Wheels 2016 03 24

ASH CAR SALES

March 24, 2016

Dealers in Superfine Exotic and Sports Cars Tel: 033 345 1971, 033 342 4717 Fax: 033 342 2900 - www.ashcarsales.co.za

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L A T I CAP ays Saturd 9­10 am

2011 BMW X5 XDrive 4.0D M-Sport Auto 55 000 km, FSH, M/Plan till April 2016, White/ Black leather, Double panoroof, M-Sport Package, Xenons, Front and rear PDC., Navigation, Smash and Grab, Fogs, MFS, Electric Memory seats, Electric boot, 20” wheels

R459 995

Contact ASH on 083 786 3377 (PMBurg)

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

KWAZULU­NATAL’S BEST READ ON ALL THINGS WHEELED, EVEN A COFFEE SHOP

Hands off for BMW drivers German focus is now on making more electric vehicles and automated driving systems THE steady queue of drivers who pay drifting specialists good money to show them how to hold a car in a slide will be horrified to hear BWM plans to take the steering wheel out of their hands.

BMW group last week an­ nounced it will sell seven electric or hybrid cars by the end of the year, and its focus is now on mak­ ing more electric vehicles and au­ tomated driving systems.

Its all part of its growth strate­ gy for the next 100 years, which futurologists predict will see less drivers and more drivens.

BMW said in a statement the group aims to deliver solutions for the latter group that are both ground­breaking and responsi­ ble. “Throughout its 100­year history, the BMW Group has al­ ways reinvented itself. As a pio­ neer of new technolo­ gies, the company has shaped change, within both the industry and the world of mobility,” said Harald Krüger, chairperson of the board of management of BMW AG, at the Annual Accounts Press Conference in Munich on Wednes­ day.

“We are setting the standard with our Strategy ‘Number ONE>Next’, both now and in the future.

“We will lead the BMW Group into a new era, one in which we will transform and shape both individual mobility and the entire sector in a permanent way.”

He said in the medi­ um term, the techno­ logical focus will be on achieving further ad­ vances in the fields of electric mobility and automated driving to broaden the scope of digital connectivity between people, vehi­ cles and services and actively strengthening sustainable mobility.

The group has al­ ready sold over 50 000 units of the iBrand and the latest version of BMW 7 Se­ ries. By 2026 the group plans to have a BMW i model on roads that will stay true to the propeller brand’s pre­ mium status in provid­ ing individual mobili­ ty, even if the car ends up silently whisking it­ self from place to place with only voice inputs as to the destination by the driver.

Hedging all its bets,

the BMW Group also continues to develop hydrogen fuel­cell technology. The company said it believes that a variety of drivet­ rain systems will exist alongside each other in the future.

The water­oozing car will pro­ vide the same fully networked driving experience as the zero­ emission vehicles.

By bundling the potential op­ portunities offered by digitalisa­ tion, the BMW Group will ce­ ment its position as technologi­ cal leader in this field, too. Inside a self­driving Beemer, the “driv­ er” will have access to high defi­ nition digital maps, sensor tech­ nology, cloud technology and ar­ tificial intelligence.

And the self­driving will not be limited to automatic parking or slow lanes either. The BMW 7 Se­ ries uses a stereo camera and five radar sensors, to maintain a safe

distance to the vehicle ahead, even when driving up to 210 km/ h on motorways. And of course it can park itself at the push of the remote control parking but­ ton.

Apart from the services it is de­ veloping in its own right, the BMW Group is also investing in a number of promising start­ups and service providers via BMW i Ventures.

• See page 6 for the next systems to have cars brake themselves.

Left: In the not to distant future BMW models will have fold­away ‘steering wheels’ that will only emerge on demand (top), when a driver demands to steer a different path to what the computer deems safe. PHOTOS: BMW

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WitnessWheels MOTORING

March 24, 2016

Miss SA’s Juke MISS South Africa 2016, Ntandoyenkosi Kunene, will drive a Nissan Juke during her reign.

Nissan South Africa said in a statement it is a proud vehicle sponsor of the Miss South Africa pageant and the unique styling of Nissan’s sporty crossover will compliment Miss SA’s style.

The Juke is valued at R359 900 and represents a significant portion of Miss South Africa’s prizes, which are valued at over R2 million.

“I am ecstatic. I have great plans for my time as Miss South Africa, and the Nissan Juke will surely keep me on the road and on cue for my many engagements,” said Kunene.

Venesh Sewsunker heads up the Renault Pietermartizburg.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC

Renault Pmb rated among top three

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Going faster in NY Chevrolet and Toyota up the stakes with the 86 and ZL1 in the Big Apple ALWYN VILJOEN THE two most intriguing sportscars at the New York Auto Show are not the most expen­ sive or powerful, but likely to be the most popular as both are aimed at the average buyer’s pocket.

Storming from the Chevrolet corner is the supercharged ZL1 Camaro — a car that Chev said

is designed to be the perfect all­ rounder for fans of powerful po­ ny cars, but which is aimed squarely at the Ford Mustang.

The ZL1 does the aiming with a supercharged 6,2­litre V8 mo­ tor making 47 kW and 868 Nm. The five­litre Mustang GT makes 306 kW and 530 Nm. The Camrao ZL1 rides on 20­ inch aluminum rims clad with Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar

tires, with a 285 cm footrpint in front and 305 cm at the rear.

Power goes to the rear with Chevrolet’s new 10­speed auto.

Stopping gets done by 390 mm Brembo disks, pinched shut by six­piston monobloc cal­ ipers.

For those who corner For racers who don’t just want to dice in straight lines, but can also like to corner, Toyota will

show its facelifted 86 at the New York Auto Show, with deliveries to begin in late 2016.

The most significant tweak to the GT 86 formula comes under the hood, where the car’s boxer engine is producing 153 kW and 214 Nm (158 lb­ft) of torque.

That’s only a mild, 4 kW (5 hp) and 9 Nm (6,6 lb­ft) boost, but should give the car a bit more zip from low revs and, hopefully,

improve the 86’s slightly flat mid­range.

Another important change in the States, where the Subaru­ Toyota lovechild has been sold as the Scion FR­S since in 2012, is Toyota’s decision to discon­ tinue the Scion brand to sell the two­seater the 86.

Subaru has not yet an­ nounced an updated BRZ, which shares the 86 chassis and engine.

Chev’s Mustang fighter pushed the tradition of pony cars all they way into the super car league.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Mchunu orders probe into ‘blue light’ crash on N2 DURBAN — Premier Senzo Mchunu has ordered an investi­ gation into an accident on the N2 Nonoti in KwaDukuza on Fri­ day evening involving one of his bodyguards that resulted in the death of two people.

The police officer in the lead convoy vehicle reamins in a seri­ ous condition and three others have been badly wounded.

In a statement Mchunu, said he was shocked to learn about the sad passing of two people in accident. He said there were many unanswered questions and confusing reports around separate accidents along this route.

“It is for this reason that I have instructed my special ad­ visor on good governance, Ad­

vocate Linda Zama, to liaise with law enforcement agencies such as the police and Road Traffic In­ spectorate [RTI],” he said.

