Wheels 07June2016

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ASH CAR SALES

July 7, 2016

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CARS WANTED!!

WHEELS

BEST PRICES IN TOWN! TOP PRICES PAID

16 n R20/fa! r a c / 0 nly R40 tries o Pre­en

Visit our website to view over 300 CARS in stock.

Contact Ash 083 786 3377 • Tel: 033 342 4717 / 033 345 1971

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EDITOR: ALWYN VILJOEN 082 4589 332 ADVERTISING: AVIR THULSIRAM ON 084 278 3447

INSIDE

July is bakkie month and among three new model ranges launched in SA, Isuzu offers the bakkie with the best new car smell. Page 5 PHOTO: QUICKPIC

South Africa’s Sandra Labuscagne and Emma Gilmour impress in the Italian Baja. Page 8 PHOTO: MOTORSPORT SA

So you need a bakkie?

Find the five cheapest, strongest and best bang­for­buck workhorses in SA right now. Page 2 PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN

Calling all traffic officers and emergency personnel!

Sanral will sponsor a university course in limiting post­ crash road congestion.

Page 5 Kyalami’s fastest karting kid Kwanda Mokoena kicked butt at Vereeniging. Page 8 PHOTO: SUPPLIED

PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN

Pre-owned

The July Demo Clearance Sale.

Demonstrably better driving…

Have you ever test-driven an Audi?

If you have, you’ll know that there’s nothing quite like it: whether it’s the sporty feeling of a hatchback or the sheer luxurious power of a sedan, Audi cars are economical, intelligent, efficient, and offer sheer driving pleasure.

This July, we at Audi Centre Pietermaritzburg, are offering exclusive deals on our demo fleet in our July Demo Clearance Sale. Visit us today to test drive your favourite Audi, and see why we’re synonymous with “advancement through technology”. The July Demo Clearance Sale. Terms and conditions apply. Quoted prices exclude dealer delivery fee and include VAT. Offer only available while stocks last. Offer ends 31 July 2016.

Only while stocks last, terms and conditions apply.

Year

Vehicle Description

Colour

Mileage

Normal Price

2016

Audi A3 1.4T FSI Sportback

White

1 000

R 396 200

Special Price R 368 000

2016

Audi A3 1.4T FSI Sportback

White

1 000

R 398 250

R 378 500

2016

Audi A3 1.4T FSI Sportback

Monsoon Grey

1 000

R 431 100

R 410 700

2016

Audi A3 1.8T FSI Sedan S tronic

Floret Silver

1 000

R 477 750

R 460 600

2016

Audi A3 1.4T FSI 3 door

White

1 000

R 434 500

R 387 600

2016

Audi A3 1.4T FSI Sedan

White

1 000

R 450 530

R 438 000

2016

Audi A3 1.4T FSI 3 door

Floret Silver

1 000

R 407 750

R 395 500

2015

Audi Q7 3.0 TDI quattro

Karat

17 000

R 1 335 128

R 934 999

2016

Audi A8 3.0 TDI quattro

Grey

5 000

R 1 288 000

R 824 999

2016

Audi A5 2.0 TDI Sportback

Floret Silver

6 000

R 664 260

R 537 999

Audi Centre Pietermaritzburg Nathi Mncube • Sharon Mpulo • Darryl Chetty • New Vehicle Sales Manager: Prunella Naidoo Mandla Mkhize • Mark van Rijsbergen • Anwar Charfaray • Pre-owned Manager: Riaz Mahomed

BP Advertising

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

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WitnessWheels MOTORING

So you need a

BAKKIE?

ALWYN VILJOEN IT may be because the Coriolis effect also spins the brains of people who transport stuff in the southern hemisphere, but from Indonesia through Thailand and Australia to Brazil and South Africa, we all love our bakkies.

North of the equator, however, transporters of light loads, from plumbers to veterinarians and

SA’S CHEAPEST BAKKIES

For last­mile deliveries, Witness Wheels can recommend a used Chana, or the new Changan. Lube them when required and these little Chinese pit ponies will work past the boss’s retirement.

PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN AT R115 900: (60 kW/102 Nm) For work­ horse buyers who insist on new, nothing beats the Changan in South Africa. The 1,3 King Cab is better for bigger drivers, but Elvis Naidoo at Metro Cars in Pietermaritz­ burg reports none of the seven people who won Changans as prizes in the Unilever Competition have complained about a tight squeeze in the single cabs.

Naidoo points out the Changan bakkie is the old Chana with a new name, and adds that they use them as these little Chinese

wine farmers, all prefer a crewbus panelvan as the most sensible transport option for small business.

But like the sales staff at Fiat, Hyundai, VW and even the dormant Maxus, we have given up telling SA’s bakkie lovers why a van is always better than a bakkie. Instead, we now bow to populist demand to cut and slice the 27 workhorse bakkies out there to find the top five performers in price, power and bang for buck.

BUYING A USED BAKKIE

Many farmers are still trying to work to death the Mahindra Bolero bakkies they bought years ago, without success.

PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN

pit ponies at the Metro truck year, where they will yet outlast the trucks.

At R134 995: (74 kW/238 Nm) The Mahin­ dra Bolero is South Africa’s second­most affordable bakkie, and for heavier loads, the one we recommend without reserva­ tion. But don’t take our word for it.

Ask the many farmers who thought these were so cheap they may as well buy one and drive it to death, something they are still trying. In fact, the only owner we know of that could kill a Bolero had

BANG FOR BUCK BAKKIES excel in carrying tall loads, like a consignment of wooden giraffes. Business owners often worry about resale value and servicing costs, but to determine which bak­ kie would best suit the Wooden Giraffe Carv­ ing Co­op’s delivery needs, only one sum needs to be done — to establish the most torque for the least rands.

At R541/Nm, this bang for buck award cur­ rently goes with a nose to the Tata Xenon Fleetline. This entry­level, single cab Xenon sells for R162 495, and makes 85 kW and a respectable 300 Nm. The Bolero (R567/Nm) is a whisker behind it on the spreadsheet, but that is just on pa­ per. In the real world, dealers give good dis­ counts on the Mahindra workhorse’s R134 995 price, especially as this ageing bakkie from In­ dia makes a relatively low 74 kW and 238 Nm. Then came: R701/Nm Mahindra Scorpio Pick­up 2,5 (74 kW/258 Nm) R725/Nm Foton Thunda 2,2 V (76 kW/193 Nm) R744/Nm JMC Boarding 2,8TD (84 kW/235 Nm)

July 7, 2016

chipped his to make 400 Nm, and then fell asleep at the wheel, driving into WHICH a large rock. Both driver and pas­ CANOPY TO senger escaped with only seat­ CHOOSE? belt bruising.

