CARS WANTED
October 8, 2015
Witness
Rating the t s e r e v E PAGE 2
WHEELS
Exotic,luxury and supercars WANTED FOR CASH must be low mileage and mint condition, email pics and brief description to ashgani@telkomsa.net
ASH EXOTICS Dealers in Superfine Exotic and Sports Cars Tel: 033 345 1971, 033 342 4717 Fax: 033 342 2900 - www.ashcarsales.co.za 534/550 Ch Church rch Street Street, Pietermarit Pietermaritzburg b rg 3201 • Ash 083 786 3377
EDITOR: ALWYN VILJOEN 082 4589 332 ADVERTISING: AVIR THULSIRAM ON 084 278 3447
Like a Staffie, with lipstick Aygo has freshfromgym edges and a boot that can now take boots ALWYN VILJOEN WITH 74 000 Aygos sold world wide last year, this small hatch has nothing left to prove, although Toyota South Africa may have to find another dog to advertise the new, deeply etched Aygo. The first impression of the Ay go in its natural habitat — an un derground parking lot — is one of a growling need for freedom, like a Staffie chained to its kennel. The goofy smile of Buddy the friendly Boxer will simply not work alongside the Augo’s snarl ing Xnose. Snip that Staffie’s chain with the turn of a key and the Aygo’s little threecylinder engine will re ward your ears with a happy growl, and your eyes with a colourful dis
play on the large central speedom eter behind the steering wheel. The equally colourful touch screen is really easy to use and links to any smartphone with a few presses. The speedo surrounds a display that answers all your questions on fuel and temperature. On the left, an amber rev counter and on the right a couple of arrows tell you when to engage the next of the five gears. Second gear is long, to make the most of the onelitre’s respect able 51 kW and 95 Nm. Thanks to Toyota’s clever varia ble valves, this power is available from low revs to send the hatch from zero to 100 km/h in under 15 seconds. Fifth gear is only for touring, and if you keep the needle at
100 km/h on an open road, the Ay go will do well over 22 km per litre. Even in the combined city/high way test, Toyota recorded 4,4l per 100 km. This means the Aygo won’t shake your wallet on the long road. But on our muchpatched Broads, the proven but cheap tor sion beam that keeps the back wheels in place will slightly shake the 500 ml bottles that can fit in the four cup holders. Around corners, the MacPher son suspension up front provides responsive steering, with predict able understeer in tighter turns and even a willingness to cock a back wheel at speed. The Aygo’s new bucket seats are for younger hips and while the boot is 26 litre bigger at 168 litres
With such a snarling mouth, Toyota will have to find another dog besides Buddy (below) to advertise the new Aygo. PHOTO: QUICKPIC
to rival that of the VW UP!, the space can now take ankle boots, rather than thigh boots. The Aygo is still imported from the Czech factory, which Toyota shares with Peugeot and Citroën. (Peugeot sells the Aygo chassis as the 108 and at Citroën it is called
the C1). All use the Toyota engine, which is sold locally with a three year or 100 000 km warrantee and a “sort of” optional service plan. “Sort of”, because Toyota hopes to sell 250 Aygos a month, and the first 1 000 buyers will get the optional service plan free.
The All New Mahindra
• 5 year/15 50 000 km warranty tyy • 5 year/10 00 000 km service plan • 7 Seater • 2,2 CRDi (Diesel) • 4 x 2 or all wheel drive • Economical Fuel Consumption • Plus many more features
Buyers can choose between three models, with only R1 000 difference between the entrylevel Aygo 1.0 at R138 900 and the Xplay Black and Xplay Silver, which adds the twotone roofline at R139 900. • alwyn.viljoen@witness.co.za
XUV 50 00
From
R262 995
STILL THE BEST VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY Pietermaritzburg
307 Hoosen Haffejee (Berg) Street. Tel: 033 345 3692 • Shan: 082 457 4253
2
WitnessWheels MOTORING
October 8, 2015
The only thing Ford’s new sport ute ain’t, is cheap — until you compare
Everest sets new SUV heights ALWYN VILJOEN THE man behind Ford’s new Ev erest, Ian Foston, is an engineer who officially drives a desk, but his wife and boy would have been fooled. For during almost three mil lion kilometres of testing the new Everest, Foston used every chance to get behind the wheel himself, in the process flying a million kilometres from his home base in Australia to drive all the setting options the little 4x4 knob gives you — from nor mal to slippery to steep rocks. As Foston explained that knob: “It flatters the novice, and facilitates things for the expert.” A 4x4 enthusiast, he neverthe less also spent a lot of time to re fine two unique selling points in the Everest that I dare say now set the benchmark for the rest of the mediumsized utes. There are three of these unique features, viz electric seats in the third row, each folds down with the press of a button; a Watts link on the diff that keeps the high, heavy cabin poised like a low se dan around hairpins; and the best sound system in a ute under R1 million. Wheels attended the very wet launch of the Everest in Cape Town, courtesy of Ford. After rac ing around passes and loving that
Ford Everest 3.2 TDCi 4x4 automatic. Price R646 900 Power 147 kW and 470 Nm between 1 750 and 2500 rpm. Selling points Watt’s link offer most stable ride among SUVs; more active driver assist systems than any other, including park assist; fantastic sound system, comfortable seats in third row, each of which folds down electrically. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED
Ian Foston clocked a million frequent flyer kilometres to help make the Everest the new benchmark among SUVs. PHOTO: QUICKPIC Watts link, Ford decided wisdom as the better part of valor on a steep clay track that offered no traction for goats, never mind wheels. So bear with us as we ar range a 4x4 test to see if Ford’s latest sport ute will match its fan tastic road holding around the wet curves of Franschoek Pass. Ford thinks the Everest is a worthy contender of the Toyota Prado, but buyers, of course, compare what they can buy for more or less the same money. Use the quick guide overleaf to see how the Everest 4x4 auto matic stacks up in the SUV stable.
