one­year pilot project TONY BORROZ WITH its all­electric i3 urban car hit­ ting the road in 2013, BMW is now go­ ing bigger — much bigger. The Bavarian automotive giant has just announced that as part of a one­year pilot project, a 40­ton all­electric drive truck will be­ gin making deliveries on public roads in Munich from mid­year.

In an odd way, trucking companies and truck manufacturers are at the lead­ ing edge of environmental technology.

Sure, you think of them as the big, slow­ moving things holding up traffic, or the conveyance by which your Amazon pur­ chase ends up at your door, but the peo­ ple that build trucks and the people who use trucks are seemingly just as con­ cerned about fuel efficiency and lower­ ing pollution as your average granola­ munching environmental activist.

A person doesn’t have to think too long or hard to realise that fuel costs are going to be both a big concern for trucking companies, and also one of the areas where improved efficiency will reap great benefits. This is not a new notion. Navistar rolled out a hybrid drive truck back in 2008, and Fuso has been running a heavy­duty hybrid since 2011, while Coca­Cola has been using 120 Eaton diesel­electric hybrid trucks since 2008. Even Volvo is in on the act, with a diesel­electric hybrid truck that it claims is the world’s fastest.

Brits spend billions on buses LOCAL authorities in South Africa can but dream of the budgets their British counterparts get to plan safer roads with.

The UK government has on March 27 announced the winning bids for the Total Transport Pilot Fund that will allow local authori­ ties in England to try new and better ways of delivering joined­up local transport in rural and isolated areas. Around £2 billion (R36 bil­ lion) is currently provided each year by a number of agencies for local transport funding.

However, this is often not co­ ordinated or integrated at a local level, resulting in duplication and potential waste of public money.

The new announcement will see £7,6 million Department for Trans­ port funding dedicated to 37 schemes, providing stable funding from one source to improve trans­ port services in local areas.

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “Good transport is the lifeblood of local communi­ ties and we must ensure every penny spent is used effectively.

This is about improving access to the services people rely on most, from getting to school, to the shops or the local hospital. It is part of our long­term economic plan to improve the lives of hard­ working people across the country.”

The Total Transport Pilot Fund will provide the essential first step for local authorities to implement service integration. The project will fund a range of feasibility studies and other groundwork as well as a number of pilot projects to test the real­world scope for service in­ tegration in individual areas.

— Newspress­WR.

Enter BMW. Although primarily known as a maker of high­performance motorcycles and sedans, BMW is no stranger to the world of environmental­ ly­sensitive hybrid­powered vehicles, having already released its i8 and re­ cently displaying its upcoming X5 xDrive40e hybrid SUV. But what BMW just announced is worlds removed from its normal offerings.

BMW is partnering with a German logistics company, the SCHERM Group, to set up and use a 40­ton all­ electric truck this summer, making BMW the first automobile manufactur­ er in Germany to use an electric semi­ truck to transport goods on public roads.

The truck is based on the Terberg Type YT202­EV 4x2, which BMW has licensed for road use so it can be used for just­in­time material transport covering a distance of almost two kilo­ metres one­way between SCHERM Group facilities and the BMW Plant in Munich — a trip it is expected to make eight times a day. Sure, that’s only 16 clicks a day, but you’ve got to start somewhere, and this is serious lifting we’re talking about, not light package runs.

Thanks to the all­electric drivetrain, the BMW truck is quiet, CO2­free and produces effectively no particle pollu­ tion. If you compare that to a normal diesel truck, it’s almost laughably good.

The new electric truck will generate 11,8 tons less CO2 per year. That’s the amount of CO2 put out by a BMW 320d diesel sedan after three around­the­world trips.

Both BMW and SCHERM are investing a six­figure amount in this one­year pilot project. If the big truck proves itself in everyday driving circumstances, both part­ ners seek to expand the project.

No April Fool’s joke: BMW plans to launch this electric truck by June.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Yamaha set to go big on three­wheeled concepts MIKE HANLON

The dual purpose ‘cross’ 03GEN­x from Yamaha hints at what future trail bikes may look like.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

YAMAHA has released details of two new design concepts based on its carving, three­wheeled Tricity archi­ tecture: the road­going 03GEN­f and the dual­purpose “cross” 03GEN­x.

The Tricity was first shown at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show, and has since been released globally to great acclaim for its roadholding and stabil­ ity. The new concepts indicate Yama­ ha will further develop the three­ wheeled motorcycle for new markets.

No details of the engines of the two variants have been released, so we’ll just have to hope that the com­ pany might offer a bigger engine than the Tricity’s 125 cc single cylin­ der motor.

With the Tokyo Motor Show just over seven months away, perhaps the most telling line in the press materi­ als was “Yamaha Motor will continue to exhibit and propose its GEN design concept in the future”. – Giz mag.com

Mercedes­Benz to design bakkie with high­level utility and luxury car comfort THE Mercedes­Benz Vans division earlier this week had the bakkie world agog with news that it plans to launch a Mercedes­Benz bakkie and yes, the bakkie is destined for South Africa.

But don’t rush out to order one just yet.

