June 16, 2016
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CARS WANTED FOR CASH!TOP PRICES PAID WE STOCK: Passenger and Performance Vehicles, Supercars and Commercial Vehicles. We’ll sell it to you at the best price. 550 Church Street, Pietermaritzburg. Tel: 033 345 1971/342 4717, Fax: 033 342 2900. Email: ashgani@telkomsa.net • www.ashcarsales.co.za
EDITOR: ALWYN VILJOEN 082 4589 332 ADVERTISING: AVIR THULSIRAM ON 084 278 3447
A LOOK INSIDE: These hairpins stand between winners and losers in the weekend’s karting champs at iDube, dubbed the best karting track in the world. Entry is free! — Page 8
Renault has a new rearengined corner eater that seems custom built for breakfast runs in the Midlands, but will it come to SA? — Page 4
Read why our editor feels the need to feed oxygen to a rhino. — Page 6
See why Mahindra’s KUV100 does for car design what Shane Warne’s googly did for spin bowling. — Page 2
Pre-owned
The legendary Audi S5.
Visit Audi Centre Pietermaritzburg today for incredible offers on a range of Audi Pre-owned models. Only while stocks last, terms and conditions apply.
Sportiness needs no grand words, it can be summed up in one letter: S. In an instant, form becomes fascination. We all have a one-in-a-million Dad to celebrate this Father’s Day, and exclusively at Audi Centre Pietermaritzburg we have the one-in-a-million Audi to match. For one special Dad, a rare gem awaits! In Elusive Mythos Black, with exclusive features such as sunroof, climate controlled comfort seats, navigation with Google Earth™* and Google Street View™*, Bang & Olufsen Sound System, and 19-inch cast aluminium wheels in 7-parallel-spoke star design, we bring you the Audi S5 Sportback 3.0T FSI quattro S tronic…245kW of sheer driving pleasure!
Ref
Year
Vehicle Description
Colour
Mileage
Special Price
11410
2015
Audi A4 2.0T FSI Design S tronic
White
6 000
R499 995
11431
2015
Audi A4 1.8T S 88kW
White
28 000
R299 995
11435
2012
Audi A4 1.8T SE multitronic
Silver
76 867
R219 995
11446
2015
Audi Q7 3.0 TDI V6 quattro
Beige
7 500
R939 995
11447
2016
Audi A3 1.4T FSI SE S tronic
White
9 000
R369 995
11449
2016
Audi A4 1.8T S 88kW
White
1 000
R349 995
11453
2015
Audi S3 S tronic 3 Door
Blue
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R509 995
11461
2015
Audi A3 Sportback 1.2T FSI
Silver
7 000
R299 995
11466
2014
Audi A3 2.0 TDI SE S tronic
White
49 000
R329 995
11471
2015
Audi A6 1.8T FSI S tronic
White
10 000
R499 995
11472
2016
Audi A1 Sportback 1.0T FSI
White
2 000
R299 995
11473
2016
Audi A3 1.8T FSI SE S tronic
Red
9 000
R349 995
11474
2016
Audi A4 2.0T FSI S tronic
Red
10 000
R429 995
11485
2014
Audi A3 Sedan 1.8T FSI
Grey
25 000
R349 995
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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
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9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg, 3201. Tel: 033 397 8800. www.audipietermaritzburg.co.za
2
WitnessWheels MOTORING
June 16, 2016
Flaired ruggedness BRIAN BASSETT admires daring design in the new KUV 100 MAHINDRA South Africa, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Mahindra family company in In dia, has been operating in this country for about 11 years. My own experience of Mahin dra starts with the Bolero 2.5TD, which Peter Hylton, dealer prin cipal of Kia/Mahindra Pieterma ritzburg lent to an Edendale de velopment initiative which I started. The bakkie was driven hard for more than a year in an inhospita ble environment and performed well — so well in fact that we pur chased the Scorpio fourdoor SUV to succeed it. With my experience of the brand I was anxious to drive the newly introduced KUV 100, which is a new vehicle from the ground up and I am grateful once again to Peter Hylton, still DP of the Maritzburg franchise for making the car available to us for a short period. Styling The styling of the KUV 100 comes across as cool, bold and substantial. Up front this cross over has an SUVinspired con toured bonnet and dualcol oured bumper, flanked by swept back headlamps and a centrally — placed Mahindra logo with three, chrome claw marks on ei ther side, giving the vehicle a strong front line. The sides of the
vehicle carry a strong brow line, which extends to the front door and faceting which creates inter est and a strong shoulder line. Rear door handles are mount ed next to the rear window, add ing to the cool feel of the design. Side mirrors are colour coded and electric. The chrome out lined rear fog lamps and large rear lights add character to the rear end. In fact the entire exterior is tastefully done. My only com plaint is the 14inch wheels, which make the car seem a little undernourished, although the alloy spider rims are fun. The rear spoiler completes the design. Interior The cabin is spacious and well appointed. There is plenty of window space making it light and airy. At the front the floating dash has easily readable analogue speed and rev dials with a digital panel in between which displays gear position, engine temp and fuel level. The gear lever is also dash board mounted and adds a funky feel to the overall cool design. The seats are well upholstered and the driver’s seat is fully ad justable. There is space for five adults and seating at the rear is no problem due to the flat floor surface. I liked the piano black in serts in the interior and the fin ishes are of good quality.