Then came: Really? If you cannot fit a cano­ R139 995 Foton Thunda 2,2 py over the load on a bakkie, you (76 kW/193 Nm) should really be looking at the many R157 900 Nissan NP200 1,6i panelvans and small trucks on sale Good when used: Oudtshoorn (64 kW/128 Nm) in SA, all of which come with an resident Gerhard du Toit R159 800 Chevrolet Utility 1,4 easy­to­load low floor, wide access bought this Isuzu with 7 000 (68 kW/120 Nm) doors and of course, a high fac­ on the odo 20 years ago and tory­fitted roof to protect went on to add 1,5 million km. the load against thieves He still uses the bakkie daily in and weather. his courier business.

PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN WHEN it comes to buying used bakkies, two brands stand out — Nissan and Isuzu.

When new, the single cab workhorses from these brands both languish in power and sales behind the Hilux and Ranger.

Fairly or not, fewer sales of new vehicles result in lower retail prices for what are — at the end of their days — still very good workhorse bakkies. The upshot of fewer sales, however, is less de­ mand from car theft syndicates.

This may be why there seem to be so many more old Nissan and Isuzu bakkies on the road compared to old Hiluxes.

BEWARE THAT WEE HAMMER!

Selling a lot of bang for buck, Tata Xenon 2,2 single cab, seen here in a role normally reserved for the Hilux in Africa.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

THE cheapest bakkie is always going to be a used one, and many are drawn to deflated company bakkies at auctions.

But unless you can swing a spanner, auctioned vehicles are rarely the bargain they seem, because auctioneers may legally sell voetstoots and unless you draw the seller’s attention to defects before the sale, they are not liable to fix any faults after the sale.

On top of the final bidding price, you will also have to pay a handling or documentation fee of between R1 500 to R2 500; the auctioneer’s commission — which can vary from two percent to 10% — and finally 14% VAT. These extras can quickly make your auction bargain more ex­ pensive than a used trade­in on a dealer’s floor.

BEST FOR TRAILERS SOUTH Africa has a billion­rand but hidden rural economy of sacrificial goats and cattle, which animals are transported to market every week­ end.

For these transporters, the best and strongest trailer­pulling deal right now comes from Ford, which brand offers the first single cab with an automatic gearbox in South Africa.

(See page 7 for more details on this bakkie.)

While twice as pricey as the Bolero at R311 900, Ford does sell each of the 385 Newton metres of torque from the Ranger 2,2 automatic for a very reasonable R810, ensuring a lot of bang to move the buck on the back. To boot, Ford also offers a re­ assuring number of dealers to sup­

port the buy in deep rural SA. In second place is the badge­engi­ neered Mazda BT­50, which offers 376 Nm at R317 000 from its 2,2 en­ gine.

These two Ford­engined bakkies are closely followed by the Toyota Land Cruiser and Land Rover Defend­ er, both making 360 Nm. But the Cruiser retails for a whop­ ping R218 300 more than the Ranger while the Landy costs R231 500 more — this is incidentally, the price of a whole new Hilux 2,0.

The Nissan Patrol 3,0 makes 356 Nm, giving it the fifth strongest spot, but note, at a R376 900 price tag Wheels still has strong reserva­ tions about the lack of planning that went into the Patrol’s design.

For R311 900, Ford will sell you the Ranger 2,2 auto box, currently the only single cab bakkie with a six­speed automatic transmission in SA. Two models are available, comprising the 2.2 TDCi 4x2 XL, along with the higher specification XLS model equipped with a 4x4 drivetrain.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC

July 7, 2016

MOTORING WitnessWheels

Fabulous

FIGO

BRIAN BASSETT drives the new Ford Figo 1.5l TDCI Hatchback Trend in the Western Cape.

RECENTLY, I spent a week in the for easy access. In the new Figo I also Western Cape, both in central Cape found a car that is as comfortable in Town and in the Hermanus area. both head and legroom terms at the To facilitate my travels I was offered back, as at the front. Four adults will the opportunity to drive the recently sit comfortably in the car, irrespec­ introduced Ford Figo diesel by the tive of distance travelled.

Cape Town­based Ford media fleet.

The Figo comes with electronic The second generation Figo was temperature control, Bluetooth con­ introduced in 2015 and is available nectivity, a four­speaker CD/USB/ in both petrol and diesel format. The AUX audio system and plugs for your car, which comes in hatchback and electronic toys. sedan designs, has three specifica­ The boot provides 257 litres of lug­ tion levels, namely Ambiente, Trend gage space with the rear seats in place and Titanium, with the Titanium and 445 litres with the rear seats fold­ spec being available with a six­speed ed down in 60/40 fashion. auto box matched to a 1,5 litre petrol Safety and security engine.

The 1.5l TDCI Trend has dual front The new Figo is made in India and driver and passenger air bags, ABS Brazil, where it is badged as the Ford with EBD, remote central locking, a Ka. I looked forward to my week with perimeter anti­theft alarm and child the new Figo with interest, as it repla­ locks, as well as engine immobiliser. ces a car that has been with us for Performance and handling a long time and has a considerable The Figo’s 4­cylinder, 1, 5 litre, turbo­ reputation for reliability and durabil­ charged diesel engine delivers ity and, which will be on the fore­ 74 kWs/215 Nm via a smooth five­ courts of many second­hand car speed manual gearbox. dealers for quite a while to come.

The torque available makes the car The new Figo also represents Ford’s easy to drive on national roads and desire to build on passing long the success of its trucks is easy. Ac­ first sub­B com­ celeration to pact car in a very 100 km/h takes competitive mar­ 11,4 seconds, but ket segment at a 80 to 120 km/h in difficult economic fourth gear takes time. only 8,5 seconds.

Styling Fuel consumption The Figo uses is around five litres Ford’s Kinetic 2.0 per 100 km, but design language, drive slowly and seen in both Fo­ that comes down. cus and Fusion.