Merc plans to release their first bakkie within the next five years.

The new Mercedes­Benz pickup will initially be targeted at markets in Latin America, South Africa, Aus­ tralia, and Europe, all of which are posting sustained growth in this seg­ ment with segment bakkies that are being used for private purposes, and commercial as well as private users increasingly asking for vehicles that have car­like specifications.

“We can perfectly serve custom­

ers looking for a vehicle that offers a high level of utility and at the same time has the comfort, safety and de­ sign of a Mercedes­Benz passenger car,” said Volker Mornhinweg, head of Mercedes­Benz Vans. “We will de­ sign our brand’s first pickup accord­ ing to this recipe for success.”

Current models such as the V­Class and the Vito demonstrate that Mercedes­Benz Vans has the high level of expertise to successfully serve customers from a wide variety of private and commercial sectors.

— Wheels Reporter.

A sketch of the new Mercedes­ Benz midsize pickup, which is likely to hit the roads in South Africa in five years.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

MOTORING WitnessWheels

April 2, 2015

3

Another award for the Soul Just after Norway awarded its 2015 Car of the Year to the Kia Soul the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) last week awarded their Green Car of the Year award to the Soul electric vehicle (EV), ahead of the Toyota Camry Hybrid, the Honda Fit and the Subaru Legacy. This is the second Automobile Journalists Association of Canada award that the Soul EV has won since its launch to the Canadian market late last year. The Soul last year also won the Best New Family Car in the sub $30 000 (R366 000) and the EV was also recently named the Best Eco­Friendly Vehicle at Motor Week’s 34th annual Drivers’ Choice Awards in the U.S. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Proudly South African BRIAN BASSETT made a frugal bee­line in a Comfortline despite the Fatpack’s mass VOLKSWAGEN has a history of introducing the right car to the right market at the right time and VW South Africa is no dif­ ferent. With the end of produc­ tion of the Citi Golf in 2009, with over 377 000 cars sold, one would have thought that the company would have gone into something of a decline at the lower end of its list of offerings.

However, in 2010, the Polo Vivo arrived as the only locally­built model in the competitive AO segment with some 70% of all parts being sourced in SA. The “Proudly South African” nature of the Vivo has govern­ ment and car hire fleet buyers, as well as private buyers attract­ ed by the fact that the Vivo is one of the cheapest cars to run with class­leading resale values.

Add to this a proven reliability and durability and it is hardly surprising that the Vivo has sold some 150 000 units since its in­ troduction and over the past five years has become the best­sell­ ing passenger model in South Africa. My appreciation goes, as in the past, to Kevin Pillay, dealer principal of Baron’s in Pieterma­ ritzburg for allowing me time to experience the car.

Styling The Vivo was originally con­ ceived as a car for people in their mid­twenties, but the average age of current ownership is

around 47. This shows that the relatively simplistic “form fol­ lows function” design of the Vi­ vo appeals to a wide range of owners. A recent face­lift gave the Vivo new headlights and a grille with chrome inserts. The redesigned front end with the centrally­placed VW badge is strikingly noticeable when one sees the car for the first time.

In the Trendline and Com­ fortline derivatives the lower grille also gets chrome inserts which add a lively flavour to the design. The car I drove had fog lights at the front, which were

very useful as I descended the hill from Hilton in the fog.

The manually adjustable side mirrors are now in body colour, as are the door handles . The Vi­ vo comes in either hatch or se­ dan configuration.

I drove the hatch, which I pre­ fer as a design statement.

Interior The Vivo’s wide doors allow easy access for all ages and there are electrically operated windows at the front. The cabin is well light­ ed, with seats covered in robust, washable cloth. The driver’s seat is height adjustable and the typi­

cal three­spoke VW steering wheel is both height and reach adjustable. The simple dash­ board layout tells you everything you need to know about per­ formance, speed and fuel con­ sumption at a glance.

A CD/radio/MP3/Bluetooth capable entertainment system has six speakers on the Comfort­ line and four on all other models.

Boot space is 270 litres on the hatch, and 635 litres with the rear bench seat folded. In the se­ dan the boot offers 432 litres and 737 litres with the rear seat fold­ ed. The rear seats accommodate

two large adults comfortably and the climate control system is effective.

Safety and security The Vivo has ABS with EBD and a brake pressure regulator. There are driver and passenger airbags, child locks on the rear doors a high­level rear brake light and seatbelts for all. The car has re­ mote central locking and an im­ mobiliser, with interior elec­ tronic alarm sensors. The alarm has a klaxon quality when set off and no one will be able to steal your car without you and your neighbours knowing about it.

Performance and handling The Vivo is essentially a town car that likes doing long road trips.

It is easy to drive and park and I found that the four­cylinder, 1 598 cc petrol engine, express­ ing its 77 kW of power and 155 Nm of torque via a smooth, five­speed gearbox made for peppy performance. The needle goes from 0 to 100 km/h in about 12 seconds and top speed is around 185 km/h. On the N3 the car held the road well and pass­ ing articulated vehicles present­ ed no problem. I packed three members of the Fatpack into the car and we drove through the un­ dulating countryside with the Vivo only needing gear changes on the steepest hills — so ensur­ ing a reasonable consumption of 7,9 l per 100 km.