The blue puddle lights under the doors are fun and light your exit from the vehicle on cold, winter nights. The sixspeaker in fotainment system with steering based controls is excellent and the tactile steering wheel on which the system is based is fully adjustable. The LUV 100 also has Bluetooth connectivity and the system responds to the Mahindra Bluesense vehicle management app which you can download on your cell. There are also two 12v plugs, front and rear for your electronic toys and an excellent airconditioning system. The boot, which has above and under floor storage gives you 243 litres of space and 473 litres with the rear bench seat folded flat. My only criticism of the interi or is that it could do with a little more sound proofing, as the little diesel motor can be quite loud at times. Safety and security The KUV 100 has a wide range of safety features. The best of these is the one you do not see, namely a monocoque construc tion which envelopes and pro tects the passengers. There is also ABS with EBD, Corner Braking Control, and du al airbags for the driver and pas senger. Followme home head lights are a mixed blessing, as they light the way to your front
A 170 mm ground clearance and affordable, if rather small, 14inch wheels make the KUV 100 as tough on dirt roads as it is quirky in the city. PHOTOS: QUICKPIC door for yourself and your mug ger. There is a collapsible steering column and seatbelts for all. The alarm and immobiliser is factory fitted and there is keyless entry. Performance and handling The KUV 100 is two cars — the one is the vehicle you potter around with in traffic with the ECOswitch on; easily parked, easily handled and responsive to all your shopping needs. The oth er is the car which comes on stream when you switch to power
mode and the turbodiesel, threecylinder, 57 kW/190 Nm becomes a mini beast which pro vides peppy acceleration and per forms really well on hills and the hurlyburly of the N3. On D roads the frontwheel drive is useful for maintaining control and the 170 mm of ground clearance the vehicle offers will take you over most obstacles with ease. We had the vehicle too short a time for an acceleration test but this is not the sort of car you buy as a robot racer. Fuel consump
tion claimed by the maker is 4,4 l per 100 km but so much depends on how you drive. Costs and the competition The KUV 100 starts at around R150 000 and the model we drove costs about R198 000. There is a threeyear/100 000 km factory warranty and a fiveyear, 50 000 km service plan is op tional. The competition is fierce so also look at the Toyota Etios, VW UP, Suzuki Swift and Hyun dai i10, to name but a few.
Sasol backs purposebuilt race cars in uniquely South African GTC THE eagerly anticipated Global Touring Car Championship (GTC) will now be called the Sasol GTC Championship. This follows Sasol’s agreement to be the series sponsor, the official fu el supplier and TV broadcast sponsor to the series. The Sasol GTC Champion ship consists of seven rounds this year with each race day featuring two 50 km races per round. Each race will be broadcast on Super Sport in a 52minute programme. GTC is a uniquely South Afri can racing series, combining the best elements from various suc cessful saloon car racing series from across the globe including the British Tour Car Champion
ship, Australian V8 Supercars and the German DTM series. These elements were combined and adapted to appeal to manu facturers in the South African market, and GTC was born. BIG BRANDS, BIG SPEEDS The Sasol GTC Championship has already attracted entries from BMW, Volkswagen and Audi, with additional manufac turers set to join the series in 2017. The cars feature twolitre, turbocharged engines develop ing 325 kW and 600 NM of torque. Drive is through the rear wheels to common specification running gear across all brands. Regulated components in
clude the gearbox, brakes, shock absorbers and suspension. GTC anticipates the cars will reach 280 km/h at fast tracks like East London, while providing a visual and aural feast for specta tors and TV audiences alike, with turbocrackle and flames spit ting out of the exhaust under braking. A major aspect of GTC is rule stability for five years, with devel opment banned to eliminate “chequebook” racing; this will allow privateers to compete with the manufacturer teams with identical equipment. The founding principle of GTC racing is to highlight driv ing and engineering talent, to ex
Clubs welcome at new concours STUART JOHNSTON FROM Model T Fords to the lat est Ferrari 488 Spiders, and ev erything in between. That will be the mouthwatering spec trum of motoring delights that awaits entrants and visitors alike, when Concours South Af rica 2016 is hosted at Sun City on September 9 to 11. The threeday event for the top collectible cars in the coun try is a first for South Africa and interest has been huge since the first media announcement was made just over a fortnight ago. Apart from the Concours competition, there will also be a ShownShine, with specialist cars on display for the enjoy ment of all, while not being sub ject to the rigours of a formal Concours judging process. For car clubs who wish to make the trip to Sun City as a unique club outing, special
The car that got the masses mobile, Henry Ford’s Model T. PHOTO: SUPPLIED parking areas will be allocated for club displays and individual specialist cars outside the hotel in the general parking area. The following categories have been identified for the in augural Concours South Africa and ShownShine events. • Leisure & Utility up to 1980 • Leisure & Utility post 1980 • Sports Cars up to 1980
• Sports Cars post 1980 • Luxury Saloon up to 1980 • Luxury Saloon post 1980 • American Muscle • Super Cars up to 1980 • Super Cars post 1980 For more information on Concours SA and how to enter your cars, go to concours sa.co.za Entries close on June 30.