I took the car The front end has from Hermanus to a trapezoidal grill, Caledon, a dis­ inspired by Aston tance of around Martin and 40 km each way. flanked by elon­ The road winds gated headlights, through beautiful which are swept Cape countryside back in aerody­ with very little namic fashion. Wearing size 12 shoes traffic and in­ There is also a normally means a struggle to cludes the cross­ black grill below get into the rear of smaller ing of Shaw’s Pass, the colour­coded cars, but the Figo proved very which is quite bumper flanked comfortable. steep and winding by fog lamps. The in places. bonnet is raked and the roof rises eas­ I know the road well and use it ily to a rear spoiler in the hatch and about twice a year, so I let the car merges seamlessly into the tail to cre­ have its head and found that it stuck ate an overall premium design. The to the road like a leech. car comes with 14­inch alloys, which Cornering at speed is no problem completes the premium design expe­ and the car responded to accelera­ rience. tion with a throaty roar so common Interior in small diesels. On the open road The new Figo has a wheelbase of I loved the car, but all good things 2,491 mm, making it one of the most come to an end and I found myself spacious cars in its league. The interi­ in the centre of Cape Town, which or is finished in good quality black at least provides one with a good plastics and the seats are covered ro­ view of Table Mountain when stuck bustly in light grey and patterned in Adderley Street traffic. black fabric, which creates a pleasant, The Figo, however, is also an ideal light interior. town car. Agile, manoeuvrable, easy The driver’s seat is manually ad­ to park, pleasant and relaxed to drive justable six ways and the steering col­ with great engine flexibility between umn can also be adjusted, so you the gears. should have no trouble in finding the Costs and the competition right driving position for yourself.

The Ford Figo TDCI 1.5l Trend will The three­spoke steering wheel is cost you around R205 000, which in­ pleasant to handle and the analogue cludes a four­year or 120 000 km dials are directly in front of the driver, warranty, a two­year or 40 000 km allowing absolute concentration on service plan, as well as a five­year an­ the road. Controls for the front and ti­corrosion warranty and three­year rear electrically operated windows roadside assistance service. and colour­coded side mirrors are on This area of the marketplace is a panel on the driver’s door, from crowded with competition from VW, which the car doors can also be locked. Toyota, Renault and Suzuki, Honda All controls are easy to reach and and Tata, to name a few. So shop operate. around and negotiate a deal. In these There are over 20 storage spaces difficult economic times it’s a buyer’s in the car, most conveniently placed market.

The Figo 1,5 turbo diesel delivered an astonishing 3,9l/100 km with hasty driving between Cape Town and Hermanus.

PHOTOS: QUICKPIC

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It comes in five select body colours, including Zanzibar – a choice reserved exclusively for Landmark. And for the first time ever, Tan Windsor Leather seats are now a Discovery option.

Call us today to book a test drive.

LAND ROVER PIETERMARITZBURG 9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg Tel: 033 897 8700 A/H: Brendon 083 253 6768 landroverpmb@smg.co.za pietermaritzburg.landrover.co.za

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WitnessWheels MOTORING

If Ken Blog is your YouTube hero, the Focus RS is the car for you, especially with the industry­ fired drift mode activated.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC

From a great bloodline comes excellence AMIL UMRAW THIS is the Muhammad Ali of hatch­ backs — there is simply no purer way to describe Ford’s new Focus RS. It floats like a butterfly and stings like a Bullet Ant, wearing its Rallye Sport badge with a proud smugness.

Enthusiasts have waited seven years since the lime­green “Hulk” left our knees clattering and our eyeballs bol­ stered into the back of our heads at every turn. The hype surrounding this launch was feverish, and not only because of the car’s luminary bloodline, but because the specs were exceedingly exceptional.

Sitting poised at the start line, where the RS seems most at home, I spent a few minutes admiring its muscles. Okay, it was more than a few minutes, but can you blame me?

The new RS may not have its predeces­ sor’s brutish arches and snarling vents, but one can appreciate that Ford’s de­ signers were obsessed with functionality, aiming for aerodynamics and balanced weight distribution, with every element contributing to maximum driver pleas­ ure.

Inside, the RS feels a bit like a stock ST, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

However, I would have liked to see a little more racing pizzazz: a few toggle switches like in the Mustang perhaps, or even a button for a rocket launcher. It is an RS after all.

The seats, however, are the highlight of the interior, encapsulating the car’s racing heritage perfectly. They support and pinch you in all the right places and their blue trim matches well with the car’s blue Brembo calipers, which are a must­ have, by the by.

It also has all the bells and whistles like electric this and voice­activated that, heated this and remoteless that — all things we expect in a modern vehicle.

Now, on to what really matters.

Under the hood, Ford has transplanted Stability Control, the RS makes you feel a highly tweaked version of the 2,3 litre like a true WRC legend behind the wheel turbocharged power plant from the baby without letting you get too ahead of your­ Mustang, which delivers 257 kW and self.

440 Nm of torque, catapulting the RS There are four driving modes to from 0­100 km/h in 4,7 seconds. choose from at the click of a button: Nor­ The RS will max out at 266 km/h and mal, for that week before pay day when getting there is easier than one would ex­ you cannot afford to let loose. Sport, for pect. when you want to eat up almost any other The engine may be turbocharged but hot hatch at the traffic light. it does a first­rate job in disguising it, with Track, for when you want to feel like a seamless thrust generated by a new low­ a real racer. And Drift, for when you feel inertia twin­scroll turbocharger kicking like it’s time to end your life. in from the time you put the pedal down No seriously. I had the privilege of cir­ right through to the rev limit just under cuiting a skidpan with the RS in Drift.

7 000 rpm. It pulls away effort­ No handbrake needed to per­ lessly from standstill, making form that perfect slide. I felt me think Ford has hidden a like Beethoven’s Fifth Price few more cylinders some­ should have been play­ Focus RS 2.3 where in the boot. ing in the background.

But this is not a EcoBoost AWD And the best part is I straight­line racer, even had never drifted be­ R699 900 though a bowel­wrench­ fore. But don’t whip Extras: ing launch control and the beast because it will R10 000 trick four­wheel­drive pre­ bite you. Hard. cision will have you believe So the RS really is an all­ it. Around a corner, ain’t noth­ rounder. ing gon’ catch the RS. It’s stunning, powerful, su­ To be technical, the All Wheel Drive perb to handle and for lack of a better system is based on twin electronically word, fun. It’s not going to break any lap controlled clutch packs on each side of records but is designed to be enjoyed, the rear drive unit. These manage the make you grin like you’ve just lost your car’s front and rear torque split, and also virginity, and all without taking itself too control the side­to­side torque distribu­ seriously. tion at the rear axle — delivering the Like Ali, the RS combines precision “torque vectoring” capability. with power and will be sure to deliver a This can send 70% of the drive torque knockout blow to its challengers. to the rear axle and up to 100% of the With only 300 bound for South Afri­ available torque at the rear axle can be can shores, like its older brother, the RS sent to each rear wheel. will one day be a collector’s car, and there­ Basically, the car knows what it is doing fore, should come with a collector’s price. before you do.

But it doesn’t.

But this does not mean you are being The RS comes in one derivative and driven around by a sophisticated com­ starts at R699 900, with all the optional puter. extras adding up to about R10 000. It With a standard six­speed manual may seem like a lot, but consider it is gearbox, because real men only drive more than R100 000 cheaper than Audi’s stick, adaptive dampers and Electronic RS3 and Mercedes’ A45 AMG. .