Mahindra aims to entrench in luxury SUV market with new XUV500 JOHANNESBURG — Mahindra South Africa has released a thor oughly updated version of its popular XUV500 sports utility vehicle (SUV). First launched in 2011, the XUV500 has spearheaded the Mahindra brand’s push into the highly competitive SUV segment with a thoroughly modern, pow erful, spacious and wellequipped vehicle. Now, a series of significant up dates and improvements are set to add new lustre and appeal to the XUV500. The upgrades include a complete overhaul of the SUV’s aesthetics, with particular em phasis on the frontend styling. In addition, the interior execu tion has also been upgraded. “The XUV500 is a significant vehicle for Mahindra, because it emphasises the brand’s intention to extend its product range be yond its tried and tested utility vehicles,” says Sanjoy Gupta, chief executive officer of Mahin dra South Africa. “Combining contemporary styling and smart, spacious inte riors with a powerful and efficient turbodiesel drivetrain, the XUV500 has become a popular,
The newlook XUV500, now with voice prompts and integrated satnav. PHOTO: QUICKPIC value added option in the highly competitive SUV segment. The array of improvements is signifi cant inside and out, ensuring that the New Age XUV500 will be even more appealing than be fore,” he concluded.
The redesigned frontend styl ing is accompanied by new, styl ish 17inch alloy wheels. The mul tispoke wheels are shod with 235/65 R17 allterrain tyres. Also of note are the revised door han dles, which now feature a more
open, userfriendly design. The spacious cabin of the New Age XUV500 now has leather up holstery and a seveninch, full colour touchscreen display that includes integrated satellite navi gation with voice prompts, as
For more information on Witness Wheels advertising Contact Avir on 084 278 3447 or Avir@witness.co.za
well as a multispeaker sound sys tem, Bluetooth connectivity for handsfree telephony and music streaming, iPodcompatible USB sockets, and a reverse camera. The New Age XUV500 retains its predecessor’s powerful, effi cient turbodiesel drivetrain. The 2,2litre fourcylinder mHawk 140 turbodiesel engine makes use of a variable geometry turbochar ger to produce 103 kW at 3 750 rpm and 330 Nm between 1 600 rpm to 2 800 rpm. With a 70litre fuel tank, the Mahindra offers an operating range in excess of 1 000 km be tween refuels, depending on driv ing conditions. A sixspeed manual gearbox drives the rear wheels, although an allwheel drive version is avail able for those intent on more seri ous excursions off the beaten track. Pricing includes a five year/150 000 km warranty, and a fiveyear/100 000 km service plan. Services are at 20 000 km or every 12 months, whichever comes first. — Supplied. XUV500 pricing W4 R262 995 W6 R304 995 W8 R339 995 W8 AWD R359 995
V SANJOY GUPTA
CEO of Mahindra SA
“The XUV500 is a significant vehicle for Mahindra, because it emphasises the brand’s intention to extend its product range beyond its tried and tested utility vehicles.”
TYRES TO WIN DRAG RACES WITH AUTOMOTIVE Technology Special ists (ATS) announced the latest generation Mickey Thompson com petition tyres, which they say give users a significant advantage on South Africa’s dragstrips. Available exclusively through their Roodepoort motorsport mec ca, the new Mickey Thompson ET Street R is positioned as a “drag tyre that can be driven on the
street while the ET Street S/S pro vides excellent traction at the strip. While neither is considered streetlegal in South Africa, this tyre is approved by the U.S. De partment of Transport for use on public roads. Pricing of the R starts from R3 940 for a 225/50/15 and the S/S in a 235/60/15 costs R4 090. More on atsmotorsport.co.za — WR.
MOTORING WitnessWheels
October 8, 2015
3
its abilities to other automatic 4x4 sport utes competing in this range
Chevrolet Trailblazer 2,8 Price R575 500 Power 144 kW, 500 Nm from 2 000 rpm Selling points Most power for the money, fiveyear/120 000 km warrantee, seven seats. Kia Sorento 2,2 CRDi AWD Price R646 995 Power 147 kW, 441 Nm from 2 000 rpm Selling points fiveyear/100 000 km service plan AND warrantee, seven seats, loves dirt roads. Mitsubishi Pajero 3,2 DiDC Price R679 900 Power 140 kW, 440 Nm from 2 000 rpm Selling points Can tow 3,3 tons, 235 mm of ground clearance, raft of luxury features.
Land Rover Discovery 3,0 XS Price R720 100 Power 155 kW, 520 Nm from 2 000 rpm Selling points Eightspeed auto, proven 4x4 ability with rollover mitigation.
Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited Price R724 900 Power 177 kW and 550 Nm from 2 000 Rpm. Selling points Tows 3,5 tons, eightspeed auto, Ecomode fuel saver, 272 mm ground clearance with QuadraLift. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED
TM
2016 Toyota Fortuner Price tbc Power (Overseas spec) 120 kW, 343 Nm from 1 400 to 3 200 rpm Selling points Most dealers in SA, power almost at idle and all those little ergonomic features, like a chilled glove box.