Cost, guarantees and the opposition The 1,6­litre Vivo I drove will cost you about R175 000 new; Baron’s currently offer a dis­ counted price of R159 000. The base 1,4 three­door model comes in at about R130 000, with 15 de­ rivatives in between. All of them come with a three­year or 120 000 km warranty with an optional five­year or 60 000 km maintenance plan. This is the most competitive area in the motoring business so also com­ pare specials advertised by Nis­ san, Renault, Ford and Toyota.

4

WitnessWheels MOTORING

April 2, 2015

Opportunity rover breaks record despite short­term memory loss DAVID SZONDY MARATHONS may be an ev­ eryday occurrence for people on Earth, but they are a little more noteworthy when you’re the surviving little solar­pow­ ered robots on Mars.

According to Nasa, as of March 16, the Mars Opportuni­ ty rover has covered 42 195 km in the leisurely time of about 11 years and two months, or 3 968 Martian days.

The 11­year­old Mars explor­ er Opportunity broke the record of any space rover when it passed the distance covered by the Soviet Union’s Luno­ khod 2 Moon rover, which was launched in 1973.

The milestone is marked by another event aimed at extend­ ing the life of the rover, which has been operating over a dec­ ade beyond its original mission

deadline. However, the robotic explorer has been showing signs of “amnesia” for the past three months due to a faulty flash memory bank that pre­ vented it from storing data overnight, forcing Nasa to download from Opportunity each Martian day before sunset.

As of March 20, the Jet Pro­ pulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California has confirmed that mission control has reformat­ ted the rover’s memory so that the damaged one of seven flash memory banks has been by­ passed, thereby allowing it to resume normal operations.

“Opportunity can work pro­ ductively without use of flash memory, as we have shown for the past three months, but with flash we have more flexibility for operations,” says Opportu­ nity project manager John Cal­ las. “The rover can collect more

Artist’s impression of the little robot explorer Opportunity, which has completed a marathon across the Martian surface over the past decade despite suffering from short­ term memory loss.

PHOTO: NASA data than can be returned to Earth on any one day. The flash memory allows data from in­

tensive science activities to be returned over several days.”

Launched on July 7, 2003,

Flying GT­R ends race in tragedy

Opportunity is the twin of the now defunct Spirit rover. It landed on January 25, 2004, three weeks after Spirit landed halfway around the planet, in the Meridiani Planum region of Mars for a mission scheduled to last 90 Martian days, but 11 years on, it’s still going strong.

Opportunity continues to study Martian soil and provide surface calibration for orbital observations by the Mars Re­ connaissance Orbiter.

JPL says that the Opportuni­ ty team will conduct a mara­ thon­length relay run next week to celebrate the record.

The two 1980s solar­pow­ ered electric­drive robots have since been joined by the car­ sized, nuclear­powered Curios­ ity, which uses the energy from 4,8 kg of plutonium 238 to gen­ erate heat, which is converted into electric energy to charge

two lithium­ion batteries that drive motors on each of the six wheels of this state­of­the­art transporter.

Nasa says nitrogen was re­ cently detected indirectly in the form of nitric oxide when soil samples were heated using the mass spectrometer and gas chromatograph on Curiosity’s Sample Analysis at Mars (Sam) instrument.

The instruments detected various nitrogen compounds, including nitric oxide, which is produced by the breakdown of nitrates, in amounts that indi­ cate that nitrates were a much more probable source than al­ ternatives. Nitrates (NO3) are nitrogen­bearing molecules containing nitrogen and oxy­ gen that are basic to biology and are found in DNA, proteins, and many other organic mole­ cules. — Gizmag.com

When musicians design bikes

Spectator killed at VLN Endurance Championship in Germany A SPECTATOR died and several were injured after a car got air­ borne at the VLN Endurance Championship in Germany over the weekend.

Videos of the race show how a Nissan GT­R, driven by Jann Mardenborough, flipped onto its boot as it came over a notori­ ous crest at high speed, then skidded on its boot lid for several metres before being somersault­ ed by a cement wall over a high fence to land among spectators.

The crash killed one fan on the spot and injured several.

Mardenborough survived without serious injuries. The race did not restart and organis­ ers issued a statement express­ ing their shock and sadness, as well as rendering support to the families of the deceased and in­ jured fans.

The crash happened at the in­ famous “Flugplatz” — or so­ called “airport” turn and the spectators were taking photos directly opposite the entry to the

The crash that killed a spectator at the VLN Endurance Championship in Germany over the weekend.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED corner.

Mardenborough was taken to hospital for further routine checks.

“Today’s events have been a tragedy,” Nissan said in a state­ ment.

“We are all deeply shocked and saddened by these events and our immediate thoughts go to the deceased, those injured and their families and friends.

“The team is fully co­operat­

ing with the race organisers to conduct an immediate and thor­ ough investigation into this inci­ dent.”