UK poised for electric car future IN the next decade, one in every two new cars looks to be electric in the UK, the font of many models coming to South Af­ rica.

A Driver Power consumer survey sug­ gests car buying trends in the UK are on course to meet government forecast for all new cars and vans to be electric by 2040.

In the near future, deeper analyses show over half of all new cars sold by 2027 — or some 1,3 million cars a year — will be electric.

The new automotive industry forecast analysis by Go Ultra Low, a government and industry­backed campaign, collated data from multiple electric­car sales re­ ports and forecasts, and its conclusions are backed by Auto Express, Britain’s best­ selling weekly car magazine.

The publication recently reported record high scores for EVs in its flagship car owner survey, “Driver Power”, with electric cars topping the overall best car

tables and performing strongly in ease of driving and running costs categories, among others.

Commenting on the expected contin­ ued rise in EV popularity, editor­in­chief Steve Fowler said: “We are moving to­ wards a tipping point for electrically­pow­ ered cars, so it’s entirely possible that by 2027 these vehicles will dominate the market as the top choice for new car buy­ ers.”

The Plug­in Car Grant (PiCG) began in 2011 with just over 1 000 annual registra­ tions of plug­in cars. Since then, record­ breaking volumes of EVs have been regis­ tered every year — 2015 saw more than 28 000 electric cars registered.

“This year started with the best period for EV uptake since records began, with UK buyers registering the equivalent of one electric car every 13 minutes.”

With vehicle manufacturers introduc­ ing more and more electric and plug­in hybrid models, the new car market is ac­

celerating towards a point in the future where plug­in power overtakes petrol and diesel as the dominant fuel type.

Head of Go Ultra Low Poppy Welch said: “The huge interest in electric vehicles and their subsequent rapid rise in uptake has been spectacular so far, with more than 60 000 EVs registered in the past five years. These rises are just the start of the electric revolution as Go Ultra Low analy­ sis suggests that electric vehicles could dominate the new car market as early as 2027.”

Go Ultra Low analysed a series of mar­ ket forecasts and trends for plug­in vehi­ cle uptake considering forecasts by gov­ ernment, the Committee on Climate Change, the RAC Foundation, Auto Ex­ press and other industry authorities. With EV uptake continuing to grow, this new analysis by Go Ultra Low suggests that the government forecast for all new cars and vans to have ultra low emissions by 2040 is on track to be met. — Newspress.

July 7, 2016

Vehicle dealers urged to go digital ‘Up­to­date dealer and product info must be available online 24/7’ THE growing importance of digital communications systems in the vehi­ cle retailing environment in South Af­ rica was once again stressed at a very informative national Sewells Nada Per­ formance road show staged in Durban, Cape Town, Pretoria and Johannes­ burg recently.

This was the second time that auto specialist consulting company Sewells staged such a road show in SA. It proved very successful with more than 200 dealers being represented at the various sessions.

Addressing the delegates, Warren Olsen, the CEO of the Sewells Group in Sub­Sahara Africa, said that dealers must run their businesses efficiently and be prepared for setbacks and chal­ lenges such as happened with the eco­ nomic meltdown in 2009 and the present threat to the econo­ my posed by the recent Brexit decision in the United King­ dom.

“The 2009 crisis result­ ed in 135 motor re­ tailers in South Af­ rica clos­ ing their doors and with an av­ erage em­ ployment of 35 people each this was a big blow to local employment,” said Olsen.

“It is for this reason that those people heading up automotive busi­ nesses in South Africa must embrace change and adapt the way they run their companies to ensure sustainabili­ ty. The accelerating move to the digital world is one of these changes that must be taken very seriously.”

A few SMSes go furthest Mike Paxton, of Sewells, who hosted a group of SA dealers at this year’s Na­ da conference in Las Vegas, gave an ex­ cellent overview of the way digital communication methods are being used successfully in the retail automo­ tive business in the United States.

He said that strong CRM pro­ grammes were a vital link with con­ sumers, but they must be personalised and communication must be mean­ ingful.

“Dealer and product information must be available 24/7 and it must be up­to­date,” advised Paxton.

“This means it is essential that home pages are refreshed regularly and given regular overhauls to ensure they work at optimal efficiency.

“It is interesting to note that several dealers in the U.S. focus on aspects of their service offering on their home

page, instead of the emphasis on new products one generally finds with South African websites.

“SMSes are the most effective way of reaching a consumer as research shows that virtually all SMSes received are read within three minutes.

“However, it is vital to be sparing with this communication channel as overuse will irritate the customer.”

Paxton said the U.S. dealers always strive to have a live voice at the end of a telephone line, even if it means contracting with an outsourced call centre.

“People wanting to buy or service a car like to speak to another person, not an answering machine,” he added.

Many more on e­mail Simphiwe Nghona of Wesbank, the leading finance house in South Africa for con­ sumer and dealer funding, pre­ sented several interesting statistics about the potential for local digital commu­ nication in its pre­ sentation.

This in­ formation in­ cluded facts such as that there are currently 24,9 million active inter­ net users in SA, of whom 11,8 million are already using various social media platforms.

The Wesbank presentation added further facts that there are now 79,1 million mobile connections in the country of which 10,6 million are al­ ready using smartphones on social me­ dia sites.

“South Africa now has more SIM cards than toothbrushes,” quipped Nghona.

Jeff Osborne, who heads up the au­ tomotive division of Gumtree in SA, said that the vehicle purchasing proc­ ess is being driven increasingly by the consumer, with 85% of those buying a new car making use of the Internet as a research tool before going to a dealership.

“This means only dealers that are nimble and can adapt quickly to chang­ ing consumer requirements will sur­ vive,” said Osborne.

“This need not mean the death of the salesperson, but rather that these sales executives must be prepared to change the way they operate to make a success in the future.”

The next Sewells Nada road show will take place in October.

— Wheels Reporter.

MOTORING WitnessWheels

July 7, 2016

Academy trains all race drivers

5

TRUCK ‘KILLS’ N3 CAMERA

Young and old drivers benefit from focused three­day course MOTORSPORT South Africa’s inaugural MSA Motorsport De­ velopment Academy got under­ way at the University of Preto­ ria’s High Performance Centre on Sunday morning last week, when 18 of the country’s top young race drivers took part in an intensive three­day session.

These drivers are now evalua­ tion on each race in the 2016 race season.

The delegates were split into two groups of nine before alter­

nating between the first two Academy modules — a physical assessment in the HPC lab and a team building exercise each side of lunch before returning to the hotel for dinner.