tract every last 10th of a second from the car. FAIR PLAY ALL ROUND Ian Scheckter has been appoint ed as the driving conduct official, and the experienced Wammy Haddad and Kosie Swanepoel will officiate as the technical con trollers. Another feature of the series is GTC Production, an entrylev el class featuring standard, front wheel drive cars with twolitre, turbocharged engines, produc ing just over 200 kW. Five of these cars are scheduled to make their debut at Zwartkops. The class is designed to attract young racers from junior racing
categories, and act as a feeder se ries to Global Touring Cars. Senior vice president of Sasol Energy, Ed Cameron, said the GTC offers a unique product marketing opportunity linked to global technology and innova tion. “Racing is a proven testing ground for developing advanced fuel and lubricant products for the consumer and helps keep Sasol at the forefront of the pet rochemical industry. Our associ ation with this exciting new initi ative adds excitement for our em ployees and stakeholders at every level. The series is a perfect match to Sasol’s products and mirrors our ethos and commitment to transparency and fair play in our
business conduct.” Gary Formato, GTC founder and former motor racing cham pion, said the GTC series is tai lormade and uniquely South Af rican. “The rule stability and tight cost control makes it ap pealing to manufacturers and competitors, while giving race fans renewed enthusiasm for mo torsport in general. “It is the first time in 20 years that drivers have a bespoke, pur posebuilt race car to compete with. We are privileged to have a company of Sasol’s calibre on board. GTC looks forward to a long and rewarding partnership in the years ahead.” — Supplied.
Honda 125XR winner Wheels had the pleasure of drawing Peter Kean’s name from the many entries Honda received for its ‘Win a 125XR’ competition at the recent Royal Show. Kean, a farmer near Mooi River, told Honda’s DesMarie Victor her phonecall was the second bit of good news in his day, the first being the snow on the ’Berg, which would bring water to the Midlands’ dry rivers. Kean told Wheels he only rides Honda bikes on his farm, and his oldest bike is a 500XR. Dealer principal Gary Stokes said Kean would be among the riders invited on the first outing of the Fury dealership’s adventure riding club’s relaxed rides in KZN. PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN
MOTORING WitnessWheels
June 16, 2016
3
For young families BRIAN BASSETT tests the Suzuki Ciaz in and around Maritzburg Mazda is now building cars around the world and the Mazda3 has already equalled the 323’s milestone. PHOTO: NEWSPRESS
Five million Mazda3s equals 323 milestone vehicle sales since operations began on the October 1, 2014, to end of April 2016; making the Mazda3 MSA’s bestselling model to date. The engine lineup in South Africa includes the high pow ered SkyactivG 2.0litre petrol engine in efficient sixspeed au tomatic or manual transmis sions and the 1.6 petrol engine is paired with fivespeed manu al and fourspeed automatic transmission engine. The upshot is an exceptional blend of outstanding perform ance and superb fuel economy. Moving forward, Mazda will continue to develop products that offer all customers driving pleasure and outstanding envi ronmental and safety perform ance. The company aims to enrich people’s lives and become a brand connected to its custom ers by a special bond. — Supplied.
Styling Externally the Ciaz is the same sleek shape, with slim Apillars and a large windscreen that looks equally at home on either formal or family occasions. Colourcod ed side mirrors and windows are electrically operated and the ex ternal design is finished off by at tractive, 16inch takkies. Interior The strong point of the Ciaz inte rior is how easy it is to access by passengers of all ages. The doors also hinge open in stages so that you don’t have to worry about damage to the car next to yours in a shopping centre parking lot. The cabin of the Ciaz is spa
ble steering wheel, childproof locks, as well as keyless entry and an immobiliser. There are seat belts for all and sideimpact beams to protect against passen ger damage.