Mchunu said they hoped the po­ lice would locate the driver of the truck allegedly involved in the accident.

“It is important to establish how many people were involved in an accident and whether there

are any eyewitnesses who may assist.

KwaZulu­Natal Road Traffic Inspectorate’s Zinhle Mngo­ mezulu said details of the acci­ dent remained sketchy.

She said Mchunu’s body­ guard claimed to have been hit by a truck.

“He said he hit a truck but there was no truck.

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“The story is incomplete, we told our officer to wait until po­ lice to ascertain [what hap­ pened].

“There is a Toyota Yaris and a bakkie driven by a bodyguard and a Mercedes parked on the side of road,” she said.

Mngomezulu said four pas­ sengers in a blue Yaris were in­ jured too. — News24.

INDEPENDENT dealerships once again took the lead at Ren­ ault South Africa’s recent 2015 Dealer of the Year Awards.

Privately owned and operated, Renault Worcester took top hon­ ours with Renault Seamans Port Elizabeth in second place; third spot went to Renault Pieterma­ ritzburg, which is owned by the McCarthy group.

Venesh Sewsunker heads up the Renault Pietermaritzburg dealership, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2016.

Thrilled to take to the podium for the first time, Sewsunker says his dealership’s third place win was “a wonderful surprise and well deserved” by the members of his team.

“It’s been an all­round win for Renault Pietermaritzburg,” add­ ed Sewsunker.

“In addition to being placed in the top three overall, our used car and service managers took top spot in their respective catego­ ries while my new car manager took third spot in his. I’m so proud of them all.”

In a market that was down al­ most 7%, Renault enjoyed un­ precedented growth in 2015 re­ cording vehicle sales in excess of 20 000 units.

The marque’s “best year ever” according to Nicholas de Canha, Chief Executive Officer of Ren­ ault South Africa.

“We’re proud to say that the Renault brand is now firmly posi­ tioned in seventh place among SA’s top selling passenger car brands.”

Phonnie Cilliers, Vice­Presi­ dent of Sales and Operations at Renault South Africa said hard work combined with fostering long­term relationships with Renault’s customers, has deliv­ ered long­term loyalties with word of mouth playing a large part in securing new customers.

“Renault excels at keeping its product line­up both relevant and fresh, backing this with a re­ alistic pricing policy,” said Cilli­ ers. — Supplied.

FOOL DRIVES DRUNK AT 213 KM/H DURBAN – A foolish KZN resident faces charges of reckless and negligent driving and driving while intoxicated after he clocked 213 km/h on the South Coast on Friday.

Provincial transport department spokesperson Kwanele Ncalane said that the man, driving a Mercedes­ Benz, was stopped by traffic police on the N2 near Park Rynie.

Ncalane said transport MEC Will­

ies Mchunu was outraged when he heard about the speed at which the man was travelling. “We call upon the courts to impose a harsh sen­ tence on this man who endangered his life and the lives of others on our roads,” Ncalane said.

“It is clear that errant drivers are to blame for the high number of road deaths and we aim to combat this,” Ncalane said. — News24.

MOTORING WitnessWheels

March 24, 2016

3

Go beyond the road’s end BRIAN BASSETT drives the new Everest until he got scared … and then forded those drifts too

Styling The new Everest is a large vehicle weighing in at around 2,5 tons, with a three­ton towing capacity.

The sculpted design reflects its huge toughness and technical prowess. The styling is bold, modern and aerodynamic.

With some Ranger­like fea­ tures it is good looking and its presence, whether on or off road is dramatic and eye­catching.

At the front a large Ford badge

sits in the centre of a chromed grille, flanked by Xenon head­ light modules (Halogen on the XLT). The running boards are not the usual fashion accessories just to round off the lines, but does help one get onto the high seat. As stylishly practical is the rear a chromed panel bearing the vehicle’s name sits on an electri­ cally­operated tailgate.

I also liked the good­looking scuff plate below the rear bump­ er. Chromed electric side mirrors and door handles come as stan­ dard and adds a certain sophisti­ cation to the overall design.

The alloys, 18 inch on the XLT and 20 inch on the Limited un­ derline the sophisticated rugged­ ness of the vehicle.

Interior The sophisticated approach by the designers of this vehicle is carried forward to the interior.

Well­finished leather seats and a leather­trimmed interior give the spacious cabin a com­ fortable, high quality feel. The in­ terior is premium but practical, like the rest of the vehicle.

Storage compartments are ev­ erywhere, while and the second row of seats have their own pow­ er outlets. The third row of seats, provides comfortable seating for two and is electrically operated in the Limited spec.

So, the Everest is a full seven­

Safety and security The Everest has every safety de­ vice you can think of as well as a host of other safety assists to numerous to mention here.

There is also selective remote en­ try and Burglar perimeter alarm, while all seven passengers have seatbelts.

Brian Bassett still smiling after tasting mud in the Everest.

PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN seater, ideal for large families.

The front seats are eight­way adjustable and the rear seats also allow some adjustment for com­ fort. The second row of seats fold down in 60:40 split and the third row fold down completely to pro­ vide a flexible, large luggage space. The large glass sunroof en­ hances the interior, while the multi­function, fully­adjustable steering wheel is tactile and en­ joyable to use and operates all the usual functions.

The controls are well present­

ed and easily to hand, while the dash is well designed with the driver in mind.

The centrally­placed, eight­ inch touch screen is easy to oper­ ate but, sadly, there is no GPS of­ fered on the Everest.

However, the comprehensive digital trip computer and voice­ activated Bluetooth are a boon, as is the compass on the touch screen.

The impressive audio system boasts 10 speakers and the cli­ mate control is excellent.

Performance At present the Everest is powered

by Ford’s Duratorq motor deliv­ ering 147 kW/470 Nm. The refined and capable drive train is driven by a torque­con­ verter, six­speed automatic transmission, which unfortu­ nately does produce some lag, es­ pecially on takeoff, which is no­ ticeable even in sport mode. As we had the car for a short while only it was difficult to estimate fuel consumption, but the claimed 8,2 l/100 km looks somewhat optimistic. 0­100 km/ h comes up in around 12 seconds.

The Everest is a serious off­ roader, but in town and on tar it’s enjoyable and athletic, thanks to excellent handling and stability, delivered by the Watt’s linkage suspension system.

Parking is no problem and handling in traffic, thanks partly to the high seating position is a pleasure. My main interest how­ ever was to drive the Everest off­ road. Now I am not a great off­ road driver. Nonetheless I took

the Everest into the forests above the city and manipulated the Ter­ rain Management System dial, which has four settings from nor­ mal to rock crawl.

The first challenge was a The Slope where several vehicles had failed before. The Everest treated the muddy ruts with a dignified contempt and once at the top I turned onto rough forest roads which had recently been treated to a great deal of truck traffic be­ cause of felling operations.

At one stage I lost my way and took a wrong turn onto a steeply sloping mud­caked track but, by fiddling with the assists and us­ ing the available torque, I re­ gained control. After several oth­ er misjudgments and at one stage using the compass to find my way, I arrived in Hilton two hours later, relieved and enormously impressed with a car which had tackled every surface imaginable and performed very well.