49 Main Street, Howick 3290 Open Saturday 08h00 - 12h30
033 940 1432 R105 900
2012 TOYOTA YARIS 1.0 XS, SILVER, 63 000 KM
R129 900
2014 TOYOTA ETIOS HB 1.5 XS 5-DR, 24 000 KM, WHITE
R229 900
2014 HILUX S/C 2.5 4X2, WHITE, 52 000 KM
R239 900
2014 TOYOTA AURIS 1.6 XR, WHITE, 51 000 KM
R269 900
2011 TOYOTA FORTUNER 3.0 4X4, WHITE, 128 000 KM
R219 000
2012 HYUNDAI IX 35 2.0 GLS EXECUTIVE A/T, SILVER, 89 900KM
R95 900
2014 CHEV SPARK 1.2 L, WHITE, 32 000 KM
R165 900
2014 GWM C50 1.5 LUX, SILVER, 43 000 KM
R95 900
2014 PEUGEOT 107 URBAN, RED, 7 500 KM
R165 900
2015 TOYOTA COROLLA QUEST 1.6, SILVER, 21 000 KM
R279 000
2012 HILUX 2.5 4X4 D/C, R/B, WHITE, 61 000 KM
79 900
R1R025 900
2012 TOTOYA YARIS 1.0 XS 5DR, WHITE, 43 000KM
MORE AMAZING VEHICLES TO CHOOSE FROM GIVE US A CALL TO FIND OUT MORE
4
WitnessWheels MOTORING TRENDS
October 8, 2015
Selfdrive machines Daimler conducts autonomous truck test on Autobahn 8 AT the Department of Intelli gent Hydraulics and Automa tion at the Tampere University of Technology (TUT) in Fin land, five professors, 35 re search assistants and five labo ratory technicians are creating selfdriving agricultural ma chines. Robot trucks that drive themselves are nothing new, but these trails of centrelinked wheel loaders, small skid steered wheel loaders, a forest forwarder and an agricultural tractor with Continuously Vari able Transmission are a world first. Professor Kalevi Huhtala said on the TUT website devel oping “operator assistance sys tems” will help companies to execute basic tasks. “The goal is to develop auto mated task execution to carry out subtasks instead of opera tors [doing it],” Huhtala said. Selfdrive trucks in Germany In Germany, Daimler has tested its first selfdriving Actros truck at highway speeds. Dr Wolfgang Bernhard, the member of the Daimler AG Board of Management responsi ble for Daimler Trucks and Bus es, and Winfried Kretschmann, ministerpresident of the state of BadenWürttemberg, piloted the world’s first seriesproduc tion autonomous truck along Autobahn 8 between Denken dorf and Stuttgart. The truck used for the pre miere was a standard Mercedes Benz Actros equipped with the intelligent Highway Pilot system for this test of autonomous driv ing on public roads. Kretschmann said partially autonomous and autonomous driving show a new age of mobil ity is dawning. “Autonomously driving and networked vehicles improve the flow of traffic and can play a de cisive role in helping to avoid traffic jams and relieving the strain on drivers. They also boost traffic safety.”
V WINFRIED KRETSCH MANN, Minister president of the state of Baden Württemberg
“A new age of mobility is dawning.” These working wheels work autonomously in tests in Finland. PHOTO: TAMPERE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
A driver using Daimler’s Highway Pilot can complete documentation while driving. PHOTO: SUPPLIED He added the more autono mous driving tests will follow on the state’s motorways, rural and urban roads. It is also intended “to promote the development of the legal framework for autono mous driving”. Bernhard said such safe test ing in real world traffic is critical to grow selfdriving technology to market maturity. As with the selfdriving Freigthliner truck which Daim
ler is testing in Nevada, the ver sion of the Highway Pilot in stalled in the Actros only allows semiautonomous driving. The driver still has to steer the truck on and off the highway and past roadworks. The system includes front mounted radar and a stereo camera, as well as wellproven assistance systems such as Adaptive Cruise Control. The Highway Pilot has al
ready absolved around 20 000 kilometres on test routes in Ger many and the U.S. Benefits of robot lorries Bernhard said autonomous driving has considerable advan tages for the road freight sector. “Firstly, it improves safety: the Highway Pilot system never suffers fatigue or becomes dis tracted — it is always 100% ac tive. A study by Daimler Trucks
has also shown that driver fa tigue decreases by 25% if they are relieved of monotonous lanekeeping and can focus on other tasks. “This will become possible in further development stages of autonomous driving. “Secondly, autonomous trucks improve efficiency: thanks to optimum gearshifting, acceleration and braking, they consume less fuel — which in turn reduces CO2 emissions. “Daimler Trucks expects sav ings of up to five percent from this. The international consult ancy Frost & Sullivan even esti mates a reduction of around sev en percent. “Thirdly, autonomously driv ing trucks are more attractive workplaces: the driver’s ability to leave a great deal of the route to the Highway Pilot greatly re duces stress in the cockpit. “Future technology develop ments will also make it possible for drivers to turn their attention to interesting side activities — e.g. completing documentation on a tablet PC.” Bernhard said all that now re mains is for politicians and gov ernment bodies to create the necessary regulatory framework for autonomous driving. — Wheels Reporter.