In a comment after the race on one of several forums, a cer­ tain John Doe said: “People die every day; that person’s time. I know there is a crest before that corner, I’m wondering if it was a down­force issue or if driver was carrying too much speed, because it looked like he wasn’t

on the brakes when he came over that crest. If his car didn’t catch air and go nose up he would have been killed; driver couldn’t have crashed any better for his sake.

That energy was dissipated per­ fectly.”

Former Witness motoring ed­ itor Dave Fall, was a spectator at a similar crash in 1999, when a Mercedes­Benz crashed in much the same way at the Le Mans 24­ hour race only two hours into the event. The driver, Scottish racer Peter Dumbreck, also got out of the wreck with just a bro­ ken arm.

“This crash was definitely caused due to a lack of down force that would have kept the touring car pressed to the track, no matter the speed,” said Fall.

Before that in 1955, more than 80 specatators died when two drivers collided at Le Mans op­ posite the main stands next to the pit area, their vehicles hur­ tling through the air to land on the fans. — WR.

With Veyron on its way out, VW bank on the R8 WITH everybody’s favourite Volksie, the Bugatti Veyron, nearing the end of its limited production run, petrolheads are wondering what will be the world’s next halo car.

Right now, that shiny ring of light looks ready to settle on Audi’s R8. The development teams at Audi have been prepar­ ing both the R8 road car and all­ new R8 LMS race car, which was shown at the Geneva Motor Show and made it race debut at the VLN Endurance Champion­ ship at Nürburgring, which end­ ed so tragically over the week­ end. The R8 LMS GT3 car shares about 50% of its parts with the

The Audi R8 LMS at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. This could yet be the car to replace everyone’s favourite Volksie.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

production R8, including a vir­ tually identical V10 engine tuned to 585 hp.

Audi plans to spend this year putting it through its paces be­ fore starting sales to customer teams next year.

In the 2015 season in North America, Audi driver Mike Skeen recently achieved a podium place on the second race week­ end of the Pirelli World Chal­ lenge Championships on the city street circuit in St Peters­ burg in Florida. The runner­up in the 2014 season in his Audi R8 LMS ultra of Team CRP Rac­ ing took third place in the first race. — WR.

The 0 plus minus 0 concept bicycle by Yamaha designers can charge its battery when mounted indoors.

PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

The Root concept motobike has no dials, instead the rider checks speed and revs on a wirelessly­connected wrist­ watch­style backlit tachometer.

BEN COXWORTH IN its recent Ah A May exer­ cise, Yamaha both spelled its own name backwards, and got two groups of its designers to trade places — musical instru­ ment designers from Yamaha Corp were tasked with creat­ ing motorcycles, while motor­ cycle designers from Yamaha Motor Company had to create instruments. We’ve already seen the interesting musical devices that resulted, but now here’s the pair of two­wheelers.

First up is the Root motor­ cycle. Inspired by the lines of a horse, it replaces the seat and instrument cluster with one continuous curved wood­and­ leather platform. With no dials on the bike itself to consult, the rider instead checks their RPMs on a wirelessly­connect­ ed wristwatch­style backlit ta­ chometer. According to Yama­ ha, the Root’s design is intend­ ed to “give a sense of unity among people, nature, and the

vehicle.”

The musical instrument de­ signers’ other creation was the 0 plus minus 0 single­speed e­bike. Like the company’s ear­ lier YPJ­01 concept, it com­ bines a classic skinny­tubed frame with a crankset­mount­ ed motor. Its battery is carried in a leather case, with contacts wired into its two mounting straps. Those contacts engage two other contacts built into the frame’s top tube. This set­ up allows power to flow from the battery, through wiring in­ side the tubes, to the motor and controller.

That controller consists of push buttons embedded in the leather­wrapped handlebars.

When the 0 plus minus 0 isn’t on the road, it can be mounted on an accompanying trainer, which incorporates a generator that the bike’s bat­ tery is plugged into. The rider can then charge the battery by riding the bike on the spot.

— Gizmag.com

Tel: 033 392 9970

Corner of Pietermaritz and Boshoff Streets Pietermaritzburg

www.aksons.co.za

Prices Valid Until 7 April Never to be repeated.

Will beat any written deal.

WELCOME TO AKSONS WHEELS PMB About Us Aksons Wheels have been serving Pietermaritzburg motorist for over 30 years and have traded from their present location at the corner of Pietermaritz and Boshoff Streer since 1928.

Aksons have about 150 good, low mileage, late model clean used cars in our showroom at any time. We are confident that we have the right vehicle for you. While we specialise in the R75 000 to R750 000 price range, we always have a variety of vehicles in higher or lower price brackets at hand.

We offer service excellence through selected brands and products. Our vehicles are prepared to the highest possible standard, and our success is driven by developing long lasting relationships with customers.

Aksons Wheels service is founded on three basic principles, Trust, Integrity and Commitment to exceeding expectations. We are approved with all major banks and are a part of the N.C.A. We would love the opportunity to get you into the vehicle of your dreams. We have a large selection of certified pre-owned vehicles for you to browse.