Costs and competition The XLT will cost you about R600 000 and the Limited around R650 000. There is a five­year or 100 000 km service plan, a four­year or R120 000 manufacturer’s warranty and a five­year/100 000 km corrosion warranty.Also look at Land Rover Discovery Sport, Toyota Fortu­ na, Jeep Cherokee, Hyundai San­ te Fe and Kia Sorento 22289

THE previous model Ford Ever­ est, introduced in 2010 and up­ graded in 2013, was known for its robust durability, as well as its ability to tow heavy loads with­ out complaint.

In fact, with Easter coming up I expect to see second generation Everest’s towing caravans, boats and trailers, sometimes all three at once. But the generation has became somewhat dated, as far as its technology is concerned, al­ though it would still make a great secondhand buy — if you can find one.

The new Everest is, however a huge upgrade in looks, capability, technology and toughness and we are grateful to Darryl Topper, who we welcome as the recently­ appointed dealer principal at McCarthy Ford and Mazda in Pi­ etermaritzburg, for making his own Everest available to us for a few days.

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WitnessWheels MOTORING

U.S. cars get auto braking Car builders sign agreement to get cars to stop themselves McLEAN, Va. — Twenty vehicle manufacturers in the U.S. have signed a historic commitment to make automatic emergency braking (AEB) a standard feature on 99% of all new cars by Sep­ tember 1, 2022.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National High­ way Traffic Safety Administra­ tion (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced the automak­ ers, who signed the commitment are Audi, BMW, FCA US LLC, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia, Maserati, Mazda, Mercedes­Benz, Mitsubishi Mo­ tors, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Tesla Motors Inc., Toyota, Volks­ wagen and Volvo Car USA. Their unprecedented commit­ ment means that this important safety technology will be availa­ ble to more consumers more quickly than would be possible through the regulatory process.

AEB systems help prevent crashes or reduce their severity by applying the brakes for the driver.

The systems use on­vehicle sensors such as radar, cameras or lasers to detect an imminent crash, warn the driver and apply the brakes if the driver does not take sufficient action quickly enough.

NHTSA estimates that the agreement will make AEB stan­ dard on new cars three years fast­ er than could be achieved through the formal regulatory process. During those three years, according to IIHS esti­ mates, the commitment will pre­ vent 28 000 crashes and 12 000 injuries in the U.S. “It’s an exciting time for vehi­ cle safety. By proactively making emergency braking systems stan­ dard equipment on their vehi­ cles, these 20 automakers will help prevent thousands of crash­ es and save lives,” said U.S. Trans­ portation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “It’s a win for safety and a win for consumers.”

Based on mounting evidence that AEB effectively reduced

crashes and injuries in the U.S. and around the world, NHTSA and IIHS issued a challenge to in­ dustry in September 2015 to en­ courage automakers to voluntari­ ly make AEB a standard feature.

A series of meetings followed to establish details of the commit­ ment. “The benefits of this com­ mitment are far­reaching,” said IIHS Executive Vice President and Chief Research Officer David Zuby.

“From injuries and deaths averted to the recovery of pro­ ductivity that would otherwise be lost in traffic jams caused by the crashes prevented. It also as­ sures that all Americans will ben­ efit from this technology.”

NHTSA and IIHS also an­ nounced that Consumer Reports will assist in monitoring auto­ maker progress toward meeting the AEB commitment.

Jake Fisher, director of auto testing for Consumer Reports, said the proven technology of AEB is among the most promis­ ing safety advances since elec­ tronic stability control almost two decades ago.

The commitment will make AEB standard on virtually all light­duty cars and trucks with a gross vehicle weight of 8 500 lbs. or less beginning no later than September 1, 2022. AEB will also be standard on virtually all pick­ ups 2,5 tons to 3,5 tons.

The commitment takes into account the evolution of AEB technology. It requires a level of functionality that is in line with research and crash data demon­ strating that such systems are substantially reducing crashes, but does not stand in the way of improved capabilities that are just beginning to emerge.

To encourage further develop­ ment of AEB technology, NHTSA will accelerate its re­ search on more advanced AEB applications.

In December, NHTSA an­ nounced plans to rate AEB sys­ tems and other advanced tech­ nologies under its 5­Star Safety Ratings beginning in model year 2018. — Wheels Reporter.

March 24, 2016

Model T shows modern cars how to tour BRENTWOOD, Essex — A 100­year­old Ford Model T is on a challenge to drive around the world.

Dirk and Trudy Regter from the Netherlands have owned their 1915 Ford Model T since 1997, and began their journey in the summer of 2012.

The couple, both retired, have so far covered over 80 000 km, visiting and sup­ porting various projects run by the international children’s aid organisation: SOS Children’s Villages.

The Ford Model T covered 22 530,816 km in 180 days dur­ ing the first leg of the drive in 2012, which took them from their home town of Edam to Cape Town in South Africa.

In 2013 the couple drove through the USA and Canada, crossing 22 States during their 27 359 km, 180­day road trip. In 2014 they ticked off another 25 749 km through South America in a further 180 days.

Sadly, the Model T was in­ volved in an accident with a Land rover Defender when it re­ turned to Europe.

However, the couple plan to continue their journey through New Zealand, Australia, Indo­ nesia, and India, crossing the Himalayas to China, through Mongolia and back to the Neth­ erlands via Central Europe dur­

After driving across three continents, the original 1915 Ford Model T is still going strong.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED ing 2016 and 2017.

Dirk previously owned a 1923 Ford Model T and a 1928 Ford Model A, inheriting his passion for vintage Fords from his father and grandfather.

Ford built 15 000 000 Model Ts between 1908 and 1927 to put the world on wheels, and owed its mass appeal to its affordabili­ ty, reliability and ease of mainte­ nance with standard, inter­ changeable parts.

The Regters said all these at­ tributed still make the Model T easy to drive and maintain any­ where in the world, including the 3­litre petrol engine that is unaltered from its standard 1915 factory specification.

The single exception is larger tyres for the wooden­spoked wheels, making the ride softer for long journeys.

“On the border of South Afri­ ca and Botswana we met a farm­

er who had an old Ford Model T in the shed”, Dirk said.

“He gave us a tyre off it as a gift to help us on our way.

Across North America, the couple met several other Ford T owners who still love these rug­ ged transporters.

Their journey is about to re­ start, and more of the highs and lows of their amazing journey has also been posted on You­ Tube. — Newspress.

What to watch when buying a car TRADITIONALLY, South Afri­ cans have leaned towards bank financing when buying a vehicle but there are other options which can be explored today.

Leasing, for example, has gained popularity over recent years, says Les Mc Master, chair­ person of the Motor Industry Workshop Association (Miwa).

“Almost a third of consumers are leasing their vehicles in the U.S. already, but the concept is relatively new here.

“It certainly has advantages for South Africans in light of ris­ ing interest rates, fuel hikes and a shaky rand, but whichever fi­ nance option you go for, make sure you know what you’re get­ ting yourself into from the start,” says Mc Master.