Monday saw the groups once again split between an advanced driving module and a series on lectures on the likes of dealing with the media, sponsorship and their professional responsibili­ ties, all with a strong emphasis on road safety and their role in

promoting saver driving at all levels. The third and last day of the training focused on practical and theoretical modules on Tuesday evening.

Academy convenor Steve Harding said the aim now is to see the drivers progress. “The Academy also focuses closely on road safety, an aspect we expect our drivers to promote through­ out their race careers and be­ yond.”

The 18 drivers selected include

the only woman racer, Classic car racer Paige Lindenberg, Cape Formula Supercar racer Dayne Angel as the oldest driver and Pi­ etermaritzburg’s cross country racer Gareth Woolridge.

The FIA’s support ensures that the elite three­day programme will run at no cost to the selected drivers, who will continue to be monitored for the remainder of the season and will be expected to take a follow­up fitness test at the HPC at the end of the season.

Trevor Hellens holds an average speed camera that fell victim to one of the three “truck falls” the N3 suffers on average each night after a truck driver veered off the highway and collided with the overhead gantry holding the camera. Another trucker got the fright of his life when the camera crashed through his windscreen as he passed the veering truck. The cause of the crash is not yet known. The N3 carries 10 000 trucks a day.

PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN

TOUCH WOOD

Francois Hatting with his best marketing decision yet, a wood­clad 1964 Ford F150, the only one in KZN and, as far as we could ascertain, the world.

PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN ALWYN VILJOEN

The government is keen to give a 14% discount to VAT­registered businesses farmers on the new extra­cab Isuzu; the very pleasant new car smell comes free.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC

New Isuzu packs many extras and smells nice ALWYN VILJOEN JULY is new bakkie month in SA. Hot on the heels of the three Fiat Fullback bakkies and nine Ford Ranger 2,2 automatic mod­ els, Isuzu has added the KB X­Rider to the KB range.

For this reporter, it was love at first smell in the new KB. Bakkies and cars these days contain well over 15 kg of acrid­smelling glue, which makes it very easy to get a new car smell that is sharp and unpleasant. Not so in the KB X­Rider, which is the first new car in a long time that manages to mix leather and glue into that perfect new car smell.

It rides like a car too — soft riding over the bumpiest roads even without a load on the back being the hallmark Isuzu over the years, and inside the cab you find everything cars have to offer.

The newcomer can be readily identified by a number of visual cues such as stylish black dia­ mond­cut 18­inch alloys and black tubular side steps, but some less obvious features are what mark this special edition KB as a special kind of work­ horse.

The X­Rider boasts an uprated towbar with a 2.1­tonne braked trailer capacity, LED daytime running lights and remote key­ less entry. Apart from the leather seats and X­Rider logo embroid­ ered on the front headrests there is also a multi­function, leather­ trimmed steering wheel with the red stitching, which stitches also appear on the gearlever gaiter and the seats.

Piano Black inserts are used on the doors, where a bold red ‘X’ motif add the final tough to the on­road presence, which is built

up with daytime running lights, big 255/60 all­terrain rubber on 18­inch diamond­cut alloy wheels, wheel caps with the Isuzu branding in red and dramatic black tubular side steps, a sports bar and a blacked­out B­pillar.

Vice­president of Vehicle Sales, Service, and Marketing at General Motors South Africa, Brian Olson said in a press state­ ment the X­Rider aims to offer real value and individuality in a brand which is well known for toughness, reliability and com­ fort. “The X­Rider follows on the success of special edition models of the past, such as the Midnite and Serengeti.

“The X­Rider continues the tradition but at a lower price point, providing added exclusivi­ ty and exceptional value for mon­ ey,” Olson added.

What he did not add in the

press statement is that all the sugar cane farmers who swear by Isuzu can look forward to the au­ tomatic gearbox being paired to Isuzu’s 2,5 engine as well in the not too distant future.

All X­rider derivatives will be powered by the new, 100 kW/320Nm Nm high­output version of Isuzu’s proven 2.5­litre common rail direct injection tur­ bodiesel, an engine which has been a stalwart of the KB range since a September 2015 facelift.

The X­Rider is offered in a trio of classy colours — Summit White, Switchblade Silver or Maranello Red — and the full ar­ ray of changes applicable to the exterior include: Pricing Isuzu KB 250 HO X­Rider Extended Cab R355 900 Isuzu KB 250 HO X­Rider Double Cab R366 380

“WOODY” is the world’s only 1964 Ford F150 clad totally in wood, and if pick­ups could show emotions like they do in the cartoon Cars, Woody would be grinning all day long.

Originally garaged in How­ ick, Francois Hatting, owner of iSigns in the small town of Umhlali near Ballito, bought Woody some two years ago to promote the la­ ser cutting side of his sig­ nage business. “It was the best marketing decision I could make. Wherever I stop, people get out of their cars

and taxis to take a photo,” said Hatting.

He told Wheels he still wants to replace with laser­ cut wood “everything inside than can be made from wood panels”, including the speedometer needle and rear view mirror casing.

Hatting has already made side mirror casings, and said he learned a lot to ensure the next batch doesn’t shake apart in the demand­ ing coastal climate and rut­ ted roads.

“The only problem is Woody’s marketing is so ef­ fective, I don’t have any time to do it,” Hatting said.

WIN WITH WHEELS One lucky reader stands a chance to win a laser­ cut 3D model puzzle of a 4x4 vehicle, made and flatpacked at iSigns, and as bonus, the name of the winner will be laser­cut on the door. Tell us where iSigns is based for a chance to win. E­mail your answer to alwyn.viljoen@witness.co.za

6

WitnessWheels MOTORING

July 7, 2016

Toyota designers pay tribute to iconic manga comic strip car Benz

The car of Japan’s original comic book drifting hero has been remade.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC

WITH perhaps a little too much time on their hands, the design­ ers at Toyota’s special projects department in the UK took the 86 Initial D concept to re­imag­ ining Japan’s iconic comic book car AE86.

Called manga, after the cult comics from the land of the rising sun, the vehicle not only copies the manga car’s distinctive pan­ da­style monochrome livery, but uses new versions of the same Japanese market components that were featured so successfully on the original.

First published in 1995, the Ini­ tial D manga comics told the sto­ ry of a young fuel station attend­ ant who delivers tofu for his fa­ ther’s business every night in an old Toyota Sprinter Trueno on

the twisting roads of the local Mount Akina.

With years of practice before he is even of legal driving age, the protagonist — Takumi Fujiwara — is the fastest driver on the mountain.

As the series develops, several drivers from across the country descend on Akina to challenge young Takumi.

The series was so popular that it was later adapted into an televi­ sion series in 1998 and thanks to the increasing popularity of drifting the series has since be­ come a worldwide phenomenon.