Our Mission To provide a platform for employees to develop career satisfaction through recognition and reward To enrich stakeholders value of integrity, fairness and transparency

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2010 Suzuki SX4

46135Kms

2012 Nissan Micra 1.2

15931Kms

2014 VW Polo 1.6 Sedan

37880Kms

126730Kms

2007 Honda Civic 1.8VXI

2011 Nissan Livina X Gear 1.6

82635Kms

2012 GWM Steed 5 Workhorse

41760Kms

2012 Mercedes Benz C180 Coupe

54210Kms

2012 Mercedes Benz C200 CDI

2010 Mercede Benz B200 CDI

65800Kms

2011 Audi TT 2.0TFSI Quattro

R295 000

R220 000

R325 000

R185 000

R235 000

R750 000

R139 000

2012 Hyundai Accent 1.6

R139 000

2007 Golf 5 TDi

R115 000

R299 000

80545Kms

R209 000

R195 000

R195 000

20253Kms

107550Kms

R195 000

R229 000

R139 000

R139 000

R99 000

51100Kms

140 000Kms

R310 000

R540 000

R185 000

R225 000

R220 000

R250 000

R99 000

R89 000

R120 000

R259 000

R430 000

R195 000

R285 000

R229 000

R215 000

R139 000

R199 000

R135 000

139000Kms

10Kms

Barons Pietermaritzburg: EGGSactly what you’re looking for.

By Pieter from Maritzburg

efficiency and economy in every new Volkswagen – a welcome treat considering the fuel price hike.

Unlike an Easter Egg Hunt, where equally delicious (In fact, identical) eggs can be found peppered along the entire hunting trail, it can be hard to find a car dealership that caters for your specific tastes and is also able to tailor the deal to suit your very specific needs.

Long story short? Shop for anything but a Volkswagen anywhere other than Barons Pietermaritzburg and you’ll end up with egg on your face. And not in the melted-chocolate-around-the-mouth kind of way you’d get at Barons.

If your particular taste is Volkswagen (And why wouldn’t it be, with the quality and reliability of Das Auto engineering?) and your hunting trail is anywhere between Durban and the Drakensburg, then the Bespoke Volkswagen Dealer at Barons Pietermaritzburg is EGGSactly what you are looking for. And let’s not forget that BlueMotion Technology has been integrated in to Das Auto Engineering to ensure fuel

Barons VW Pietermaritzburg can be found at 9 Armitage Road. They are committed to bringing you quality cars and excellent service at the best possible prices ALL year round! To start hunting for your dream vehicle, visit www.baronsvwpmb.co.za. And to book a test drive or service call (033) 845 3100. Open Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm, and Saturdays 8am – 1pm.

Live life to the full in a Polo Vivo.

3 Year 120 000km Warranty

The New Polo Vivo 1.6 Comfortline for R159,900* incl. VAT

Look out for our new upcoming models.

The New Polo Vivo 1.6 Comfortline standard features include: -

Polo

2013 2014 2014 2015 2015 2015 2015 Golf

2012 2012 2015 2015 Amarok

2014

Other VW

2010 2012 2012 2014 2014 2014 2014 2014 2015

Other

2008 2010 2011 2013

Live confident. Drive confident.

80-point mechanical check 2-year / unlimited km warranty* Vehicle History Integrity Check Balance of VW Automation Plan Professional Vehicle Reconditioning

Polo Vivo Sedan 1.4 Trendline Tiptronic Polo Vivo 1.6 Trendline 5 Door Polo Vivo GP 1.4 Trendline 5 Door Polo Vivo GP 1.6 Comfortline Polo Vivo GP 1.6 Comfortline 5 Door Polo Vivo GP 1.6 Comfortline 5 Door

Silver Silver Red Silver White White

R132 900 R139 900 R149 900 R159 900 R159 900 R169 900

44 000 40 000 9 000 1 500 1 000 1 000

km km km km km km

Polo 1.4 Trendline 5 Door Polo GTI DSG Polo 1.4 Trendline Polo Sedan 1.6 Comfortline Tiptronic Polo 1.2 TSI Comfortline Polo 1.2 TSI Highline Polo 1.2 TSI Trendline

White Silver Silver Silver Silver Red White

R152 900 R279 900 R152 900 R239 900 R229 000 R239 000 R185 900

25 000 9 500 16 000 1 400 1 000 3 000 900

km km km km km km km

Golf 6 GTI DSG Golf GTI DSG Golf 7 2.0 TDI Highline DSG Golf 7 1.4 TSI Comfortline DSG

Black White White Silver

R279 900 R298 900 R329 900 R319 900

59 000 66 000 23 000 3 500

km km km km

Amarok Double Cab DSG 132kW

Silver

R429 000

9 500

km

Scirocco 2.0 TSI Jetta 2.0 TDI Jetta 1.4 TSI DSG Tiguan 1.4 TSI BlueMotion Passat 2.0 TDI DSG VW Transporter Single Cab TDI Kombi 2.0 TDI 21st Century Beetle 1.2 TSI Touareg 3.0 TDI BlueMotion Tiptronic