A big boot, comfy seats and economical engine ensures the Ciaz auto equals good value. PHOTO: SUZUKI cious, elegant and roomier than the exterior would suggest. The interior finish is a combi nation of soft leather and high quality plastics that project an al most premium image and every time you approach the car you will have the warm glow that comes with knowing you have re ceived good value for money. The dash favours the driver and the instrument binnacle con tains deep analogue dials which can be viewed without losing sight of the road. The instrument binnacle is framed by a leather covered, multifunction, fully adjustable steering wheel with controls for the sixspeaker audio system, Bluetooth telephony and speed control. The central stack
houses the CD/radio/aux systems and an effective airconditioner. The driver’s seat comfortably fits all sizes and generally seating both back and front offer a high comfort level for five adults. Sitting in the rear seat behind my own longlegged seating po sition provided the level of com fort suited to a longer journey. The boot offers a huge 495 li tres of space and is so big it is a bit of a stretch to retrieve items in its recesses. Safety and security The Ciaz offers a range of securi ty measures of which the key items include the usual ABS with EBD, driver and passenger air bags, Brake Assist and a collapsi
Power and handling The Ciaz SLX Auto has a normal lyaspirated 1,4litre, fourcylin der, 70 kW/130 Nm engine and a smooth, fourspeed auto box. With a reasonable driving style fuel consumption is around 6,5 l to 100 km. 0100 km/h comes up in 13 seconds and top speed is over a ton, which you hopefully you won’t need. I drove out to Wartburg with the car and found the ride quiet and sophisticated, with crisp and responsive steering. I was also able to easily pass heavy cane trucks and the auto box provides three power levels of which I only had to use the conventional drive mode to do everything necessary. In town the car is easy to park and a pleasure to drive. Costs and the competition The Suzuki GLX Auto offers very good value at R235 000 and comes with a threeyear manu facturer’s warranty and a three year/60 000 km service plan. This is the most competitive market sector in SA, so also look at Toyota, VW, Honda, Hyundai and Kia, amongst others. 22384
MAZDA Motor Corporation has announced that the total production volume of the Maz da3 reached five million units at the end of April 2016. It is the second Mazda to reach five million units of pro duction after the Mazda 323. The Mazda3 sets a new record for Mazda by achieving the milestone figure in only 12 years and 10 months since produc tion of the model commenced in June 2003. The Mazda3 is a core model for Mazda, accounting for about one third of the compa ny’s annual sales volume. It is manufactured at the Hofu plant in Japan, at the Changan Mazda Automobile plant in China, at the AutoAlliance plant in Thai land and Mazda de Mexico ve hicle operation in Mexico. It is also assembled in Malay sia and Vietnam. Mazda Southern Africa has recorded over 4 200 Mazda3
THE Suzuki Ciaz has been around since April 2015 and it has allowed Suzuki to compete in the ultracompetitive compact se dan segment for the first time. It also allows the company to extend its reach to buyers who want a larger car than the Swift Dezire, while still enjoying the fu el economy and safety of the Suz uki brand. Suzuki has now launched the topoftherange Ciaz, which essentially has every thing and manages, even in this era of the weak rand, to retain a very competitive pricing. My thanks to Gary Stokes of Suzuki Fury Pietermaritzburg for allowing me time with the car.
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Mazda2 1.5 Active Manual R204 100
Instalment (excl R57 monthly admin fee)
R2 599
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WitnessWheels MOTORING
With its rear engined, rear drive layout, Renault’s new Twingo GT is a handful of fun. PHOTO: RENAULT
June 16, 2016
The 1957 BMW 507 will open this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK. PHOTO: NEWSPRESS
Legendary Beemer to open Festival of Speed
Twingo supercar Around corners, the rearengined GT’s stands back for no one ALWYN VILJOEN WITH its rearengined, rear drive layout, Renault’s new Twingo GT will be right at home when it is put on display at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK next weekend. The placing of the 899 cc, threecylinder engine gives the new Twingo GT the push of a rearwheel drive around corners without losing any of its ability to pull over the bumps in the straights. The TCe turbo engine has been tuned to deliver 82 kW and
170 Nm from low revolutions, thanks to a revised air intake sys tem and modified engine map ping, while different gearing fur ther contributes to the new car’s sprightly, freerevving perform ance. In order to take advantage of this performance boost in to tal safety, Twingo GT’s chassis features revised suspension, specific ESP calibration and var iablerate steering. The result, states Renault, is sharp handling and responsive steering feedback for precise cornering and outstanding road holding. These features com
bine to give drivers of the Twin go GT with affordable pleasure behind the wheel. The look was inspired by the Twin’Run con cept car and is easily recognisa ble thanks to its 17inch wheels, lateral air intakes, twin exhaust tail pipe and new Piment Orange body colour. New Clio fo’ sho While local dealers have no news on the GT coming to SA, the fourth iteration of the Clio is sure to make its way here. The new Clio benefits from the use of finishing materials to date found only in Renault’s higher
end models. The seats are clad new materials and the dash and panels are covered in plastics that are a pleasure to touch and view, with less chrome trimming andmore matt finishings. A very frugal 1.5 dCi 110 diesel linked to a sixspeed manual gearbox takes the Clio’ choice of powertrains to eleven. Meanwhile, Renault in Piet ermritzburg is offering sweet deals on the Duster, to my mind still the most SUV for the money in SA, which help to soften the blow should the little GT never come to our roads.
GOODWOOD Festival of Speed founder Lord March will open this year’s event by driving up the hillclimb course formed by his driveway in a beautiful 1957 BMW 507 sportscar. Staged every summer since 1993, the Goodwood Festival of Speed is the world’s largest auto motive garden party; set against the spectacular backdrop of Goodwood House in West Suss ex, UK. Over 600 cars and motorcy cles spanning the phenomenal history of motoring and motor sport take part with some of the most legendary figures from the sport as well as international ce lebrities regularly attending. BMW is this year’s Honoured Marque and the central theme of the 2016 edition of the Festival of Speed will celebrate the Ger man manufacturer’s centenary. Lord March will complete the very first run up the 1,16mile (just shy of two kilometres) hill
climb at the start of the Moving Motor Show, part of the new Press & Preview day on Thurs day, June 23. The 3,2litre, V8engined BMW 507 was driven by Holly wood stars Frank Sinatra and El vis Presley in its heyday but only 252 were ever built. With a top speed of 122 miles per hour (196 km/h), the 507 was beautifully handbuilt and, while it was priced £3 200 when it was first built in 1957, the rarity of the model now means that the exam ple Lord March will drive up the hill is estimated to be worth around £2 million (R43 million). Lord March said: “I will be honoured to drive one of the rar est, and most beautiful BMWs ever built to open what promises to be a terrific show.” The BMW 507 and Lord March will also race in the hill climb track to open this year’s Festival of Speed. — Newspress.