GM’s plans includes selfdrive cars and electric bicycles VOLT sales to make inroads into other electric cars sales, from Tesla to Leaf; an electric bike; and selfsteering cars — these are all included in the todo list of General Motor’s CEO Mary Barra and executive vicepresi dent Mark Reuss. GM had told the media in July it has set aside a proving ground for autonomous car testing that is the size of a small farm. The latest news is that GM employees at this Warren Tech nical Centre can testdrive au tonomous 2017 Chevy Volts on the 6,5hectare factory grounds. and those cars will be booked us ing a proprietary carsharing app. In early 2016, aspects of the carsharing programme — util ising traditional humandriven vehicles — will expand to New York City, and will feature the ability to share rides with other users going to destinations in the same general areas. The company also confirmed that its “Super Cruise” autono mous driving technology will
General Motors CEO Mary Barra and executive vice president Mark Reuss. PHOTO: MOTOR AUTHORITY appear on the 2017 Cadillac CT6. In addition, GM will focus on using lightweight materials to ensure that future vehicles will require less fuel. That plan ap pears to already be taking effect, as GM cited the weight reduc tion achieved in the forthcom
ing Chevrolet Malibu and Ca maro, which achieve savings of 300 and 400 pounds, respec tively. It was also revealed that a joint project with Honda should yield a zeroemission hydrogen fuel cell vehicle around 2020. The most outsidethebox as
pect of the presentation might have been the unveiling of a General Motors ebike, which would marry traditional human propulsion with an electric mo tor to ease starts and hill climb ing. No pictures or specs regard ing the assisted bicycle were
available on the media site, and it’s worth noting many cycling companies currently have simi lar products available today. Of course, vehicle sales will continue to be the company’s dominant revenue stream, and more focus will be put on refin ing existing vehicles and in creasing product development. GM says that 26% of its sales in 2015 have come from vehicles that were all new or significantly updated in the last 18 months. The goal is to increase that to 40% by 2019 and 2020. Two brands in particular were mentioned. GM says that it is making a $5 billion (R68 bil lion) investment in an allnew “growth market vehicle family” over the next five years, and that Cadillac will expand into grow ing luxury segments. Finally, the company expects to offset its costs by pursuing cost purchasing, manufactur ing, and administration efficien cies that will yield $5,5 billion in savings between 2015 and 2018. — Wheels Reporter.
Aiming to sell transport instead of cars to the Uber generation, Toyota is running expanded joint car sharing trials in central Tokyo. Any users with smartphones that support Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon functionality can touch their smartphone to the vehicle to lock and unlock the vehicle. Park24 and Toyota believe that this trial will aid in the construction of a new urban transportation network. PHOTO: TOYOTA
Volvo cars ready to take control VOLVO Cars has revealed one of the industry’s most advanced and easytouse interfaces to oversee how drivers will transfer control to a car’s autonomous driving (AD) mode in its forth coming cars. The advent of autonomous driving technology means that the relationship between a driver and a car’s user interface is of cru cial significance. A safe and seamless handover of control is the cornerstone of any trustwor thy AD technology. Volvo Cars has designed its In telliSafe Auto Pilot to be simple and intuitive. The autonomous mode is activated and deactivat ed with speciallydesigned pad dles on the steering wheel. When entering a route where autonomous driving is available, the car gives the driver a message that the Auto Pilot is ready. At the same time, lights on the steeringwheel paddles start flashing. The driver pulls both paddles simultaneously to activate au tonomous mode. The lights on the paddles then change to con stant green and Auto Pilot con firms that the driving and the su pervision has been delegated to the car. When autonomous driv ing is no longer available, the driver is prompted to take over again. A 60second countdown is displayed. If the driver, for any reason, doesn’t use the paddles to regain control within this minute, the car will bring itself to a safe stop. Thomas Ingenlath, senior vice president for design at Volvo Cars, said: “We have designed a user interface that is safe and seamless to use so that drivers can confidently transfer and re gain control of the car.” Volvo’s new IntelliSafe Auto Pilot will be available for the first time on the 100 XC90s, which the Drive Me will make available to families and commuters to drive on a 50 km route in Gothen burg in everyday driving condi tions. Following its use in Drive Me, the IntelliSafe Auto Pilot will then be introduced to the general public. — Supplied.
The Power of Quality Service By Pieter from Maritzburg worked hard to achieve a level of quality on which you can rely, from advice on choosing your perfect new car to creating a tailored financial plan to unrivalled after-sales service.
It’s amazing how rugby can teach us important life lessons. A couple of weeks ago we watched Japan run rings around the mighty Springboks; since then we’ve seen our boys step up their game and come back with a vengeance. Despite the setback, quality and consistency have won through.
That’s what makes Barons Pietermaritzburg win the day, time and again.
I think that’s a lesson that applies elsewhere in life. When the pressure is on, it’s all about consistency. When push comes to shove, its important to know that the basics are being done right.
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.
When you’re buying a car you want a dealer you can trust, a dealer with a long-standing record of consistent quality. That’s why Barons Pietermaritzburg has become the go-to car dealership for people in and around Pietermaritzburg, from the Berg to the coast. The people at Barons Pietermaritzburg have
GTI. PoloNew Vivo.Polo No deposit. No hidden costs. Ultimate Performance = Ultimate Confidence.
R-Line your Golf.
m warranty
m service plan 5 year / 90 000k
3 year / 120 000k
Polo Vivo 1.4 55kW Conceptline from R2,398* per month.
Buy a Golf Comfortline from R307,900* incl. VAT.
The Polo Vivo 1.4 55kW Conceptline offer includes:
Polo Vivo 1.4 55kW Conceptline
Licensing and registration Full tank of petrol Carpets
Monthly No. of Interest Rate Vehicle Price Instalments Instalments Linked / Variable
R147,900
R2,398*
72
9.83%*
The Golf Comfortline standard features include:
Deposit
Balloon Payment
Total Cost Incl fees & VAT
0%
36% (R53,244)
R225,915
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6 speed manual / 7 speed DSG Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) Electronic Park Brake with Auto-hold Air conditioner
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16” Toronto alloy wheels (17” R-Line package) Body kit (R-Line Package) Front, side and curtain air bags
Offer exclusive to Barons Pietermaritzburg: Purchase any Golf Comfortline manual, DSG or TDI and receive a R-Line Package upgrade.