He explains that the main dif­ ference between a lease and an instalment agreement is that in a lease agreement the buyer will not own the vehicle at the end of the term, but can renegotiate the contract to take ownership for the residual value.

Lease contracts are also for shorter terms.

“Generally, buying a car, pay­ ing it off and then keeping it for many years, remains the least expensive way to go because de­ spite the fact that vehicles de­ preciate over time, they do re­ tain some value that you can ap­ ply towards buying another car.

“If you lease a vehicle, you on­ ly drive it for a fixed period and your monthly payments go to­ wards paying for the deprecia­ tion in the vehicle, not owner­ ship.

“Lease agreements also come

with restrictions on how many kilometres you can do during the lease period,” says Mc Mas­ ter.

Which option is better?

Mc Master encourages prospec­ tive buyers to do their home­ work first; research the options and always be aware of the fine print.

“Bank finance can be costly as a large chunk of the monthly in­ stalment goes towards interest payments. Banks also want to know that you have a spotless credit history and that you can afford the monthly payments on a vehicle.

“It’s a mistake to base your af­ fordability on the repayment only.

“Research has shown that in the current market conditions, the actual monthly instalment of an entry­level vehicle ac­ counts for less than 50% of the total cost of ownership.”

He adds that buyers must also budget for fuel, maintenance and insurance before deciding to go ahead with the purchase of a vehicle.

There are a number of value­ added products which can be built into the monthly instal­ ment.

Be careful of ‘value add’ Mc Master warns car buyers against signing for a car with all the value­added options with­ out a clear understanding of how much these will inflate your instalment.

Examples of valued­added products are service and main­

Let the lender beware when it comes to financing cars.

PHOTO: JOHNBIGGS.ORG.UK tenance plans (used vehicles), dent and scratch protection, in­ surance shortfall cover and life, disability and unemployment cover.

Another crucial considera­ tion, says Mc Master, is deciding on a linked or fixed interest rate because once you’ve signed the contract, this can’t be changed.

Vehicle owners with a fixed rate contract would have been hardest hit by the recent interest rate hike.

“Now more than ever, a vehi­ cle purchase should be thor­ oughly researched and properly thought out.

“Always keep the practical use you want out of the vehicle in mind and consider your average mileage and the increasing cost of petrol,” he concludes.

Five DOs and DON’Ts • Do draw up a budget to estab­ lish affordability.

• Do leave enough spare cash in your budget to absorb rising costs such as fuel and interest rates.

• Do take the time to read and understand your finance con­ tract.

• Do contact the bank if you are in a situation where you cannot meet your financial commit­ ments.

• Do make sure you always have comprehensive insurance on your financed vehicle.

• Don’t overextend your budget.

• Don’t provide the bank with false information about your af­ fordability.

• Don’t cancel insurance when you are in a financial bind.

• Don’t rely on a large balloon payment to make your instal­ ments more affordable.

• Don’t forget to include all costs in your budget — petrol, insur­ ance, and maintenance.

— Wheels Reporter.

Pros and cons of the three different types of vehicle ownership

Automatic emergency braking (AEB) will become standard on 99% of cars built in the US. Using laser and or radar, AEB systems sense collisions ahead and will automatically apply the brakes to prevent a crash If no evasive action is taken.

PHOTO: NHTSA

Instalment sale: • Take delivery of a vehicle and pay for it over an agreed period.

• You become the owner once you’ve made the final payment.

• You can opt for a balloon pay­ ment which reduces the monthly payments, but beware the final

balloon payment needs to be set­ tled if you are not trading in the car for this value.

Lease: • You can choose to take owner­ ship of the vehicle or return it to the bank when the lease ends.

• You can drive a brand new car every two to four years.

• The repayments are tax deduct­ ible if the vehicle generates in­ come.

• You can opt for a balloon pay­ ment which reduces the monthly payments.

Rental: • The buyer gets uninterrupted use of the vehicle rather than ownership of it.

• To reduce monthly payments the customer can negotiate a re­ sidual value.

— Source: Wesbank

Happy Easter and Happy Driving!

By Barons Pietermaritzburg

Do you know those white sugary Easter eggs? The ones with chocolate on the inside and a hard white coating on the outside? I absolutely love those eggs, can’t get enough of them.

I’ve enjoyed them for years.

I think the best thing about those eggs is the way that you break through from one kind of sweetness to another. The outside gives instant gratification, but it’s the chocolate inside that has the substance. When you break through you can start chomping away, getting the best of both worlds: the thin sugar and thicker chocolate all together in a crunchy mouthful.

I really love those eggs.

I feel the same way about Volkswagen cars. The beautiful lines and interiors are like the outer coating: instantly enjoyable and instantly recognisable. Under the hood is the chocolate: powerful engines, advanced engineering, BlueMotion technology… The two combine to make driving a Volkswagen endlessly pleasurable.

Although, with Volkswagen’s safety features, driving one is a lot better for you than eating Easter eggs all day…

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.

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Primes less 3.35% Short Term: 36 months Guaranteed buyback**

Model

Vehicle Price

Monthly No. of Interest Rate Instalments Instalments Linked / Variable

Polo TSI 66kW Comfortline R238,100 R2,699*

36

6.9%*

The Tiguan TSI 90kW Trend & Fun and Tiguan 2.0 TDI 81kW Trend & Fun standard features include:

Deposit

Balloon Payment

-

Total Cost Incl fees & VAT

10% R159,527 (R23,810)

R256,695

6-speed manual Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) Front, side and curtain Airbags Electronic Park Brake with Auto-hold High-Beam Control “Light Assist”

-

Cruise Control Start-Stop with Brake Energy Recuperation 16” Portland alloy wheels

Offer exclusive to Barons Pietermartizburg.

Visit us on www.baronsvw.co.za

Visit us on www.baronsvw.co.za

e&oe

An optional cost of R950 incl. VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 10.5%. Rate is dependent on customer credit scoring. Offers calculated on the Polo TSI 66kW Comfortline model in standard specification. Interest rate is used for illustrative purposes only. Instalment excludes optional extras, delivery, licensing and registration, but includes bank initiation fee. Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other specials service or offering. **Total retail price of R238,100 at a Guaranteed Future Value of R159,527 based on 20 000km p.a. 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 31 March 2016 or while stocks last.

An optional cost of R2200 incl. VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 10.5%. Offers calculated on the Tiguan TSI 90kW Trend & Fun and Tiguan 2.0 TDI 81kW Trend & Fun models in standard specification. Interest rate is used for illustrative purposes only. Price excludes optional extras, delivery, licensing and registration. 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. 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 31 March 2016 or while stocks last.

e&oe

-

0% deposit.