Massive sale starts this thursday till saturday 2012 Chev Utility 1.4 Club P/U S/C AIRCON Full House
2012 Hyundai Elantra 1.8 Exclusive 67 000km, Full House
R104 900
R159 990
2013 Chev Utility 1.4 P/U S/C 55 000 Kms Canopy
R299 990
2016 Renault Stepway 900T 5000Kms Full House
R104 900
R179 990
2014 Renault Duster 1.6 Expression 32 000km, Full House
R164 990
2013 Ford Ranger 3.2 Diesel XLT Full House, Leather, Towbar
2015 Polo GP 1.2 TSI Highline ( 81KW ) Also Available in White Full House
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2014 Hilux 2.5 D4D SRX Full House Aircon Radio Towbar Nudger Bar Bin Linner Tonneau Cover
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R209 900 2015 Renault Kangoo 1.6 Panel Van 10 000km, Full House, Aircon
R179 990
2014 Renault Koleos 2.5 CVT DYN Auto, 50 000km, Nav, Full House
000 R10 BACK H S A C
R269 990
2014 Nissan Almera 1.5 Acenta 3 x Manual’s Available 45 000Kms, Full House
000 R5 BACK H S A C
2014 Renault Duster 1.6 Expression 40 000 Kms Full House
R159 900
2015 Clio 4 Dynamique 44 000km, Full House, Navigation
000 R5 BACK H S A C
2015 Ford Ikon 1.6 Ambiente 33 000Kms Full House
R129 990
Gerard Gerard Chetty Chetty 033 341 7600 033 341 7600
R124 990
R179 990 2013 Nissan NP200 1.6 83 000Kms
000 R10 BACK H S A C
R94 900
Hold On to Old Prices! By Pieter from Maritzburg Price increases are a fact of life, something we all have to accept (even if we wish they weren’t). The best we can hope for is to say informed, and get in ahead of them. After all, forewarned is forearmed. In the spirit of sharing, I would like to announce that VW Pietermaritzburg will be having a price increase on the 15th of June. So be sure to beat the increase, and get your new VW car today! “Hold on,” I hear you cry, “the 15th was yesterday!” Indeed it was. But the folks at Barons Pietermaritzburg have once again gone the extra mile to show how much they care about their customers. Even though the official price
rise happened on the 15th, they’ve pledged to hold their prices until the end of the week. That’s a few more precious days to get to Barons – the new prices will be in effect from Monday the 19th of June. But even the Volkswagen People can’t hold back the tide forever, so why not head down to Barons Pietermaritzburg today, and make it count! 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.
We are giving customers the boot.
Offer exclusive to Barons Pietermaritzburg.
Visit us on www.baronsvw.co.za
Visit us on www.baronsvw.co.za
An optional cost from R1100 incl. VAT will be charged for metallic paint. *Trade-in or purchase assistance dependent on chosen model. Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other specials 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. The advertised offer is only available as a finance deal through 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 25 June 2016 or while stocks last.
An optional cost from R1100 incl. VAT will be charged for metallic paint. *Trade-in or purchase assistance dependent on chosen model. Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other specials 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. The advertised offer is only available as a finance deal through 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 25 June 2016 or while stocks last.
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Offer exclusive to Barons Pietermaritzburg.
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Purchase a Jetta, Passat or Volkswagen CC and receive up to R50,000* trade-in or purchase assistance.
Purchase a Golf GTI or a Golf SV and receive up to R40,000* trade-in or purchase assistance.
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*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 - 082 783 8040 • Rajen - 072 228 9834 • Sanjay - 083 639 0989 Barry - 072 235 4244 • Phumlani - 073 017 1294 Visit us on www.baronsvwpmb.co.za and find us on facebook.com/BaronsPietermaritzburg
“Voted Volkswagen Dealer of the Year 2014 & 2015”
Barons
Pietermaritzburg
9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg, 3201 • Tel: 033 845 3100
Purchase a Polo or Polo Vivo at Barons Pietermaritzburg and receive up to R20,000* tradein or purchase assistance. Offer exclusive to Barons Pietermaritzburg. Visit us on www.baronsvw.co.za An optional cost from R950 incl. VAT will be charged for metallic paint. *Trade-in or purchase assistance dependent on chosen model. Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other specials 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. The advertised offer is only available as a finance deal through 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 25 June 2016 or while stocks last.