Silver White Beige Grey White White Silver White White

R259 900 R229 000 R199 000 R299 000 R329 900 R249 900 R359 000 R249 900 R839 000

45 000 81 000 58 000 6 500 15 000 7 000 22 000 8 000 2 000

km km km km km km km km km

Opel Corsa Lite Sport Audi A3 1.8 TFSI Sportback Ford Bantam 1.6i XLT Audi Q5 2.0 TDI Quatro

Grey Blue Grey Silver

R59 900 R169 900 R119 900 R335 000

94 000 88 000 70 000 78 000

km km km km

3 Year 120 000km Warranty

New Polo TSI 81kW Highline from R2,965* per month The New Polo TSI 81kW Highline standard features include: -

New Polo TSI 81kW Highline

Barons Pietermaritzburg 9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg, 3201 • Tel: 033 845 3100

-

Electric windows, front and rear Electronic stability control (ESP) incl. ABS with brake assistant, ASR, EDL and EDTC Rest assist Service Plan 3-year / 45 000km

Interest Rate Monthly No. of Vehicle Price Instalments Linked / Instalments Variable

R241,500

R2,965*

72

9.5%*

Deposit

Balloon Payment

15% 36% (R36,225) (R86,940)

Total Cost Incl fees & VAT

R300,434

Visit us on www.baronsvwpmb.co.za

e&oe

Visit us on www.baronsvwpmb.co.za and find us on facebook.com/BaronsPietermaritzburg

81kW@ 5 000rpm Fuel injected 6-speed Manual Dual front and side airbags Hill-hold Assist

Model

*The advised price exclude the 2 year Mastercars Warranty. The Mastercars Warranty is available as an option and is a contract between the customer, an insurer and administrator. This extended Warranty is not available for all Amarok and Light Commercial Vehicle models. Terms & conditions apply. While stocks last.

Mastercars Sales Consultants After hours: Laurie: 082 783 8040 • Rajen: 072 228 9834 Sanjay: 083 639 0989 • Barry: 072 235 4244 • Phumlani: 073 017 1294

An optional cost of R900 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.25%. Note: This special is valid at Barons Pietermaritzburg until the 15 April 2015 or while stock lasts. Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other special service or offering. All offers to purchase are subject to finance approval through Volkswagen Financial Services. VWFS contract will need to be signed by 15 April 2015 for the special to be valid. Information subject to change without prior notification. Offer excludes optional extras, on the road costs, metallic paint and delivery fee unless specified. Actual models may differ from images shown.

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Visit us on www.baronsvwpmb.co.za

An optional cost of R900 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.25%. Note: Offers calculated on the New Polo TSI 81kW Highline in standard specifications. Instalment includes delivery, initiation and monthly administration fee of R57. Subject to bank approval. Information subject to change without prior notification. All finance offers are subject to credit approval from Volkswagen Financial Services. Volkswagen Financial Services South Africa Proprietary Limited trading as Volkswagen Financial Services an Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP6635. Terms and Conditions apply. All the above is subject to price increase and valid until 15 April 2015.

New Sales Consultants

Alison Wiltshire – Sales Manager 082 783 8855 • John Brown – 082 645 4396 Merglin Rama – 083 382 4589 • Menzi Ngubane – 073 534 8545 Bahle Bhengu – 082 337 5825 • Erica Neff – 082 858 7749 Thando Gumede – 078 969 8072 • Keshnee Pillay – 073 372 1452

BP Advertising

2013 2013 2014 2015 2015 2015

• • • • •

Driver and passenger air bags Power steering Body colour bumpers Front electric windows

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Polo Vivo

Mileage certified Full Service history 7-day exchange plan Vehicle Customization 24 Hr roadside assistance

-

Exclusive to Barons Pietermaritzburg: Buy your New Polo Vivo 1.6 Comfortline before 15 April 2015 and you will receive a 6 year or 60 00km maintenance plan for R4,000**

Golf Sports Van, Polo GTI and Golf GTI Performance Edition.

You wont want to miss out on these great offers!

• • • • •

77kW @ 5,250rpm Fuel-injected 5-speed manual Air-conditioning

6

WitnessWheels MOTORING

April 2, 2015

1920s Opel on steroids Opel, now owned by General Motors, used to make rapid motorcycles, including a ‘rocket bike’ DAVE FALL RUMOUR has it you’re supposed to learn two new things every day — hope­ fully I’ve caught you early enough this morning to tell you about something that may come as a bit of a surprise con­ cerning the German car manufacturer Opel … they once made motorcycles!

By all accounts most of them were rather good — indeed one or two were quite rapid …

Today, Opel is owned by General Mo­ tors of America, but in 1901 when the bicycle/motorcycle/car company was in its infancy — as were a lot of other auto­ mobile manufacturers — motorcycle production was their main “bread and butter” line — and continued to be for close on 30 years.

Early models could boast two­ and three­hp motors in single cylinder for­ mat — but even back then sportiness appeared to be uppermost in the crea­ tive minds of the German engineers employed to come up with winning for­ mulas in those Edwardian days.

Motorcycle road racing would have been in its infancy as well — but then, as now — car and bike factories knew that winning races on Saturday meant a steady trickle of fledgling new owners would visit their showrooms come Monday morning for a closer look at their products, and possibly make a pur­ chase.