Offer exclusive to Barons Pietermaritzburg: Zero insurance for a year also available. Terms & conditions apply**
Visit us on www.baronsvw.co.za An optional cost of R900 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.5%. Note: Offers calculated on the Golf Comfortline range in standard specifications. Price excludes optional extras. Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other special service or offering. Subject to bank approval. Information subject to change without prior notification. All finance offers are subject to credit approval from Volkswagen Financial Services. Offers only available through 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 October 2015.
• • • • •
Polo Vivo 2012 Polo Vivo 1.6 Trendline 2014 Polo Vivo Sedan 1.4 Trendline 2014 Polo Vivo Sedan 1.4 2014 Polo Vivo 1.4 Trendline 5 Door 2014 Polo Vivo Sedan 1.4 Trendline 2014 Polo Vivo 1.6 Trendline 5 Door Polo 2012 Polo 1.6 Comfortline 5 Door 2013 Polo 1.6 Comfortline 5 Door 2014 Polo GP 1.2 TSI Trendline 2014 Polo Sedan 1.4 Trendline 2014 Polo Sedan 1.4 Trendline 2015 Polo GP 1.2 Comfortline Golf 2011 Golf 6 1.4 TSI Comfortline 2013 Golf 7 1.4 TSI Comfortline DSG 2014 Golf 7 1.2 TSI Trendline 2014 Golf 7 1.4 TSI Comfortline 2014 Golf 7 1.4 TSI Comfortline DSG 2015 Golf SV 2.0 TDI DSG 2015 Golf R 2.0 TSI DSG Jetta 2012 Jetta 1.4 TSI Comfortline 2012 Jetta 1.4 TSI Comfortline 2012 Jetta 1.2 TSI Trendline Up! 2015 Take Up! 1.0 55kW 2015 Take Up! 1.0 55kW 2015 Move Up! 1.0 55kW Other VW 2011 Tiguan 1.4 TSI Trend 2011 Touran 2.0 TDI Comfortline 2015 Tiguan 1.4 TSI Trend Other 2010 BMW 118i 2013 Toyota Corolla 1.6 Advanced Auto 2013 Kia Sportage
Mileage certified • Full Service history • 7-day exchange plan • Vehicle Customization • 24 Hr roadside assistance •
e&oe
Visit us on www.baronsvw.co.za An optional cost of R900 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.5%. Note: Offers calculated on the Polo Vivo 1.4 55kW Conceptline model in standard specification. **Similar deals available on the Polo Vivo range. Instalment excludes optional extras, but includes listed extras, monthly administration fee of R57 and initiation fee of R1140. Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other special service or offering. Subject to bank approval. Information subject to change without prior notification. All finance offers are subject to credit approval from Volkswagen Financial Services. Offers only available through 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 October 2015.
80-point mechanical check 2-year / unlimited km warranty* Vehicle History Integrity Check Balance of VW Automation Plan Professional Vehicle Reconditioning
Silver Silver White White Silver Blue
R119 900 R107 900 R109 900 R129 900 R129 900 R133 900
84 000 71 000 71 000 26 000 20 000 22 000
km km km km km km
Red Grey White White Silver Red
R165 900 R169 900 R169 900 R154 900 R159 900 R226 900
31 000 57 000 34 000 32 000 16 000 9 000
km km km km km km
White White Silver White Silver Red Grey
R139 900 R219 900 R208 900 R254 900 R274 900 R299 900 R545 000
86 000 73 000 28 000 19 800 19 000 9 000 5 000
km km km km km km km
Silver White White
R169 900 R169 900 R155 900
54 000 60 000 79 000
km km km
White Silver Blue
R121 000 R125 000 R125 000
6 000 4 500 5 000
km km km
Silver Grey Silver
R189 900 R204 900 R314 900
90 000 78 000 6 000
km km km
Grey Blue Blue
R129 900 R185 900 R249 900
105 000 km 31 000 km 29 000 km
SA’s hottest hatch.
m warranty 3 Year / 120 000k intenance plan ma m 0k 5 year / 60 00
We have secured an additional 4 units of the New Golf R. The New Golf R standard features include: -
Barons
Pietermaritzburg
9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg, 3201 • Tel: 033 845 3100
6-speed manual or DSG gearbox Limited slip differential Bi-xenon with LED daytime running lights Leather sports seats 4 Chrome exhaust pipes
Visit us on www.baronsvw.co.za
e&oe
Visit us on www.baronsvwpmb.co.za and find us on facebook.com/BaronsPietermaritzburg
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Colours available for immediate delivery: White, Silver, Blue and Grey.
*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: Laurie• Rajen • Sanjay • Barry • Phumlani Sales Enquiries: 033 940 1445
206kW @ 5,500-6,200 r/min 380Nm @ 1,800-5,500 r/min 0-100km/h in 5.2 seconds 4Motion Permanent all-wheel-drive system (AWD) 19” Cadiz alloy wheels
An optional cost of R900 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.5%. Note: Offers calculated on the New Golf R model in standard specifications. Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other special service or offering. Subject to bank approval. Information subject to change without prior notification. Offer only available through 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 October 2015.