New Sales Consultants
John Brown • Merglin Rama • Menzi Ngubane • Bahle Bhengu Erica Neff • Keshnee Pillay • Nick Vettlesen
Sales Enquiries: 033 940 1445
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WitnessWheels TRANSPORT MOTORING
June 16, 2016
Horns of a dilemma The wellintended ban on rhino horn trade has seen poachers double their kills ALWYN VILJOEN SO desperate are game rangers with rhino in their care that two of them told me last week they’d welcome it if poachers would call them and ask to buy the horn di rect, and never mind the law. One ranger, who cannot be named while government is still lending its collective ear to rhino horn smugglers (who want to keep supply low and prices high), said he’d let any poacher have a horn for R5 000. That way he would cover the cost of tranqui liser and the helicopter to find the rhino, but more importantly, he would keep his rhinos alive, in stead of every week finding a new one slowly dying in the veld with half its face hacked off. The rangers’ views were en dorsed by veterinarians, who told me if government alloweda trade in rhino horn, the South African government and game farms would — again — be able to raise revenue by selling rhino horn. They still have hope this can happen, but this time not through trophy hunting, but in stead by implementing the late Ian Player’s suggestion to create a controlled stockpile of rhino horn and selling this to the world, much like De Beers does with dia monds. To date, this sound idea has just been answered by vague fears that a legal trade in rhino horn may spark an unsustainable level of demand from the East. So instead of seeing a rise in rhino numbers, as was the case when game farmers could host trophy hunters who paid top dol lar to shoot rhinos for their horns, we now have on average one rhino wounded, its face hacked off and the animal left to die an agonizing death every day. Between 2008 and 2015 an es timated 5 500 rhinos were slaughtered this way in South Af rica and the rangers in Hoed spruit predict this year would see 1 800 rhino killed if current trends continue. This will be double the num ber of rhinos killed in 2014. Is it any wonder then that desperate rhino rangers are now offering to aid and abet the smugglers?
(Top) Guarding rhino horn worth millions of rands on the back of an Isuzu, anti poaching rangers Vusi Monareng and Austin Ngomane are happy to undergo routine liedetector tests to prove they have not been bribed by horn smugglers. PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN Putting shoulder to the rhino, Wheels editor Alwyn Viljoen learns why a ban on rhino horn trade only benefits the poachers. PHOTO: BOBBY CHEETHAM My finger in the dyke Trying to stem this bloody tide of slaughter, I last week drove an Isuzu to the Blue Canyon Con servancy in Hoedspruit in Mpumalanga. I had in mind sun downers and glamping. Instead I got to put shoulder to the rhino and told to keep this oxygen in that nostril as I learned amid the ticks and dust just how much ef fort and money go into keeping these gentle giants safe in the centre of SA’s rhino poaching ep idemic, where at least one rhino poaching is reported daily.
Isuzu into the breach These costs is why Isuzu sup ports Nkombe Rhino, a non profit organisation that funds dehorning of rhino to secure them against poaching. The process takes place every 18 to 24 months as the horns grow quite rapidly. The night before the dehorn ing, the grim talk around the fire could have come straight from SA’s border war in the 1980s. As a lion huffed a lot too close for my comfort, I heard how the antipoaching rangers had made
two contacts the day before — with “contact” defined by a heavy calibre gun battle — how a different group of poachers had shot at the little Robinson heli copter, how more intel is needed about new insurgents from Mo zambique. Our hosts, a group of experienced rangers and veteri narians, explained to us city slick ers their aim is to find 25 rhino in the conservancy over a three day period, tranquilise each one from a helicopter and cut off the horn in a few minutes before wak ing up the animal again.
The sedated rhino is fed oxy gen, while its two horn stubs are quickly trimmed off with a small chain saw and filed flat using an angle grinder. While being put to sleep and waking up hornless is certainly a strange experience for the young calves, is a lot better than being shot by a hunter or poacher. The horn then takes about two years to grow back to a size the poachers want, but with rhino horn selling for close to R1 000 a gram in the Orient, even the stubs have to be guarded while local communities are educated and told of the lack of horns in side the fence. Isuzu brand manager Mlungisi Nonkonyana said they support the dehorning process because it works. Dehorned rhinos in certain Zimbabwean conservancies ap pear to have a 29% better chance of surviving than horned ani mals. And when the Blue Canyon Conservatory saw one rhino poached last month, the neigh bouring Kruger Park reported six rhino killed in the same day. Isuzu’s support comes in the form of funds to track and dart these almost prehistoric crea tures and a fleet of KB 300 4x4 double cab bakkies as support ve hicles in the operation. Nonkonyana can rightfully boast about Isuzu’s long history of providing real solutions to is sues that affect communities within Southern Africa, starting with Operation Rachel in 1993 and Operation Mandume in 2007, which were very effective campaigns against the prolifera tion of illegal firearms in South ern Africa. “Today we are lending a help ing hand to Nkombe as a partner in the fight against Rhino poach ing. Without concrete action to prevent further loses, we are like ly to lose this animal forever,” said Nonkonyana. • To help lobby for a lift on the ban of rhino trade, link up with www.rhinoAlive.co.za, where rhino owners and con servationists explain why gov ernment’s decision to ban legal trading of rhino horn is wrong.
