Wheels 2016 04 21

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April 21, 2016

Witness

STOCK WANTED URGENTLY!!

WHEELS

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L A T I CAP ays Saturd 9­10 am

INSTANT PAYMENTS • INSTANT DECISION • GIVE US A TRY

CONTACT ASH: 083 786 3377

550 ChURCh STREET • PIETERMARITzbURG E-mail: ashgani@telkomsa.net• www.ashcarsales.co.za

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

How are the SA­born racers, like Kelvin van der Linde here, doing overseas?

— Page 8 PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Pick the SUV that is right for you and your pocket, from the affordable Cherry Tiggo, shown here, to the strongest Merc. — Page 2 PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN

Our pensioner driver has a moment up The Slope, but the new Hilux got him through with no further fuss. — Page 3

: E D I INS

Stand a chance to win

The lovechild from a sport utility menage au trois in the Renault stable is here — Page 6 PHOTO: QUICPIC

this New Hilux peak cap by e­mailing alwyn.viljoen@witness the name of the host on ‘Nqola’, broadcast­ ing Saturdays 9 to 10 am on Capital 104 fm.

Pre-owned

The all-new Audi A4.

Progress is intense.

Visit Audi Centre Pietermaritzburg today for incredible offers on a range of Audi demo models.

Only while stocks last, terms and conditions apply.

What can your R20 000 do for you?

At Audi Centre Pietermaritzburg, it can get you behind the wheel of the all-new Audi A4.

Even more powerful, more efficient, more intelligent: The new Audi A4 Sedan impresses with a path-breaking synthesis of technology and aesthetics. A sedan with a new design language. Emphatically sporty. Strikingly staged. Don’t explore. Pioneer. The all-new Audi A4.

Progress is intense.

Offer calculated on the Audi A4 1.4T FSI 110kW S tronic Design in standard specification, at R488 000 over 4 years, R20 000 deposit, 10.75% linked rate, R7 579 monthly instalment. Information subject to change without prior notification. All Finance offers are subject to credit approval from Volkswagen Financial Services. Instalment includes initiation and monthly administration fee of R57.

Total Retail Price as above at a Guaranteed Future Value based on 20 000 km p.a. Volkswagen Financial Services - a division of Volkswagen Financial Services South Africa (Pty) Ltd. An Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP6635. Terms and Conditions apply.

Ref

Year

Vehicle Description

Colour

Mileage

Special Price

11348

2015

11359

2013

Audi A4 1.8T SE multitronic

Blue

25 000

R359 995

Audi A4 1.8T SE multitronic

Grey

80 000

11380

R229 995

2009

Audi A3 Sportback 1.8 TFSI

Grey

120 770

R149 995

11382

2016

Audi RS3 Sportback S tronic

Red

4 900

R799 995

11388

2012

Audi A3 1.8 TFSI S tronic

White

66 000

R279 995

11391

2014

Audi A4 1.8 TFSI 125kW

Silver

85 000

R259 995

11395

2015

Audi S3 Cabriolet S tronic

Red

2 277

R589 995

11398

2015

Audi A3 1.6 TDI S tronic

Grey

6 400

R339 995

11399

2015

Audi A4 1.8 T S 88kW

Silver

10 000

R339 995

11400

2012

Audi A4 1.4 TFSI S tronic

Red

9 000

R549 995

11404

2015

Audi A3 Sedan 1.4 TFSI SE 9

White

18 089

R339 995 R179 995

11405

2015

Honda Jazz 1.2 5 Door

White

33 688

11406

2015

Honda Ballade 1.5 Elegance

Silver

38 307

R169 995

11407

2015

Audi A3 1.4 TFSI S tronic

Blue

38 406

R339 995

11408

2011

Audi A4 1.8T Ambition multitronic

11409

2010

Audi A4 1.8T Ambition B8

Grey

41 464

R209 995

White

67 000

R169 995

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

BP Advertising

9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg, 3201. Tel: 033 940 1378. www.audipietermaritzburg.co.za

2

WitnessWheels MOTORING

April 21, 2016

So, you want a Sport Ute? you want Choose between sidewalk parkers and real off­roaders ALWYN VILJOEN SO it’s a sport utility vehicle you want, but which one?

Depending on budget, SA now has 35 brands, each with from three to a dozen sport utility, cross­over or all­wheel­ drive vehicles to choose from.