R144 900 R144 900 R144 900 R164 900 R179 900

29 500 27 000 30 000 6 000 5 000

km km km km km

White Beige Red Red White Silver White White

R198 900 R179 900 R169 900 R204 900 R199 900 R204 900 R199 900 R214 900

97 000 22 000 35 000 9 000 9 000 17 000 6 000 6 000

km km km km km km km km

Silver White White

R229 900 R399 900 R549 000

58 000 15 000 3 500

km km km

Red

R279 900

6 000

km

White

R122 900

8 000

km

White Beige Silver Grey Green Black Grey

R175 900 R279 000 R229 900 R199 900 R289 000 R795 000 R395 000

104 000 89 000 75 000 76 000 19 000 15 000 3 000

km km km km km km km

Blue Red

R148 900 R89 900

90 000 89 000

km km

*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

Barons

Pietermaritzburg

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

Amarok Double Cab 2.0 TDI Trendline from R8,201* p.m.

Monthly No. of Interest Rate Guaranteed Total Cost Incl Deposit Instalments Instalments Linked / Variable Future Value fees & VAT

Model

Vehicle Price

Amarok D/C 2.0 TDI Trendline

R459,500

R8,201*

36

10.75%*

0%

R293,621

R588,851

Amarok D/C 2.0 BiTDI Trendline

R489,700

R8,729*

36

10.75%*

0%

R312,918

R627,175

Amarok D/C 2.0 BiTDI Trendline Auto R507,200

R8,904*

36

10.75%*

0%

R329,680

R650,209

R510,500

R9,093*

36

10.75%*

0%

R325,210

R653,571

Amarok D/C 2.0 BiTDI Trendline 4Motion R540,700

R9,622*

36

10.75%*

0%

R345,507

R691,895

Amarok D/C 2.0 BiTDI Trendline 4Motion Auto R558,200

R9,750*

36

10.75%*

0%

R362,830

R713,838

Amarok D/C 2.0 TDI Trendline 4Motion

Visit us on www.baronsvw.co.za An optional cost of R1600 incl. VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 10.5%. Offers calculated on models in standard specification. Offer excludes the Amarok Double Cab Ultimate model. Interest rate is used for illustrative purposes only. Instalment excludes optional extras, but includes bank initiation fee. Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other specials service or offering. **Total retail price as above at a Guaranteed Future Value on 20 000km p.a. 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 31 March 2016 or while stocks last.

New Sales Consultants

Alison Wiltshire – Sales Manager • John Brown • Merglin Rama Menzi Ngubane • Bahle Bhengu • Erica Neff • Keshnee Pillay

Sales Enquiries: 033 940 1445

BP Advertising

White White Beige White Beige

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Polo Vivo 2015 Polo Vivo GP 1.4 Trendline 5 Door 2015 Polo Vivo GP 1.4 Trendline 5 Door 2015 Polo Vivo GP 1.4 Trendline 5 Door 2015 Polo Vivo GP 1.6 Comfortline 2016 Polo Vivo 1.6 Maxx Polo 2012 Polo GTI DSG 2013 Cross Polo 1.6 2014 Polo 1.2 TSI Trendline 2015 Polo GP 1.2 TSI Comfortline 2015 Polo GP 1.2 TSI Comfortline 2015 Polo GP 1.2 TSI Comfortline 2015 Polo GP 1.4 TDI 2016 Polo GP 1.2 TSI Comfortline Golf 2009 Golf 6 GTI 2.0 TSI DSG 2015 Golf GTI 2.0 TSI DSG 2015 Golf 7 R TSI DSG Jetta 2015 Jetta 1.4 TSI Comfortline Up! 2015 Take up! 1.0 55kW Other VW 2010 Tiguan 1.4 TSI Trendline 2011 Amarok Double Cab TDI Highline 4Motion 2012 Tiguan 1.4 TSI BlueMotion 2012 Volkswagen CC 2.0 TDI DSG 2015 Cross Caddy 2.0 TDI 2015 Touareg 3.0 TDI V6 Luxury Tiptronic 2016 Passat 1.4 TSI Comfortline DSG Other 2012 Toyota Corolla 1.6 Professional 2013 Toyota Aygo 1.0 5 Door

6

WitnessWheels MOTORING BIKING

March 24, 2016

Cub is back, as an evee Honda to make the EV­Cub for Japanese market by 2019 SPIROS TSANTILAS THE electric­powered version of the Honda Super Cub is slated to go into production in 2018, ac­ cording to the company’s new president and CEO, Takahiro Hachigo.

First introduced as a concept model in 2009, it will be initially offered only in Japan, before ex­ panding to several Asian markets.

Honda’s Super Cub hardly needs an introduction, being one of the most popular two­wheel­ ers ever produced. Since 1958 over 87 million Cubs have rolled out of as many as 15 different Honda factories all over the world. Its impact has been so great that it became the first ve­ hicle to obtain three­dimension­ al trademark registration in Ja­ pan.

The electric­powered Cub first appeared as a concept model at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, showcasing two­wheel drive with electric motors in each hub.

It resurfaced last October at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show, this time with a single electric motor in the rear wheel hub.

With a styling that pays obvi­ ous homage to the iconic 1958 model, the EV­Cub is a precise replica of the 2015 Super Cub concept; a version that appears closer to what an actual produc­ tion model would look like.

Along with the front wheel hub motor, gone is the LED lightshow of the 2009 concept.

The battery pack is mounted low in the frame, and is remova­ ble via a tilting cover on the left side of the bike.

Effectively the EV­Cub ap­ pears to be little more than a city commuter with relatively small range and performance figures in the original 50 cc Super Cub’s ballpark — but without any offi­ cial specs in hand, we’re just spec­ ulating.

If Honda were to produce it now, it would probably employ the powertrain of the only elec­ tric scooter in the company’s lineup — the EV­Neo. Powered by a 0.9 kWh battery, it peaks at

2,8 kW)for a range of 34 km at 30 km/h on level ground.

Hopefully, Honda will opt for a more potent package, given that by 2018 the EV­Neo’s tech­ nology will be almost 10 years old. Little else is known at this time, except for what Honda’s CEO announced.

The EV­Cub is planned to go into production in two years’ time, initially to be offered exclu­ sively for the Japanese market.

The next target sees the main ASEAN (Association of South­ East Asian Nations) markets — a corner of the globe where the Cub family is extremely popular.

There’s no word on whether Honda would consider exporting to other markets later, but we wouldn’t bet against this option.

The Super Cub is a global ce­ lebrity and, should market condi­ tions allow for it, we cannot im­ agine why Honda would miss out on the opportunity.

At least in the USA, such a move would make a lot of sense with a customer base that is more accustomed to electric motorcy­ cles. Mahindra’s all­electric scooter GenZe is currently carv­ ing a niche for itself in the green technology two­wheeler market, selling for less than $3 000 (R45 734).

Mahindra’s GenZe 2.0 — the first connected all­electric scoot­ er — was conceived in Silicon Valley and engineered/assembled in Ann Arbor, Michigan, as part of Mahindra’s global initiative to address the growing problem of transportation in crowded cities across the world.

The GenZe2.0 has a remova­ ble lithium­ion battery that can be recharged at any standard electrical outlet, providing opti­ mal freedom and ease of use.

Its utilitarian design offers am­ ple rear storage space so people can get where they want and take their belongings with them.