New Sales Consultants
Alison Wiltshire – Sales Manager • John Brown • Merglin Rama • Menzi Ngubane Bahle Bhengu • Erica Neff • Thando Gumede • Keshnee Pillay
Sales Enquiries: 033 940 1445
BP Advertising
Model
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14” Alloys Radio, CD and Bluetooth On the road costs
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Recycling old lead batteries correctly WITH trucks having one or more large lead acid batteries, their disposal and correct recy cling is a key concern to First Na tional Battery. A wholly owned subsidiary of JSElisted Metair Investments Limited, First National Battery provides convenient battery dis posal solutions through its fran chise network, Battery Centre. “Importers of lead acid batter ies don’t always share our sense of responsibility toward protect ing the environment — and for this reason our Scrap Battery di vision is committed to recycling all scrap lead acid batteries across the country,” said First National Battery automotive marketing director Andrew Webb. Not your regular refuse Discarding your used car battery in domestic refuse isn’t the best way to get rid of it. The lead, plas tic and acid in the batteries can be extremely harmful to the envi ronment if not disposed of cor rectly. Recycling of lead acid batteries is vital to sustainability, waste management and reducing the risk and impact of pollution to our habitat. “Our 120 Battery Centre fran chises across the country are dropoff points for lead acid bat teries that need to be recycled. “For large volumes of scrap batteries, make use of Scrap Bat tery’s free collection service by contacting Battery Centre or call toll free 080 033 3462 for assist ance. Through recycling with us, when you purchase a new battery on the one for one exchange basis you will not pay the lead sur charge that’s usually added to the purchase price,” said Webb. Scrap Battery collects scrap sealed lead acid batteries as well as lead acid vehicle starter and industrial batteries. “Scrap Battery buys used lead acid batteries based on a number of variables, and we pride our selves on offering competitive prices per kilo,” adds Webb. Other rechargeable battery types (as used in cellphones, lap tops, calculators and toys) can be placed in collection bins current ly offered by major retailers in South Africa. The recycling process “More than 90% of all scrap batteries in SA are recycled. Scrap Battery is proud to be at the forefront of recycling efforts and through Battery Centre, will continue to educate and encour age South Africans to recycle used lead acid batteries,” said Webb. Warning signs • Your engine is slow to start; • The battery light on the panel indicates battery discharge for extended periods; • Your battery seems to lose power quickly in cold or extend ed starts; and •Your headlights dim at idle. For more information on Scrap Battery and to see if you are eligible for Scrap Batteries free collection service, visit scrapbattery. co.za or call 080 033 3462. — Supplied.
WitnessWheels TRANSPORT MOTORING
October 8, 2015
New engines in Avanza Willing little mills from the Etios hatch for people mover TOYOTA has given the trusty Avanza a makeover, with a new nose, interior and two new en gines. The people mover now al so boasts increased safety speci fication across the range and better packaging and seat con figuration. The new engines are the 1,3 and 1,5 litre petrol engines that also do duty in the Etios hatch back, with specific tuning to op timise it for use in the Avanza. The 1,3 litre engine delivers 70 kW with 121 Nm of Torque, with the 1,5 litre delivering a perky 77 kW and 137 Nm. Fuel economy is improved with a frugal 6,1 l/100 km figure being quoted for the 1,3 litre and a low 6,3 l/100 km for the 1,5 litre manual. The automatic deriva tive weighs in only slightly high er at 6,7 l/100 km. Buyers have the choice of a fivespeed manu al transmission or fourspeed automatic on the 1,5 l model, which drive the rear wheels. The Avanza range offers cus tomers three grades to choose
Toyota’s afforable people mover now promises to be even lighter on fuel. PHOTO: QUICKPIC from depending on their indi vidual needs. Forming the starting point of the lineup with a strong value focus is the S grade model, which features power windows, remote
central locking, power steering, a centrally mounted console box, intermittent windscreen wipers and an antitheft system as standard. The SX grade brings touches
of added comfort and style with colourcoded exterior mirrors with power operation, a refresh ing airconditioner system and vanity mirror for the front pas senger.
Forming the flagship of the Avanza range is the TX grade, which is equipped with new sporty “switchblade” 15inch al loy wheels and adorned with chrome treatment on the front “brow”. A rear mounted roof spoiler adds a stylish touch to the profile. Providing the incar enter tainment for family road trips is a fourspeaker audio system with USB input for added conve nience. A multiinformation display provides feedback on various el ements to the driver. A 1,3 litre Panel Van remains part of the lineup, providing the perfect utility vehicle with great manoeuvrability, fuel efficiency and a cavernous cargo area. — Supplied. Avanza pricing 1.3 S – R 193 400 1.3 SX – R 208 500 1.5 SX – R R214 900 1.5 SX AT – R 231 600 1.5 TX – R 245 600 1.3 Panel Van – R 198 000.