Volvo dump truck gets dedicated offtheroad tyres PORT ELIZABETH — Good year has developed a new offthe road (OTR) tyre specifically for the new Volvo A60H articulated dump truck. This is the largest articulated dump truck in the Volvo stable and to keep it rolling over rough terrain, Goodyear designed the TL4A measuring 33.25R29 in size. The two companies have worked together to develop and produce OTR tyres specifically for the brandnew 60ton class articulated dump truck, which meets the growing customer de mand for higher capacity vehi cles. Volvo’s experience of the out standing traction offered by the Goodyear TL3A+ OTR tyres, led to a request for a new OTR tyre being suitable for Volvo’s new high capacity articulated dump truck. The basis for the newly de veloped OTR tyre was the com pany’s successful TL3A+. The Goodyear engineers ensured
Volvo and Goodyear worked together to design wheels for this 55ton dump truck. PHOTO: SUPPLIED that the TL4A offers optimized forward and lateral traction while at the same time provides superi
or ride comfort. Its nondirectional tread de sign has a wide footprint for
maximum contact with the sur face and excellent stability along with exceptional selfcleaning
characteristics. The most impor tant features of the new OTR tyre is the optimised cost per hour ra tio being suitable for the new Vol vo 60ton class articulated dump truck with 55ton capacity and it’s high level of nonskid with E4 level. “The development of the new TL4A in size 33.25R29 for Vol vo’s new A60H articulated dump truck is a perfect example of in novative collaboration to satisfy customer needs in the OTR in dustry and helping them to re duce their operating costs,” said Octavian Velcan, MD of OTR tyres Goodyear Europe, Middle East and Africa. “This new class of articulated dump truck meets the needs of operators who require maximum load capacity. “Our new, specifically devel oped Goodyear TL4A OTR tyr es allow the performance of those vehicles to be maximised.” — Supplied.
NEW UK GUIDE TO TRUCKS BY popular demand, the Freight Transport Associa tion has published a new, updated edition of Design ing for Deliveries — the longstanding guide to truck turning and manoeuvring for architects, planners and en gineers designing, and evalu ating service areas and ac cess roads for commercial vehicles. The new 2016 edition up dates the standards for the latest vehicle changes in cluding the current trials of longer vehicles. The designs are based on the use of FTA Design Vehicles, which represent the majority of vehicle dimensions but avoid the costly and wasteful pro vision for the most extreme lorries that rarely visit most premises. Shopfta manager Lisa McCloy said: “We are de lighted to be able to pro vide an updated edition of Designing for Deliveries, which has been a popular publication going back many years. It provides specialist information which can be vital in the planning stages when depots and loading and unloading bays are de signed.” First produced by FTA in 1971, the guide contains a wealth of information and advice that experienced de sign engineers and archi tects can interpret and ap ply depending on the indi vidual circumstances. The guide is £100 (R2 171, ex postage) for nonFTA members and can be or dered online from Shopfta at www.shop.fta.co.uk — Newspress.
VW VANS ON THE RISE UP NORTH VOLKSWAGEN Commercial Vehicles saw a 5,7% in crease in new light com mercial vehicles sold to customers from January to May. Among the 195 200 light commercials sold, the Tmodel range was the top seller. The Transporter, Car avelle, Multivan and Califor nia achieved a worldwide delivery increase of 11,2% at over 81 400 units. Bram Schot, member of the board of management of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles responsible for sales and marketing, said: “We are very satisfied with developments in our sales situation in the month of May. “This is also due to excellent work undertaken by our dealer network in the past few months. A lot of the feedback from our customers is positive; our product portfolio is well re ceived.” VW also saw 8,2% growth in Eastern Europe, with 13 900 deliveries. Only Brazil (down 17,9% to 4 300 vehicles) and Africa (down by 14,6% to 6 100 vehicles) recorded decreas es in vehicle deliveries due to tough economic condi tions. — Newspress.
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WitnessWheels MOTORING
June 16, 2016
KZN hills will test karters Local racers Habig and Whiting in the hunt for championship points at iDube’s twisty track STUART JONHSTON PERCHED on a steep hillside in KZN, the tricky iDube Kart Cir cuit will on Saturday see a fierce points tussle in the Top DD2 Gearbox Class between a veteran from Port Elizabeth and a young ster from Cape Town as karters race in the SA Karting National Championship. The unique layout of the track allows superfast downhill sec tions followed by very tight hair pin bends and a long trek back up the mountain. Karters have to show excep tional braking skills and their en gines tuned to low to midrange torque to win at iDube. Because no other circuit in the country poses these challenges, karters who race here in the regional rounds of the SA Rotax Max Challenge have traditionally
been favoured as the fourround Rotax series moves to iDube. Several KZN karters are ready to show the visitors how its done. Chief amongst local heroes is Benjamin Habig, born and raised in the Tongaat area and the son of famous SA Rally Champion Jan Habig. Benjamin has come very close to winning the DD2 Gearbox Class National Championship in previous seasons, and this year he lies fourth in the points tally, scoring fourth and fifth places in all six national races counting to wards the championship so far. He has been dominant in Re gional races at iDube, and a string of wins here will put him right back into contention when the fi nal round of the SA Rotax Max Challenge National Champion ship series plays out at Adrenalin Raceway in Vereening in July.