Beyond its use as a personal ve­ hicle, the GenZe 2.0 has also at­ tracted a lot of attention from cities and corporate campuses who are searching for first/last mile solutions — Gizmag­WR.

All the way from Finland, the creators of the Wheelys coffee shop on a bike hopes to sell 500 units on Indiegogo.

PHOTO: INDIEGOGO

Barista’s pedal in with coffee shop on a bike STU ROBARTS IT was only two years ago that the founders of Wheelys were thinking about creating a mo­ bile cafe.

Since then they’ve launched a pedal­powered bike­cafe, an electrified second version, a third version with a towable greenhouse and, now, the Wheelys 4, which purifies the air while brewing coffee.

Wheelys are aimed at being organic cafes on wheels, serving coffee, cold drinks and vegetari­ an snacks.

The bikes are bought outright by an operator, who then pays a monthly franchise fee for use of the Wheelys brand, access to marketing materials, business support, discounted prices on coffee and supplies and various other benefits.

Dubbed the “Green Warrior,” the Wheelys 4 has most of the required features that were al­ ready built into the previous models.

Wheelys says the aim for this version was to improve some of the features and add new fea­ tures that had previously not been possible.

The bike took 6­7 months and two prototypes to create. Co­ founder and CEO of Wheelys Maria De La Croix explained to Gizmag that designing the bikes isn’t just a case of writing a wish­ list and then building them. In­ stead, it involves balancing key needs, weight, size and potential additional features, with some things having to be prioritized over others.

The Wheelys 4 was tested and developed on the principle that, under normal circumstances, it should be able to work inde­ pendently for eight hours using a only car battery. The bikes each have two car batteries, meaning one can be used while the other is being charged, either from the mains or from the solar panels and optional windmills that the bikes have.

“Most people charge the bat­ teries fully during the night,” says De La Croix. “This means that there is no need for the solar panels during normal circum­ stances, but the cafe is built to work of the grid, even in remote areas where electricity is scarce.

Also, many of our Wheelers take pride in using only solar to run their cafes.”

The solar panel is able to gen­ erate up to 40 W of energy and the windmill up to 200 W. Dur­ ing the daytime, using minimal appliances, De La Croix says it’s possible to run the bike of al­ most as little as 20 W. Even with the bike at full tilt, though, using the lights, speakers, thermos heaters, refrigerator, water pumps and other electrical draws, it is said to only require 60 W. Energy usage obviously varies depending on factors like how hard the fridges have to work, how long the lights are used for and how loudly music is played.

To keep energy consumption to a minimum, though, as many 12 V components are said to be used as possible, including the LED lights and other energy effi­ cient pieces of kit.

The coffee itself is primarily drip­filtered — a fast brewing process that still gives the baris­ ta time to talk about the beans during the process. Wheelys al­ so says this is a widely appreciat­ ed coffee style. Siphon­brewers, manual espresso makers and flasks with pre­brewed coffees are also carried.

The setup is modular and able

to be tailored to the individual operator’s requirements. By way of example, De La Croix explains that operators in Finland, where thermos coffee is popular, may need up to 20 l (4.4 gal) more thermos coffee than elsewhere, whereas in Hong Kong, they may need a bigger freezer to fa­ cilitate popular iced coffees.

Tanks on the Wheelys 4 carry up to 20 l (4.4 gal) of fresh water, which is sufficient for around 200 cups of coffee.

There’s also space for addi­ tional water bottles and ther­ mos flasks if needed.

A gas stove is used to heat the water needed for brewing and taps, with three burners allow­ ing for quick access to hot water at all times. With an distributed network of 500 Wheelys cafes expected to be in operation soon, the company sees this as a powerful way it can help cities while dishing out caffeine hits.

An Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for the Wheelys 4 mo­ bile cafe is under way.

At the time of writing, indi­ viduals who pledge from $3,599 (R54 866) can receive one of the mobile cafes, with delivery ex­ pected in May. — Gizmag.

Pangolin and honeycombs inspire folding helmet design South America’s roll­up anteater, the pangolin and honeybees inspired Golem Innovation to create the Alpha helmet, which retracts in folds around the riders neck when not in use. Designers aimed for it to be as light as possible and able to rest around the neck when not in use.

The company’s design team took their inspiration from the pangolin’s ability to roll itself up into an ball and used the rigid strength of bee’s honeycomb to ensure the helmet’s ‘scales’ can absorb hard impacts.

The company recently launched a Kickstarter programme to raise over €200 000 to help bring the Alpha helmet to market. Early backers can pre­order the Alpha for €175 (just over R3 000) with shipments expected by June 2017 if the company is successful in taking this helmet from concept to completion.

PHOTO: KICKSTARTER The Honda EV­Cub. PHOTO: HONDA

MOTORING WitnessWheels TRANSPORT

March 24, 2016

7

MBA? No, MBLA! Some of the 180 pupils enrolled at the R130 mln new Mercedes­Benz Learning Academy, a joint venture with the Jobs Fund.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC

Mercedes­Benz Learning Academy will train more shop floor workers, artisans and technicians MERCEDES­BENZ South Afri­ ca (MBSA) has launched a state­ of­the­art learning academy to boost skills profile in the Eastern Cape on Thursday.

Called the MBLA — short for Mercedes­Benz Learning Acade­ my — the R130 million public­ private investment will also ben­ efit artisans from neighbouring KwaZulu­Natal.

The joint investment by MBSA and the National Trea­ sury’s Jobs Fund expands the manufacurer’s training centre in­ to a strategic service provider in MBSA’s holistic approach to fur­ ther education and training with an ultimate objective of helping the region in the continuing fight against high unemployment.

The centre currently has some 180 pupils and is expanding its numbers in order to have surplus capacity to better provide arti­ sans for the broader community as time progresses. This is over

and above the company’s inter­ nal needs.

Mercedes­Benz CEO and ex­ ecutive director manufacturing, Arno van der Merwe said the academy aims to be the most ad­ vanced automotive training fa­ cility in the country.

“Education and skills develop­ ment is of paramount impor­ tance to the business and the sus­ tainability of our company and the communities in which we op­ erate.

“To this end the company has over many years showed its com­ mitment to participate in the na­ tional collaborative effort to en­ sure skills transfer and job crea­ tion for workers in the automotive sector — not only for our plant but for the broader in­ dustry,” said Van der Merwe.

Najwah Allie­Edries, head of the Jobs Fund said the Jobs Fund partnered with Mercedes­Benz South Africa because the project

satisfied two critical criteria.

“Firstly, the intervention would respond to a specific need in the labour market and it would improve the pipeline of appro­ priately skilled artisanal labour that could be deployed not only at Mercedes­Benz South Africa, but also within the broader la­ bour market.

“Secondly, and more impor­ tantly, Mercedes­Benz South Af­ rica would also guarantee em­ ployment contracts for many of those completing the training programme.”

The instructors at the acade­ my next aim to provide an exter­ nally accessible training facility that will offer trade tests, train­ ing and essentially placement of unemployed persons in the in­ dustry, thus bridging the gap be­ tween jobseekers and industry.