Great Wall Motors adds safety features to Steed bakkies VEHICLE safety is a top priority for auto manufacturers, and GWM is no exception. As such, GWM South Africa is launching a firm favourite with the public and top seller, the Steed 5 2.2 MPI 4x2, with added standard safety features. GWM’s bestselling bakkie, which has been around since the manufacturer opened its doors in South Africa in 2007, now comes with a Safety Version sin gle and double cab, offering dual airbags and ABS with EBD in ad dition to its other standard fea tures. On sale now, the GWM Steed 5 2.2 MPI SC and DC 4x2 Safety Version bakkies also offer power steering, airconditioning, alloy wheels, fog lamps, adjustable seat belts, radio with USB sup
GWM has added dual airbags and ABS with EBD in addition to the GWM Steed bakkies. PHOTO: SUPPLIED port, immobiliser, central lock ing, lightson warning, heated rear windows and cup holders in
the front, and are powered by GWM’s proven 2,2litre petrol engine. Apart from these fea
tures, the GWM Steed 5 2.2 MPI Double Cab Safety Version boasts electric windows and
leather seats. For extra assur ance, a threeyear/100 000 km warranty is included in the sales price of R177 900 for the Single Cab, and R204 900 including a fiveyear/100 000 km warranty for the Double Cab Safety Ver sion models. Twoyear AA Roadside Assistance comes standard. Whether customers choose the standard or Safety Version, the Steed 5 2.2 MPI SC or DC remains excellent value for money in its price segment with low running costs. With the launch of the Safety Version models, GWM hopes to continue playing its part in road safety by offering the South Af rican public quality vehicles that conform to the highest safety standards. — Supplied.
Hino vice president turns truck driver to deliver new unit ERNIE Trautmann, the vice pres ident of Hino SA, who recently obtained his Code 14 truck driv ing licence, personally delivered a 6x4 Hino 700Series 2848, the latest addition to the fleet of Transvaal Heavy Transport (THT), to the company’s head office in Alrode. Trautmann is now actively en couraging his colleagues to fol low his example and obtain a heavy duty licence. THT, which has a total fleet of 65 bakkies, freight carriers and trucktractors as well as more than 100 trailers, is a longstand ing Hino customer, having bought the first Hino, a Super Dolphin, in 1986. There are currently 40 Hino trucks in the THT fleet, with the latest additions being two 6x4 700Series 2848 trucktractors supplied by Hino East Rand and finished in the company’s dis tinctive green and red colour scheme. The company fleet includes the full range of Hino trucks, be ing six Hino 300Series/Toyota Dynas, eight 500Series, 20 700 Series and six Super Dolphins. In
Sampie Swanepoel welcomes Hino’s Ernie Trautman to the main depot of THT in Alrode. PHOTO: QUICKPIC addition there are 10 Toyota Hi lux bakkies and eight Toyota Avanza panelvans. THT must be one of the long
est running privatelyowned transport fleets in South Africa, having been established by GHJ Swanepoel in 1961 and regis
tered as a company in 1967. Sam pie Swanepoel, the son of the founder and present CEO, joined his father’s business in 1986 and has continued on the very suc cessful path walked by his father from those early days. THT employs about 160 peo ple, with 60 of them being drivers and another 60 being driver as sistants as the policy at the com pany is to allocate a driver to each specific truck so that he knows he is responsible for it in all aspects of its usage, from servicing to its appearance. The older and more experienced drivers get the latest trucks. All the vehicles in the THT fleet are fitted with CTrack tracking and telematics systems for real time monitoring which is proving an advantage for the operations team. The company specialises in ab normal loads with a wide variety of trailers that can move loads of up to 100 tons. Most of the THT customers are in the mining and construc tion industries but over the years THT, with its versatile fleet, has undertaken transport contracts
for companies and organisations in most sectors of the local econ omy. THT operates not only in South Africa, but also in Nami bia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zam bia and Mozambique with some contracts lasting several months, such as one in Jeffrey’s Bay where THT was responsible for trans porting all the huge components for erecting a big wind farm. Sampie Swanepoel says that in view of the comparatively short distances travelled each day by his trucks he keeps them for be tween 1015 years or one million kilometres, so durability and reli ability over a long period are crit ical and this is one of the main reasons he is so loyal to Hino. The THT senior executive says he has no trouble getting rid of his used trucks as they are well maintained and regularly ser viced by the dealer during the warranty period and after that at the inhouse workshop in Alrode. He also quotes good fuel econo my and a low lifecycle cost as an other reason for buying Hino trucks. — Supplied.
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WitnessWheels MOTORING RACING
October 8, 2015
Frantic chase at Finningley Local rally racers have lots of fun, despite odd bouts of canecutting The snarling Skyline of Trevor Graham and Glen Goddard couldn’t catch the little white Tazz of Chris de Wit and Brian Clifton, with the Polo of Bertus Labuschagne and Peter Chadwick in third place at the recent Rallysprint held at Finningley Estates. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
BRIAN CLIFTON HAVE you ever watched a Rot tweiler chasing a Fox Terrier, with lunch in mind? The recent Rallysprint held at Finningley Estates was like that. The little white Tazz of Chris de Wit and Brian Clifton trying des perately to escape the clutches of the snarling Skyline of Trevor Graham and Glen Goddard. In the end, the Tazz managed to es cape with its skin intact, by a scant 22 seconds. It was a close run thing. The Polo of Bertus Labuscha gne and Peter Chadwick lurked menacingly just behind this ac tion, but sadly had a starter mo tor problem. The repairs took some time which caused them to book in late at the start control and collect some nasty penalties. This dropped them to last in the final reasoning, but their pace had been great on the sta ges. It was great to see Roux van der Colff and Corrie van der Bergh finish the event in their Ford Laser. They eased into the event, and got faster on every stage, making good progress. The squabble for honours in the S2 class was frantic. The Team CCC teammates from Ballito have seriously upped
their game, and had a great dice. Roger de Charmoy and Shane Visagie in their Golf managed to put one over the Polo of Clyde Challenor and Tyrone Koen — this time. The gap was only 13 seconds. The Escort of Vaughn Robin son and Edward Standen took third and — like Arnie — they will be back, stronger and faster. Tony Ball brought his Lancia Fulvia out for some fresh air, and took novice nav Stuart Clifton along to show him the road. Despite a small canecutting episode, right in front of the landowner, they settled down and had lots of fun. Sadly the Sta ples/Holloway Conquest blew a gasket, but they too will be back next time. Among the quads, Matthew Hendy took advantage of his “home turf” to take a good win, and set the fastest time of the day, ahead of the cars. David de Andreis also enjoyed a good day, showing newfound pace to take second ahead of Hu go Timmerman. Nicky “Kickstart” Botes dropped a minute on stage 2, when the quad stalled and it took a while to restart. This all moved him down to fourth, ahead of a fluridden Gail Mitchell.