Take a look at that 204 cc water­ cooled track­racer pictured alongside this article and made in the early 1920s.

That pillar­box red paint job is authen­ tic, possibly the choice of colour to in­

To impress your girlfriend a rocket­propelled bike would have done the trick! And Opel had just the thing in mind back in the roaring twenties.

PHOTO: WWW.DIESELPUNKS.ORG timidate all opposition; the fuel tank is certainly ultra­streamlined, while the expression to have a straight­through exhaust took on a whole new meaning if you owned and raced an Opel motor­

cycle.

In 1928, and having Adam Opel’s (the founder of the company) grandson Fritz von Opel in charge of testing and pub­ licity meant no stone was left unturned

to showcase an unusual two­wheeler that people might want to buy and be seen on.

Without doubt the most outrageous bike to come out of the Rüsselsheim fac­

tory was the “rocket bike”, a modified 500 cc production machine capable of travelling at 130 km/h in standard form.

All Von Opel had to do was ignite the aftermarket six solid­fuel rockets that would propel him significantly faster towards an unbelievable speed of 200 km/h, and then the current* mo­ torcycle speed record would surely be­ long to Opel …

Alas, the record­breaking attempt never happened, the German govern­ ment of the day felt that such a speed attempt on that particular bike couldn’t possibly be safe. (I suspect that Von Opel may have also wondered if the re­ moval of his good self from the gene pool was such a good idea given that he was heir to the mighty Opel automo­ bile/motorcycle empire within a few short years).

Not to be outdone, and the good showman that he was he did at least demonstrate the rocket bike before a crowd of 7 000 eager spectators. For even more dramatic effect he increased the rockets to 10 — a huge cloud of smoke prevented most of the crowd from actually seeing Fritz blast away from the line — he most certainly man­ aged that but had to shut down the bike’s ignition before he could be ac­ cused of breaking the law.

I reckon quite a few punters queued up outside the showrooms the follow­ ing day after that dazzling performance, don’t you? * In 1928 the world motorcycle speed record was held by O.M. Baldwin on his 998 cc JAP­powered Zenith motorcycle at 199,20 km/h.

SuperEnduro requires extreme skill and absolute concentration from riders to send their bikes over tyres, rocks, logs, big pipes, water troughs and steep climbs.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

For more information on Witness Wheels advertising Contact Avir on 084 278 3447 or Avir@witness.co.za

KZN’S TOP ENDURO RIDERS AIM BIG TWO top KZN riders will compete in SA’s Pro SuperEnduro Series at the Rand Easter Show on April 11.

A relatively new motorcycle disci­ pline, Endurocross or SuperEnduro made its debut at the 2014 AMID Mo­ torcycle Show and riders show spec­ tators their skills at supercross, trials and enduro as they negotiate an ex­ tremely tough obstacle course.

KZN’s Wade Young and Travis Teasdale are among the top riders at

the event. Young is rated among the top five extreme enduro riders in the world and is a three­time SA Enduro champion, two­time winner of the Roof of Africa off­road race.

Riders have to take their dirt bikes across rocks, tyres, logs, big pipes, water troughs, steep climbs — and a lot more – with skill, precision and as much speed as they can muster, to win a share in the R50 000 prize money. — WR.

PIETERMARITZBURG 307 Hoosen Haffejee (Berg) Street.

Tel: 033 345 3692 • Shan: 082 457 4253 Xylo

INTRODUCING THE ALL NEW BOLERO MAXI TRUCK 2,5 TURBO DIESEL

2,2 Diesel 7 or 8 Seater

XUV 500

2,2 Diesel 4X2 or AWD 7 Seater

Bolero

DROPSIDE/STANDARD 2.5 T/D 4X2/4X4

R127 995

• Factory Warranty • 2,5 Turbo Diesel • 1,1 Ton

Genio

Scorpio

SINGLE CAB OR DOUBLE CAB 4X2/4X4 2.2 CRDi DIESEL

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SSANGYONG PIETERMARITZBURG 307 Hoosen Haffejee (Berg) Street.

Tel: 033 345 3692 • Shan: 082 457 4253

OUBLE C D A AB T E G SSANGYONG ACTYON SPORT 2,3 LITRE PETROL 4X4

• 5 YEAR/150 000 KM FACTORY WARRANTY • 5 YEAR/90 000 SERVICE PLAN • 5 YEAR/150 000 KM ROADSIDE ASSIST

For only

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R169 995

8

WitnessWheels MOTORING

April 2, 2015

1964 Mustang made modern Boutique revivalist automakers meld the style and character of the car with modern technology ALWYN VILJOEN WHEN mechanics who race team up to turn the most classic of all the Ford Mustangs into a modern car, they do not call their company a mechanical workshop or a panel beater.

Instead, they become a boutique re­ vivalist automaker.

In the case of the modern classic 1964 Mustang, racer mechanic Tom Scarpel­ lo heads Revology, which stands for re­ engineering and evolution, and his team is today taking orders for a R1,5 million Mustang.

“It is easy to see why the original Mustang is a classic. Fifty years later, it still looks great from any angle,” said Scarpello.