The training staff comple­ ment will accordingly be boosted from 10 to 14 technical instruct­

ors. Plans are also in place to in­ crease the number of trades that are currently facilitated by its ac­ credited trade test centre to in­ clude all major trades including automotive electrician, mill­ wright, fitter and turner, motor mechanic and mechatronics.

Training categories There are three categories of training currently offered by the MBLA, shop floor skills, appren­ ticeships and advanced technol­ ogy training.

These are the shop floor skills training targeting unemployed school/college leavers for indus­ try; apprenticeships focusing on qualified unemployed school/ college leavers to artisans; and advanced technology training which upskills existing artisans with skills and advanced technol­ ogies.

The state­of­the­art MBLA is equipped with cutting­edge ad­

vanced technology, ranging from robotics and plant automation to metal joining technologies.

There is also a variety of robot cells with some stand­alone ro­ bots as well as those equipped with other technologies such as grippers, weld guns, stud welders and more.

In addition, the MBLA’s auto­ mation laboratories feature pro­ grammable logic controllers (PLC’s) and simulators together with the learning units.

MBSA is also piloting digital transformation, through virtual commissioning technology, which is being researched.

The MBLA will develop mod­ ules and a virtual commissioning lab, and thus be able to offer facil­ ities and training to employees in industry and local line builders.

Benefits include: management of changes in production, reduced commissioning time and impact to production, as well as im­

proved proof of concept and safety.

The 22­year old Jiovanni Bossr from King Williams Town, who is one of the trainees at the acad­ emy said being part of the group of pupils who receive training at the Mercedes­Benz Learning Academy has been one of the best experiences of his life.

“I have been prepared for the work environment and have es­ tablished values and morals that I can carry even beyond industry to my own life as well.

“In addition, our instructors always emphasise that there are many people who have been here before us that have gone on to achieve greater things in life and this is something that inspires me to give my best,” The MBLA aims to continue unlocking opportunities by pro­ viding the best possible people development initiatives in the re­ gion. — WR.

Gerhard du Toit with his trusted 1996 Isuzu KB that has driven twice to the moon and back.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC

The pulling power of the new “midrange” 2,4 Hilux can be boosted to a leading 400 Nm. PHOTO: QUICKPIC

KB still strong after 1.5 mln kilos

Mid­range Hilux practicality

OUDTSHOORN — Twenty years and over 1,5 million kilome­ tres later, a 1996 Isuzu KB is still running smoothly.

The trustworthy Isuzu with its slogan “Isuzu Delivers” lives up to this promise every single day according to Oudtshoorn resi­ dent, Gerhard du Toit.

Du Toit is so confident in his Isuzu bakkie that he uses it to run his courier business, Roadrunner, every day. He said his brother first bought the bakkie in 1997, a demo model with only 7 000 km on the clock. “When I decided to retire in 2003 I needed a reliable vehicle

The new Hilux has already sold over 2 400 units and sales of the new single­cab and Xtra–cab models are sure to increase.

The mid­range bakkies are not cheap, prices start at just under R260 000 for the basic, five­ speed single cab and at almost R415 000 for the entry level 2,4 SRX with a six speed transmis­ sion, but Toyota said in a state­ ment the overall grade strategy of the new Hilux line­up, “mid­ grade” engines are paired with “mid­grade” specification packa­ ges, in order to provide maximum value to the customer and align

to start my courier business and I decided to buy my brother’s Is­ uzu.”

This decision, Du Toit never regretted. “Despite the age of the bakkie it has helped me run a suc­ cessful business for many, many years. I travel between Oudts­ hoorn and George twice every single day.”

Withstanding the dry, harsh conditions of the Karoo, Du Toit said the key to the longevity of his bakkie is to make sure that it is fully serviced every 10 000 km and to maintain it with genuine Isuzu parts.

“I might not be able to take on the Dakar Rally, but when I get in­ to my Isuzu I have complete faith that it will take me where I need to be and back without any prob­ lems,” said Du Toit.

Boasting a full service history, Du Toit’s Isuzu KB is still in excel­ lent condition, running on all its original parts.

Du Toit said that he would not trade his Isuzu anytime soon. He also added that he talks to his bak­ kie nicely every day and that they have an agreement that their rela­ tionship will last for years to come. — Supplied.

the overall package with the re­ quirements of the target market.

As such the 2,4 family of engines perform duty across all three bodyshapes, in the workhorse and SRX grade models.

In standard form the 2,4 engine makes a class leading torque out­ put of 343 Nm, but the GD engine boosts this to 400 Nm. The SRX offers as standard power win­ dows, a 12­volt power outlet, ad­ justable exterior mirrors, ABS brakes, remote central locking and an all­new anti­theft system, Only extra cab and double cabs versions have tilt and tele­

scopic steering adjustment. En­ try level 2,4 models get a five­ speed transmission with the SRX versions offering six gears.

Toyota claims rather good fuel efficiency for the 3x3 “Raised Body” double­cab — only 7,1 l/100 km.

The single­cab can tow a braked trailer of 2 500 kg, the 2.4 GD­6 tows 2 750 kg and the 4x4 tows 3 200 kg.

All models are accompanied by a five year or 90 000 km service plan, with service intervals set at 10 000 kilometres.

— Wheels Reporter.

WitnessWheels MOTORING RACING

8

March 24, 2016

FASTEST BALIES GATHER FOR BALL BEARING’S 80TH DESPITE being a very competi­ tive top racer in South Africa, Keith Berrington­Smith some­ how managed not to make any enemies on — or off — the track.

The dividend of this rare gen­ tlemanly trait could be seen when friends from racing days gath­ ered from all over South Africa to celebrate his 80th birthday.

The party was organised by his son Steve at the old Roy Hesketh race track in Hayfields, where the name Berrington­Smith, aka “Ball Bearing”, aka “Rat Trap”, had featured top of the point lists many times until the early 70s.

The racing luminaries at the party included John Truter, Ray Emond, John Rowe, Mike Grant, Alfie Cox, Pat Duckham, Des Zank , Grenville Manton, Chap­ py Wicks, Peter Ekerold, Alan Northall and side car champion riders, brothers Dennis and Ron­ ny Bosman.

Asked when the birthday boy would arrive, Steve said “that would be my old man now” as a stock­standard old 1.6 Toyota Corolla could be heard scream­ ing around Quarry Corner into

the straight. Former chair of the KZN race car club and “always a race organiser” Geoff Minnaar told Wheels “the old nut [Keith] was always unassuming and an absolute gent, never one to kick the cat”.

Official of many a race, Charles Pratt said in his opinion the man called Ball Bearing was not really human. “I’m sure he was manufactured, for if it rolled on wheels, he could race it.” Pratt recalled one endurance race dur­ ing which Keith even fell asleep on the straight. “When he got hit from behind he awoke and still left the field standing.”

His son, Wayne, partner at Westdie Motorcucles and as tough a bouncer as ever watched over a nightclub’s door in his youth, had to swallow away the tears while reading the heartfelt letter from brother Bobby in New Zealand.