The offroad class went to “the Campbells”. They brought along their BAT, powered by a V6 Nis san, and the beast sang a wonder ful tune. In a real family affair, Gary had the codriving duties split between his two daughters, and took the class ahead of the single seater Barracuda of David Cheek. The next event is at Doornkop on the North Coast on October 31. Join the KZN Ral ly Facebook page for the videos, pictures and news. Results Rally Cars 1. Chris de Wit/Brian Clifton Toyota Tazz 3656,1 2. Trevor Graham/Glen Goddard Nissan Skyline 3718,2 3. Roger de Charmoy/Shane Visagie VW Golf 3910,5 4. Clyde Challenor/Tyrone Koen VW Polo 3923,6 5. Vaughn Robinson/Edward Standen Escort Mk1 4051,4 Quads 1. Matthew Hendy 3615,5 2. David de Andreis 3837,7 3. Hugo Timmerman 3903,8 4. Nicky Botes 3950,9 5. Gail Mitchell 4310,6 Offroad Cars 1. Gary Campbell/Jessica Camp bell BAT 3913,0. 2. David Cheek Barracuda 4525,9.
Toyota crews do well in Morocco ZAGORA, MOROCCO — The opening stage (October 5th) of the 2015 Rally of Morocco proved a tough challenge for the Toyota SA Dakar Team. Giniel de Villiers and German navigator Dirk von Zitzewitz (Toyota Hilux) had a drive shaft problem at the start, forcing them to complete the 330 km stage near the city of Zagora with only rearwheeldrive. Teammates Leeroy Poulter/ Rob Howie, driving an older specification Toyota Hilux, lost time in thick dust, after catching one of the competitors who started ahead of them. “Even so, Leeroy and Rob drove extremely well, and were thirdfastest at the first checkpoint,” explains Toyota SA Dakar Team Princi
pal, Glyn Hall. “They ended the day in sixth place, which sets them up nicely for Stage 2.” Despite their problems, De Villiers/Von Zitzewitz drove well to finish in ninth place, 12:12 behind early rally leaders, Ya zeed AlRajhi and navigator Ti mo Gottschalk (Toyota Hilux). The Saudi driver and his Ger man navigator finished the opening stage with a lead of 17 seconds. “Overall, Toyota enjoyed a good opening day,” continues Hall. “We’ve got Yazeed lead ing, with Russia’s Vladimir Vas iliyev in second place.” Ricardo Porem (Portugal) and navigator Jorge Monteiro is in fifth place, also in a Toyota Hilux, and they are followed by
Poulter/Howie in sixth. Multi ple WRC Champion, Sebastien Loeb and navigator Daniel Ele na (Peugeot) lost more than three hours on the opening stage, after their new vehicle ran into technical difficulties. But that is the nature of crosscountry racing, which the Rally of Morocco mixes with the best elements of rally racing to make life extra challenging for drivers. The Rally has timed sta ges where drivers race, and open road sections where they do not race against the clock, but still have to depart at set times to avoid time penalties. Fans can follow the fortunes of the Toyota SA Dakar team by visiting www.toyota.co.za, or on @toyotaSA on Twitter. — WR.
Leeroy Poulter and Rob Howie set the third fastest time driving in Morocco in their older specification Toyota Hilux, they were slowed only by thick dust on the first day of racing. PHOTO: QUICKPIC
Magazine readers in Germany have voted the Mercedes AMG GT their sports car of the year. PHOTO: QUICKPIC
Germans like the AMG GT best STUTTGART — Mercedes Benz builds the most beautiful cars, with the Stuttgart automo tive manufacturer winning a total of three categories in the “auto nis” readers’ awards. Readers of the motoring maga zine Auto Motor Und Sport voted MercedesBenz the design brand of the year. The GLE Coupé likewise took top spot in the Large Crosscoun try Vehicles category, as did the MercedesAMG GT in the Sports Cars segment. Mercedes repeated the feat in the Car Con nectivity Award with another three first places. Each year, the readers of Auto Motor Und Sport elect the best new automotive designs in the “autonis” awards. This year, 115
new products spanning 10 cate sound system won in the Sound gories were available to choose Systems category, the CClass from. Some 17 500 readers took operating system in the Operat part in the poll, which was being ing Systems and Displays catego held for the 15th time. ry and the Driving Assistance Besides the “autonis” nomina package Plus in the Assistance tions, readers also had the oppor Systems (safety). tunity to vote for the cars offering Daimler’s successful carshar the best connectivity. In the Car ing service car2go achieved a Connectivity Award, which was further first place in the Car Con presented jointly by Auto Motor nectivity Award for its smart Und Sport and the computer phone app. — Supplied. magazine CHIP, Mer SELLING CV JOINT cedesBenz ANYTHING once again SPECIALISTS UNDER took three for CV joints, ball joints, first places. R500? tie rod ends, wheel bearings. The Bur Advertise it mester® 341 GREYLING STREET for FREE at highend 3D Pmb. 033 342 9174/75 www.olx.co.za surround