It also made the Toyota Sprinter Trueno — known as a Corolla Levin in Japan and Corol­ la GT in the UK — a cult hero.

On its launch in 2012, the cur­

rent generation Toyota 86 was instantly recognised as a spiritual successor to the rear­wheel drive Corolla GT Coupe of the mid­ 1980s.

That connection has now been re­emphasised with the creation of a one­off 86 Initial D concept, liveried and kitted to match its comic book Corolla predecessor.

To emphasise the new con­ cept’s roots in pop culture, Toyo­ ta commissioned UK­based manga artist Sonia Leong to de­ sign a series of panoramic back­ drops that effectively put the real 86 into comic strip action scenes.

The Toyota 86 Initial D con­ cept will be attending motoring events around Britain through­ out the summer.

— Wheels Reporter.

Sanral to train emergency reponse personnel to manage traffic flow at crash sites

A new university level course for emergency personnel sponsored by Sanral will co­ ordinate national responses to road crashes to cut delays like this as short as possible.

PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN

No more delays

THE South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has been ac­ credited by the Transport Sector Educa­ tion and Training Authority (Teta) to trains emergency reponse personnel to manage traffic flow around accident scenes.

South Africa road death toll of 23,5 per 100 000 of the population is way above the global average. Each crash contributes to long delays for hundreds of motorists in the daily traffic flow and also delays emergency and enforcement services personnel from arriving at the scene.

Nomsa Modise, project manager for Social Economic Development and Rims in the Eastern Region, will be in charge of Rims skills training under the auspices of Sanral. She has spearheaded the development of the incident man­ agement qualification in the form of a national certificate in line with South African Qualification Authority (Saqa) standards.

“The Rims skills training, which is mainly aimed at traffic officials, para­ medics, police, military, fire depart­ ments and other emergency response services, will help to ensure the rapid de­ tection of incidents, quick verification of the extent and type of incident, fol­ lowed by the deployment of the appro­ priate resources,” she said.

Modise added the Rims qualification will be offered up to university level to traffic officials, paramedics, police, mili­ tary, fire departments and other emer­ gency response services.

She said Sanral will bear the costs of trainers, moderators and all training material.

The outcome of thi specialised skills development will be an integrated and co­ordinated approach to transport or other related incident management throughout South Africa. — WR.

Go soft­top riding in the Mercedes C­Class Cabriolet THE new C­Class Cabriolet is now available at Mercedes­Benz dealers, who say this cabrio rep­ resents the attractive entry level into the family of Mercedes­Benz convertibles at R699 900.

The Cabriolet’s fully automat­ ic fabric soft top can be opened and closed in 20 seconds at speeds of up to 50 km/h. The Air­ cap electric draught stop system and the Airscarf neck­level heat­ ing extend the open­air driving season to the entire year.

Efficient, powerful engines de­ livering between 125 and 375 kW and a suspension designed for

dynamic performance (with op­ tional Airmatic air suspension) ensure sporty, agile handling. For the first time in the C­Class, the 9G­Tronic automatic transmis­ sion is available for all four and six­cylinder engines. For the first time, 4matic permanent all­ wheel drive is also available for the Mercedes­AMG C 43 AMG 4matic variant.

The C­Class Cabriolet has ex­ tensive standard equipment. In addition to the Agility Control suspension it includes the dia­ mond grille and striking LED high­performance headlamps.

OTHER FEATURES AVAILABLE Multi­layer acoustic soft top in three col­ ours for maximum climatic and noise comfort (standard).

Cabriolet Comfort package (Aircap+Air­ scarf)........................................................R9 500 Driving Assistance package Plus, including Distronic Plus with Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot, Pre­safe Brake with pe­ destrian recognition and Brake Assist Bas plus, which can intervene when there is a danger of collision..........................R31 500 Head­up display...................................R15 900 Burmester® surround sound system R11 000 AMG Line Exterior...............................R25 500 AMG Line Interior...................R14 200 — WR.

supports Lottering tour MERCEDES­BENZ South Africa (MBSA) and its dealer partners are supporting Lau­ reus Sport for Good Founda­ tion South Africa ambassa­ dor Grant Lottering’s Im’Possible Tour III and mis­ sion to raise funds in aid of the Laureus Foundation South Africa, by donating R1 million.

Mercedes­Benz South Af­ rica is also title vehicle spon­ sor for the Im’possible Tour — a solo, non­stop, 1 000 km cycle challenge through the French Alps in under 48 hours.

Mercedes­Benz is a proud country patron of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation South Africa and has thrown its weight behind survivor, speaker, ultra­endurance cy­ clist and Laureus Sport for Good ambassador Lottering, who will be on his third Im’possible Tour.

In August, Lottering will attempt a solo, 1 000 km ul­ tra­endurance cycle through the French Alps, cycling con­ tinuously for two days and two nights.

As part of the tour, Lotter­ ing will be cycling over 20 al­ pine mountains, involving 20 000 metres of climbing in the Alps. For fundraising for the foundation in South Afri­ ca, he is selling various moun­ tains to sponsors and Mer­ cedes­Benz South Africa and its dealer network partners took to the challenge and jointly pledged R1 million.

This support stems from Mercedes­Benz South Afri­ ca’s belief in Laureus’ mission of “using the power of sport as a tool for social change”.

This mission was inspired by the words of the first pa­ tron of Laureus, Nelson Man­ dela.

At the very first Laureus World Sports Awards in Monaco 2000, he said: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.”

Co­CEO of MBSA and Laureus Sport for Good Foundation trustee member, Florian Seidler, said: “At Mer­ cedes­Benz South Africa, we take social responsibility ex­ tremely seriously and as a country patron in South Afri­ ca for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, we contin­ ue to make a lasting contribu­ tion to the development of the youth of South Africa through sport, assisting posi­ tive social change in the com­ munities where Laureus is ac­ tive.”

MBSA is also the title vehi­ cle sponsor for Grant Lotter­ ing’s Im’possible Tour III. The vehicle sponsorship en­ tails a V­Class and a Vito Tourer that will accompany Grant on his ultra­endurance trip to achieve the Im’possi­ ble. — Supplied.

MOTORING WitnessWheels

July 7, 2016

7

Ford has added nine new models to the Ranger range.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC

RANGER ups its range RANGER First and only single cab pick­up on the local market available with an automatic transmission FORD has mated its 2.2 Duratorq TDCi models with its six­speed automatic transmission, effectively adding nine new models to the Ranger range.

The Ranger is the first and only single cab pick­up on the local market available with an automatic transmission, adding unrivalled driving convenience to one of SA’s top­selling vehicles.