Benjamin Habig (inset) is ready for all comers at iDube. PHOTO: 3DCARSHOWS.COM Another local driver who could spoil the party for the visit ing drivers is Robert Whiting. Al ways quick and consistent, he is lying just outside the top six in the DD2 points table. But so far this season, the DD2
Other class contenders for last on the brakes, fastest up the hill Senior Max DELON Thompson from Gauteng has scored race wins in both the Cape Town and Port Elizabeth rounds so far, and his tally of three fullhouse scores sees him just edge the title race against Cape Town’s Dino Stermin, who has been excellent in Senior Max this season considering he is still a relative newcomer to the in tense world of karting. Third in the title challenge is Dela no Fowler, who has had some fierce ontrack battles so far this season with fastlady Fabienne Lanz, cur rently lying fourth. Joshua Dias from Gauteng was a race winner in Port Elizabeth, and lies fifth. Everimproving female drivers are Shannon Jackson and Ivana Cetinich who will both miss this round due to academic commitments. The point scoring system allows three heats to be discarded so those who miss this event may still be in with a chance if they achieve a good score at the final in Vereeniging. Junior Max Sebastian Boyd from Cape Town dominated the opening round of the 2016 Junior Max Championship at his home circuit at Killarney, scoring three straight wins, and he followed this up in PE with a win and a second, despite being knocked off the track in the opening race at the Windy City. Boyd goes into the iDube round with a 17point advantage over Cape based Daniel Duminy, who, it should noted, spent many of his formative karting years racing at iDube, so his will be an intense challenge to the frontrunners in the midlands. Karl Pitzer from Mozambique lies third in the Junor Max points table, a feat that is impressive given that the young karter is based far from the epicentres of karting in southern Af
Class has been all about three drivers. Michael Stephen, multi ple SA Production Car Champi on, is in the unique position of leading both the DD2 overall points race and the DD2 Masters Category. The Port Elizabeth
driver made a serious comeback to karting last year, to clinch the DD2 Masters category (for driv ers aged 32 and over) and this year he could score a DD2 double. But a youngster who’ll be out to spoil the senior driver’s year is Cape Town’s Julian van der Watt, trailing Stephen by just two points in the DD2 category, after a clean sweep of wins in Round One, in April. And then there is Bradley Lieb enberg, reigning SA DD2 Cham pion and also current star in the VW Cup series on the major cir cuits. Lonehillbased Liebenberg ran Stephen ohsoclose for over all victory in Round Two at Port Elizabeth, and he knows what it takes to win at this level. Fourth overall is Habig, with Gautengbased Justin Allison ly ing fifth in DD2, ahead of Cape Town’s Jonathan Thomas.
In the DD2 Masters category Stephen has a fullhouse of wins at National level. But in second place is KZN driver Jonathan Pi eterse, another “local” who could upset Stephen’s dream of a “double”. Nick Verheul from Edenvale is currently lying third, and a fit ness programme has seen him at tain good form of late. As far as local knowledge in this category for older drivers is concerned, look out for KZN’s Mahomed Bhabha, who could prove very quick in the Masters category at iDube. • The Third Round of the SA Rotax Max Challenge 2016 will again be filmed, with live streaming on www.kart.co.za. For more information, visit www.kart.co.za or contact Jen nifer Verheul at 082 294 7485.
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rica, and also that this is his first sea son at this level, having graduated from Maxterino at the beginning of the season. Jason Coetzee from Cape Town is a potential racewinner, as he showed in Port Elizabeth, and his champion ship fourth position to date could be misleading. Blane Rademeyer from Gauteng is another very quick driver, as is Cam eron o’Connor, while a local hot shot to watch here is Dominic Lin coln. Maxterino The 60 cc “baby” class in the Rotax Max Challenge series is Maxterino, for drivers aged between eight and 13yearsold, and currently it is a Cape Town stronghold, with five of the top championship positions, aft er two National rounds, held by WP drivers. Leading the pack is the impressive Joseph Oelz, who has scored three race wins in the opening round and followed this up with a second, a third and a fifth in P.E. Troy Dolin schek lies second in the title chase, followed by another Capetonian, Charl Visser. But in fourth place is the Gauteng driver Kwanda Mokeona, who scored a full house of race wins in Port Eliza beth after a disastrous first round. So don’t be surprised to see Mokoena right on the pace in Idube. Kai van Zyl and Tate Bishop round out the top six here. Min Rok Mini Rok is the other National Championship series for 60 cc karts, and here Kawanda Mokeona is right in the title hunt, sharing wins with Joshua Coertze. Other contenders are Charl Visser, Daniele Patrizi, Jayden Els, Layton Fourie, Cameron Dias and Daniel de Paiva.
Kart fans should take note that practice at Idube starts today, with qualifying on Friday and racing on Saturday. The iDube circuit is off the R103, using offramp 65 off the N3 in the Camper down region. Spectators enter free, with food and cooldrinks sold on site.
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