“But automotive technology has ad­ vanced a lot in 50 years, and from a func­ tional perspective, these old cars are truly outdated. At Revology, we keep the style and character of the original car, while seamlessly integrating modern technology and materials to improve performance, safety, reliability and comfort.”

Scarpello worked as the head of Ford’s Special Vehicle Team and has an almost reverent respect for the Mus­ tang. Apart from adding spot welds and modifying the body to facilitate the in­ tegration of modern components, im­ prove torsional rigidity and reduce noise, vibration and harshness, his team didn’t take any liberties with the styling.

But under the hood, everything is better, thanks to technical director Dan Maas. Maas managed design and engi­ neering projects at Motion Products, one of the world’s pre­eminent Ferrari restoration facilities. Maas’s cars have won awards at Pebble Beach, Cavallino, and the Ferrari Nationals. He is an active Top Eliminator drag­racing competitor and a former motorcycle ice­racing champion.

The wheels ride on MacPherson struts up front with a three­link rear suspension and the car now stops as fast as it goes, thanks to disc brakes. LED lights illuminate the road while a col­ lapsible steering column and side intru­ sion beams for enhanced safety will pre­

Revology shows its modern­but­classic Mustang at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED vent the horror impalements from crashes in the fifties and sixties.

Inside there are more LEDs on the instrument cluster, with the dashboard hiding modern features like Bluetooth USB and auxiliary jacks.

The window crank does not turn, but is pushed or pulled to open or close the electric windows.

Leather seats, a premium audio sys­ tem and a wood­grain console are among the options. The high price comes with a one­year, unlimited mile­ age bumper­to­bumper warranty, three­year powertrain warranty and five­year rust and corrosion warranty.

But deliveries will begin only after May 2016.

‘

It is easy to see why the original Mustang is a classic.

Fifty years later, it still looks great from any angle.

The Mustang’s interior.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

A tough weekend of racing as the Donaldson championships start LAST weekend’s off­road racing around Harrismith in the opening round of the Donaldson Cross­Country Champion­ ship saw only 18 of the 41 vehicles that started the second day’s racing limp across the finish line after 692 km of mud, mud and more mud.

Castrol Team Toyota’s Leeroy Poul­ ter won his maiden cross­country victo­ ry in the RFS Endurance with co­driver Rob Howie, with Ford’s Lance Wool­ ridge and Ward Huxtable second.

The route saw crews leave from the designated service park on the outskirts of Harrismith and traverse a winding route through spectacular scenery.

There was a multitude of river crossings and rain earlier in the week ensured that the track was extremely muddy and slippery.

Defending champions Anthony Tay­ lor and Dennis Murphy started the main race, consisting of two laps of 251 km each, with a lead of nearly four minutes but then got stuck. In a highly sporting gesture, second­placed Ford driver Lance Woolridge stopped to help the reigning champions Taylor and Murphy out of the mud, as well as Ga­ reth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer in an­ other Ford Ranger. They moved up a po­ sition in the process and at the prize­

Another kilometre, another deep mud hole: Lance Woolridge and Ward Huxtable in their Ford Ranger in action at last weekend’s opening round of the national cross­country championships held near Harrismith.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

giving both Woolridge brothers earned a special sportsmanship award for as­ sisting Taylor and Murphy.

SA’s only quadriplegic to race cross country, Jarred Blackman from Hilton, told Wheels that they were posting good times up to the point where the main drive belt on their Rotax engine snapped and forced an early retirement.

Ford Performance Team manager Neil Woolridge said it was an extremely difficult weekend. “We’re delighted for Lance and Ward with their well­earned second place.

“They worked hard to maintain a de­ cent pace despite their difficulties, and produced some great racing with the Toyotas during the first loop.

“These are valuable championship points, and even more memorable con­ sidering they haven’t raced since the second­last event of the 2013 season.

Lance injured his back while working as part of the support crew on the Dakar Rally last year, and he has worked really hard to get fit and ready for this season, so it is well­deserved.

“Unfortunately, it was a weekend that Chris and Japie would prefer to forget, but they stuck it out and managed to bring the Ranger home in fifth place, so not all was lost.”

GOING TO DAKAR An important finish was that of Jason Venter and Vince van Allemann, in the 4x4 Megaworld Toyota Hilux. The pair not only finished fourth overall, but also won the southern African round of the Dakar Challenge in the process.

This annual event is open to all ama­ teur crews who haven’t taken part in the Dakar Rally before. By winning the Da­ kar Challenge, Venter and Van Alle­ mann receive free entry into the 2016 endurance motor race. “Overall, I am very pleased with our performance this weekend,” said Hall.

“First and third are excellent results, and Jason winning the Dakar Challenge in a Toyota Hilux just adds the cherry on top.”

Toyota also won the Manufacturer’s Prize, with four of the 10 finishing pro­ duction vehicles a Toyota. The next round in the Do­ CV JOINT naldson SPECIALISTS Champi­ onship is for CV joints, ball joints, the Eston tie rod ends, wheel bearings.

450, which 339 GREYLING STREET is in KZN on May 8 Pmb. 033 342 9174/75 and May 9.