The extended Ranger line­up makes it the most comprehensive product of­ fering in this segment with a total of 36 models now available to suit every seg­ ment of the industry, from pure work­ horse applications right through to the leisure and lifestyle market.

“The Ford Ranger has been a huge suc­

cess story for Ford, not only in South Africa, but around the world,” says Tra­ cey Delate, general marketing manager, Ford Motor Company of Southern Afri­ ca (FMCSA).

“The automatic transmission option on the Ranger 3.2 has dominated sales due to its smooth operation and ease of use, combined with the superb power and torque of the Duratorq TDCi en­ gine. We are delighted to now introduce this sophisticated automatic transmis­ sion to the Ranger 2.2 TDCi, providing unparalleled comfort and driving conve­ nience, matched to the superb perform­ ance and efficiency of Ford’s latest gener­ ation Duratorq diesel engines.”

In its latest form, launched in October last year as part of the extensive update to the New Ranger, the 2.2 TDCi engine produces an impressive power output of 118 kW, matched to a substantial 385 Nm of torque.

This ensures superb all­round per­ formance and fuel economy, whether used for the daily urban commute, head­ ing out onto the open road, or tackling challenging off­road terrain.

Combined with impressive fuel con­ sumption and 20 000 km service inter­ vals for the Duratorq TDCi engines, the 2.2 TDCi Auto guarantees low running costs and superb value for money.

The Ranger 2.2 Auto Single Cab mod­

els are unique in the LCV segment, as they are the only automatic derivatives available in a sector dominated by cor­ porate and fleet sales.

Two models are available, comprising the 2.2 TDCi 4x2 XL, along with the higher specification XLS model equipped with a 4x4 drivetrain.

Three versatile Super Cab variants of the 2.2 Auto are included in the expand­ ed model offering, starting off with the 4x2 XL, along with the XLS models in either 4x2 or 4x4 guises.

The Super Cab is particularly popular with farmers, contractors as well as life­ style­oriented buyers seeking the added convenience of the extra space behind

the front seats, as well as the conve­ nience of the rear opening doors that provide unrivalled access to the entire cabin.

All models are sold with a four­ year/120 000 km comprehensive war­ ranty, five­year/100 000 km service plan (excluding Base derivatives), three­year/ unlimited kilometre roadside assistance and five­year/unlimited kilometre corro­ sion warranty. Service intervals are every 20 000 km. The nine models in the Ran­ ger 2.2 Auto Model Range start selling at R312k for the the single cab XL 4X2, a 4x4 single cab goes for R427k and the top of the range 2.2 TDCi double cab XLT 4X2 sells for R482 900. — WR.

Future truck transmissions will become as small as this, from the half­a­ton casings of today (below). PHOTOS: EATON

Eaton announce gearbox for electric trucks The 45­seat electric bus being induction­loaded in 15 minutes during trial runs in Tokyo, Japan.

PHOTO: TOSHIBA

Toshiba joins electric transport revolution ALWYN VILJOEN BETTER known for its electric goods, Toshiba has now also entered the elec­ tric transport service industry and is field testing an induction charger for electricity on a 45­seat electric bus.

The bus will cover an 11 km route in Tokyo taking on congested suburban roads and fast highway travelling.

The wireless charger was designed with Professor Yushi Kamiya of the fac­ ulty of science and engineering at Wase­ da University and is described as a sec­

ond generation magnetic resonance sys­ tem. Installed in the ground on the bus route, the driver has to push a button to allow charging of Toshiba’s lithium­ ion rechargeable battery.

The first generation of electromag­ netic induction demands that the charg­ ing and receiving pads be closely posi­ tioned to allow a charge. Second genera­ tion magnetic resonance allow the charge pad and the battery to be misa­ ligned by as much 20 cm along the width and 10 cm along the length, and they can be as far as 10 cm apart without losing

contact and charge.

It takes only 15 minutes or so to charge SCiB to a level necessary for the EV bus to run one­way between the test sites.

Toshiba said the forgiving nature of its system enables a long life and tests have shown almost no fall­off in per­ formance even after 15 000 quick charge and discharge cycles.

This makes the Toshiba system ideal for use on shuttle buses, which must combine heavy use with frequent and fast charging. The field tests will contin­ ue until December. — WR.

ALWYN VILJOEN THE rise of electric trucks continue unabated in the U.S. After Mack and BYD last month an­ nounced their plan to use electric­tur­ bine and full­electric trucks and the Ni­ kola 1 truck inspired over 7 000 de­ positors to part with $1 500 (R21 800) each, clutch maker Eaton last week an­ nounced will make a gearbox specifi­ cally for electric trucks.

Eaton said it is involved in a produc­ tion programme with Pi Innovo and UQM Technologies to make a two­ speed gear transmission, which will link to UQM’s PowerPhase HD220/ HD250 motor and inverter system to create a full electric drivetrain system called the “UQM PowerPhaseDT”.

Eaton stated its two­speed trans­ mission will provide a greater speed

and torque range from what would normally be possible in a direct drive system, allowing a smaller electric mo­ tor to drive large vehicles.

The smaller drivetrain will also al­ low for better packaging, efficiency, greater payload capacity and lower cost when compared with direct drive or single speed drivetrain strategies.

The trio plan to start production early next year.

8

WitnessWheels MOTORING

July 7, 2016

Kwanda masterclass Kyalami primary school kid raises the bar during Vereeniging karting championships EVERY now and then, someone does something sensational in motorsport and Saturday was one of those days at Vereeniging when 12­year­old Kyalami primary school kid Kwanda Mokoena delivered a karting masterclass.

Firstly it is a rare occasion when some­ one even enters to race in three different karting classes in one day, let alone win a race in each of them, but that’s not all that Kwanda achieved in Saturday’s fourth round of the Northern Regions karting championships. Not only did he also win six of the nine races he started, but he took overall victory in two of the three classes entered as he came within a tantalising five points from taking what would have been a record three class vic­ tories in one day.

“I am very tired!” was the first thing Kwanda said after his ninth race of the day. “It was brilliant day though — we got first in Mini Rok, first in Maxterino and second in Junior Rok. We could have won Junior Rok too if our chain hadn’t come off while I was leading race, but I won the other two Junior Rok races —

An ecstatic Kwanda Mokoena. PHOTO: MOTORSPORT MEDIA the third one by 12 seconds!”

It’s not the first time that young Kwanda has won both primary school classes on a regional race weekend, al­ though this time he had to deal with a strong out­of­town contingent too. But that never stopped Kwanda from romp­ ing to a triple victory as he dominated

the Maxterino 60 class, leaving his rivals to scrap in his wake.