Keith thanked all the “old bas­ tards” for travelling far from all over SA to gather at Hesketh on the invitation of his sons, as well as Capital Kitchens for sponsor­ ing the party. — WR.

The cream of KZN’s old racers gathered to mark the 80th birthday of Keith Berrington­Smith at the Hesketh Race Track on Saturday. Two cakes had to be baked to accommodate all the candles, around which are (from left) the Berrington­Smiths — Sharon, Steve and Keith, long­ time clerk of the course Julian Lurie with ex­racers Robbie Ash and John Truter, now on a cane. To their right are son Wayne and Greg Ter Vol­ beek, with grandchildren Ryan and Todd flanking grandma Marlene.

• (Right) Wheels editor Alwyn Viljoen presents Keith Berrington­Smith with a painting by Gordon Davies of the old racing circuit around Alexan­ dra Park in Pietermaritzburg. Keith said was too young to have raced there, but did go to watch. PHOTOS: MATTHEW MARSHALL

Pre­season musical chairs Teams prepare for Donaldson Cross Country Motor Racing Championship opener at Vryburg CHARMAINE FORTUNE THERE has been plenty of activi­ ty in the annual game of musical chairs as teams prepare for the opening round of the Donaldson Cross Country Motor Racing Championship.

The season opens with the RFS Endurance Race in Vryburg in the North West province on April 1 and 2 and newcomers to the series, returning champions, a growing international presence and a new Production Vehicle class have all kept the pre­season pot boiling. The weekend also provides a spectacular start to the season with the RFS Endur­

ance to run in conjunction with round two of the Northern Re­ gions Cross Country Champion­ ship, and round one of the South African Cross Country Motorcy­ cle and Quad Championship.

Kimberley based brothers Ot­ to and Ronnie Graven, well known in South African drift rac­ ing circles, will be high profile newcomers and join the Class S brigade in the Production Vehi­ cle category. Former SA drift champion Otto will be out in the ex Pieter Ruthven Toyota Hilux with Ronnie campaigning the ex Marius and Jolinda Fourie Toyo­ ta Hilux. For their part the Cris­ tiana based Fouries will return to

action in the Special Vehicle cate­ gory. After limited appearances last season, the husband and wife combination return to the Class A fold in the PHB BAT Spec 4.

They will be joined by former South African champions Quin­ tin and Kallie Sullwald who sat out last season. The father/son team will link up with reigning South African champions Evan Hutchison and Danie Stassen at Motorite Racing.

The Sullwalds, businessmen from Phalaborwa, hold a unique record in the Donaldson Cross Country Championship. They have won national titles with fa­ ther Kallie doing the driving and

Quintin the navigating, and vice versa. The Special Vehicle cate­ gory is given a further boost with Australian Dave McShane com­ mitting to a full season with the newly formed Fox Racing team.

McShane, a former winner of the Australasian Safari, will be joined in the car by Leander Pienaar, who finished third in the drivers’ championship in the now de­ funct Side x Side championship in 2014.

McShane is based in Western Australia and tested South Afri­ can waters with an appearance on the Atlas Copco Gold 450, the final event of last year’s Donald­ son series. The Australian adds

to a growing international pres­ ence in the Donaldson series with Brazilian brothers, Cristian and Marcos Baumgart, set to com­ pete in Vryburg in the FIA Class in the Production Vehicle cate­ gory.

The new FIA Class will run alongside the current CLASS T and Class S vehicles, and allows Donaldson Cross Country teams to run cars to FIA Group T1 spec­ ifications. It is a move that will allow teams to develop FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup and Dakar Rally cars over a full sea­ son, and encourages overseas teams to compete in SA. “The current favourable ex­

change rate is an incentive for in­ ternational teams to compete in South Africa,” said SANORA chief executive officer Siegfried Rousseau. “With a blockbuster weekend in Vryburg to open pro­ ceedings, all the indications point towards a season full of po­ tential.”

Race headquarters, the start finish and the designated service park for the RFS Endurance Race will all be based at the Vryburg Motor Club on the outskirts of the town. Public entrance to these areas and designated spec­ tator points along the car and motorcycle/quad routes is free of charge

Old hands chase the rookies at first Engen Volkswagen Cup round ZWARTKOPS Raceway hosted round one of the Engen Volks­ wagen Cup championship on Saturday. Over three races, the opening battles of the season took place as these competitors rubbed mirrors and fenders searching for their share of the points.

The first race victory for 2016 was claimed by Chris Shorter (33 — Payen/Hollard/Turn1) with Keagan Masters (18 — Champi­ on) and Juan Gerber (M8 — Glasfit/Ctrack/XCT) filling out the rest of the podium. Gerber was the first of the Masters com­ petitors to appear on the podium for the season — but not the last for the day.

Lap one of that first race saw a three­car “howzit” between Brad Bedingfield (23, Nashua), Justin Oates (44, Glasfit/Ctrack/ XCT) and Kuda Vazhure (19, VW Motorsport). Bedingfield car­ ried a bit too much speed into the final corner of that first lap, caus­ ing a tangle between the three.

Race two saw the chequered flag taken by Trevor Bland (M2, Universal Health Care/Phoenix) with Masters in second and

Overall VW Cup round one winner Keagan Masters, cocks a wheel around Zwartkops Raceway.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC Shorter in third spot. Bland’s vic­ tory saw him the second Master on the podium, but there was no keeping Masters or Shorter off the podium at that first race day.

The pole starter for the second race, the young Clinton Bezuid­ enhout (38, Universal Health­ care/Phoenix Signs), didn’t fin­ ish that race when a water pipe

came off his engine after some robust racing between himself and Jurie Swart (39, Ferodo).

Third and final race results for the day put Masters back at the

top of the podium, with Bradley Liebenberg (12, Ferodo) between him and third­placed Shorter.

Those race results were enough to put Masters in first place overall with Shorter second and Gerber in third spot.

Masters’ overall win for the day sees him move into the cham­ pionship lead after round one — a performance that had started right at the beginning of the day.

Battles raged throughout the field during the third race — in­ cluding a father/son battle be­ tween Gary van Heerden (M4, Nutritech/Motul) and Ethan van Heerden (21, Nutritech/Motul) with Gary winning, despite his son claiming that he kept getting in the way and slowing him down.

At the start of the race day, the top qualifying position was claimed by Masters with just the narrowest of margins over Short­ er and Liebenberg.

The qualifying times were so close that the first five competi­ tors were separated by a half sec­ ond and the top 12 by a second.

Masters went on to post the fastest lap times in each race of

the day. “This was the first outing for the new Engen Volkswagen Cup car,” said Mike Rowe, head of Volkswagen Motorsport.

“Based on the Volkswagen Po­ lo TSI, we knew the car would be quicker and that improved han­ dling would create increased competition.

“The race day results have proved our expectations exactly right and we are looking ahead to an exciting season.”

Driver ages for the 2016 season range from 14 for Clinton Bezuid­ enhout to 51 for Johan Pretorius and even a driver from Mauritius in Simon Need.

Round two of the 2016 Engen Volkswagen Cup championship will see the competitors head to Killarney in Cape Town in mid­ April. — Supplied.

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