Kwanda also took a first, a second and a third place in each heat to also win the primary school Mini Rok 60 cc class overall on a count back, but his luck would not stretch quite far enough to see him take that magic triple, when his

kart shed its drive chain to see him retire from the lead of the second heat of the bigger Junior Rok 125 cc class normally raced by highschool kids.

But he drove magnificently, making and pulling off daring moves to pass at every opportunity, passing around the outside of the trickiest corners and im­ posing himself so significantly on some rivals that they yielded to allow him by, all of which sapped every ounce of ener­ gy from his wiry frame. “It was a big ef­ fort,” Kwanda admitted. “Now all I want to do is go home, have a nice hot bath and go to sleep. But I must thank my dad and the team — everyone worked so hard — thank you all very much!”

Kwanda returns to Vereeniging for the South African National Karting Finals in two weeks’ time, where he will chal­ lenge for both the SA Maxterino and Mini Rok 60cc championship titles. He lies a close second in both, so judging

by Saturday’s performance, it would not be wise man who ruled Kwanda out on a historic double title.

— Motorsport Media.

There is no such thing as too fast — Jan Hettema at the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games.

PHOTO: WWW.INSIDETHE­ GAMES.BIZ

Words not enough for legend Hettema ALWYN VILJOEN

Sandra Labuscagne and Emma Gilmour. PHOTO: FIA.COM

Gilmour, Labuscagne make their marks at Italian Baja CHARMAINE FORTUNE EMMA Gilmour and Sandra Labusca­ gne, who were originally selected for the FIA Women in Motorsport and QMMF cross country rallying project, contested last weekend’s Italian Baja, completing the event with some competitive times despite a roll in the opening stage of the event.

The rookie cross country crew were invited to contest the event by Nasser Al Attiyah, multiple rally and cross coun­ try champion, as well as double Dakar Rally victor, the Qatari keen to support the development of women in motor­ sport.

From the deserts of Qatar, the fourth round of the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies in northern Italy was a very different affair. Competitive sec­ tions were run in dried up rivers and as a consequence, boulders and large stones littered the route, along with big jumps and water crossings, the latter re­ sulting in some dramatic driving condi­ tions for the all­female crew.

“Unfortunately on the first main day, the first real stage, 50 kilometres in I got caught out. With the dust and braking

I tipped it over, we rolled and couldn’t get the car back on its wheels,” said Gil­ mour . “Fortunately it was just cosmetic damage and the team did a great job to fix it and get us back out in the afternoon.

The only problem was there was no windscreen anymore and we had to wear goggles; there were a lot of water cross­ ings and mud splashes so we got very very wet and very very muddy! But we had heaps of fun, it was amazing.”

Because of their opening section mis­ hap, the crew — who ultimately finished sixth in the T2 class — were seeded right at the back of the field for the second day and struggled to overhaul slower cars. Stopping to change a tyre in the last section also didn’t aid their charge.

“We were setting third fastest T2 times but we were among much slower cars and they didn’t like pulling over for girls in a hurry!” added Gilmour. “… we would easily have been third in class. I think second would have been a push, but it’s hard to know how much we were being slowed up with all the traffic we had to keep getting past, so definitely it would’ve been a podium for sure.”

For Labuscagne, the fast pace naviga­ tion over tight and twisty sections was

enjoyable, but the lure of the longer en­ durance events remains for the South Af­ rican. “Navigation at the Sealine Cross Country Rally was more challenging and this was a huge difference to our experi­ ence in Qatar, but it was really enjoya­ ble,” she said. “It was exciting driving with Emma; she is very talented and her experience is a valuable asset. We worked very well in the car together. And I really appreciated the support from Matthieu [Baumel, navigator to Nasser Al Attiyah]. He is a role model for me with loads of experience and I have learned a lot from him. I would love to continue participating in cross country rallying; the ultimate dream remains one day to participate in the Dakar Rally.”

Michèle Mouton, president of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission, was also in Italy to support Gilmour and Labuscagnefollowing the generous invi­ tation by Al Attiyah and the Italian Baja organisers.

“Emma had good speed, but things change once you have rolled and you’re not in your normal position,” she said.

“There are slower cars in front that you have to keep passing, there’s dust and cars that don’t let you through. But

it was another big chance for them to have a good experience and I just said they had to make the most of it.

“The team did a fantastic job of get­ ting them back out after the roll and worked really hard for them, this was im­ portant for them to gain more experi­ ence and confidence.

“A big thanks to R Team — Ralliart Off Road Italy for that and welcoming us all so warmly. Of course, we also have to thank the organiser for the entry, and Nasser for his fantastic help.

“He has given the girls another oppor­ tunity to approach this discipline and they like it. I think the biggest lesson is that you don’t drive these kind of rallies the same way; you have to read the road and be prepared to lose some seconds to keep the car running well and out of trouble. It’s different to stage rallying, both for driving and navigation, but it has definitely gone in the right way.”

In conclusion, Gilmour and Labusca­ gne concurred: “It was very special to have Michèle come and support us and we thank her, Nasser and Matthieu. We … had a wonderful week with a suppor­ tive, friendly and helpful team and to see Nasser and Matthieu win was fantastic.”

THE many obituaries to murdered motorsport legend Jan Hettema fall far short of describing the man who taught me how little I can race.

But enough has been written about the man who made the Total Economy Run, the World Rally Championship racer and the Olym­ pic cyclist not to repeat it here.

What was not added is that Hette­ ma was also a shoe model in his hey­ day; or how the dashing young man never confirmed or denied rumours of a fling with a certain young prin­ cess in Monaco when he raced there; or the ding­dong battles the old bull had with the then up­and­coming Sarel van der Merwe.

A clueless young car writer, I used to meet up with the gnarly old legend at the plot between Pretoria and Ray­ ton, for him to give expert comment on the handling on whatever new bakkie I had.

I recalled when the Navara bakkie just came out how he calmly drifted the big vehicle through farm gates with one hand while with the other pointing out to me how well Nissan had done to overcome the limits of a torsion bar and leaf springs.

When I left, he would press on me some fresh eggs, from which farm fresh produce he and his retired teacher wife Elsa made their living then.

What impressed me most about Hettema was not his sporting achievements, but how patient he was with his hens, which as any chick­ en farmer can tell you is not a normal reaction to the often pesky demands made by this domesticated descend­ ant of the Tyrannesaurus Rex. Hettema was a spry 83 when he was shot in cold blood by two robbers who made off with a few bits of elec­ tronic goods. Our empathy goes to his wife, Elsa, and their daughter Hel­ ena, a star in her own right, as well as his staff at the plot.

We can sing the old Country and Western hit On The Road Again with them, as we did at many an economy run, for wherever Jan is now, I am sure the road is just a blur of joyful speed going past.

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