These range from Subaru’s excellent all­wheel drives, to Suzuki’s front­wheel drives, all with warranties as long as those from Mercedes­Benz

Be honest, you don’t REALLY need an SUV, you just want the look. Common sense dictates either the Renault Sandero Stepway (above) or the Toyota Etios Cross (below). Both are high­riding hatchbacks that can use their front wheel drives to pull well over most dirt roads, if you ever go there. Dealers will easily match prices at just over R180k and both have about the same power under the hood. But the Pretoria­built Stepway has 193 mm road clearance to the 155 mm under the Cross and Renault offers a longer warranty — five years or 150 000 km to Toyota’s three years or 100 000 km. The India­built Etios does have the better looks with all that protective Tupperware though …

PHOTOS: QUIKCPIC

and Jeep. If it is power you need, the standard now is at least 400 Nm, with SsangYon, Kia, Chevrolet and Ford all as strong as any Land Rover, with BWM and Volvo yet stronger.

Add used models like the Fi­ at Panda Climbing, and there really is an SUV for all tastes out there. Your answers to the questions below will guide you to the models that will best meet your wants — as well as some of your real needs.

I drive on a rough dirt road every day No, but …

The new Fortuner is not the strongest engine, but it is sold at over 200 dealers in southern Africa, which clinches the deal for more sales than any other SUV in SA. The 2,4 engine hits the sweet spot with its 110 kW and 400 Nm, but get the six­ speed manual. Yes the auto has as many ratios, will spare the clutch and costs R7k less, but the engine is detuned to only 245 Nm, which is not nearly good enough. Also counting against the Fortuner is its short warranty — three years compared to the Everest’s four and Captiva’s five — and a service plan distance that is 10 000 km shorter than Ford’s 100 000, but then Toyota is asking a lot less for its KZN­built ute and its spares. PHOTO: QUICKPIC

Yes, check the mud

we go away weekends pulling a load it’s really heavy

The 1,6 Cherry Tiggo is the most affordable dirt rider in SA today. I have to date done 12 mountain passes in one day in Mpumalanga as well as traversed the West Coast’s worst dirt roads in the wet in a Tiggo and I remain delighted at how it comes into its own over the rough stuff. The warranty is an good five years or 120 000 km, with a service plan of three years or 75 000 km. Counting against the Tiggo is how you need to get the rev needle to about 5 000 to feel the 93 kW and 160 Nm from the 1 598 cc when loaded, hence I recommend the Tiggo only for a road tripping couple on a budget. PHOTO: ALWYN VILJJOEN

with the kids and their luggage

The 470 Nm Everest can pull a braked­trailer weight of three tons, in theory. In practice, once you subtract the Gross Vehicle Mass (which is the weight of everyone inside, their luggage, the weight of the trailer and a full tank of fuel) from the Gross Combined Mass, (which is the maximum your vehicle and trailer can weigh on the road), those three tons may shrink by some 500 kg. Still, over 2,5 tons is a lot of luggage and for R634 900 the Everest 4x4 XLT comes with every driving aid known to man, including a trailer stabiliser and reverse cameras. All comes with the factory in Pretoria’s warranty for four years, or 120 000 km and maintained for five years, or 100 000 km. As bonus, we can still recommend the old Everest. The SAPS Rapid Response Unit tell me they can’t break them, which should tell you all you need to know, really. PHOTO: QUICKPIC

Mahindra’s designers say the XUV 500’s fog lights are shaped like the dark tear ducts of a leopard and those rear wheel arches suggest the haunches of the cat about to pounce.

I used the seven­seater to lug children all over the Midlands’ steepest hills and quickly took to using the automatic hill descent control everywhere. Uphill the variable van turbo makes 320 Nm from 1 600 rpm with zero turbo lag, dads also fit into the third row of seats and don’t tell anyone, but this ute is so planted, it can do handbrake turns on dirt too. Add a generous five­year or 150 000 km warranty and maintenance plan, plus standard extras like reverse camera and a small fridge in the elbow rest, and you understand why those in the know are buying this all­wheel­drive Injun for under R375k.

The only thing counting against the XUV500 is the scarcity of dealers. But if there is one near you, do go for a test drive.

PHOTO: MAHINDRA

but I demand a powerful engine

Here’s the shocker, at about R620k the Mercedes­Benz GLC 250d is both cheaper and stronger than the Ford Everest.

OK, so it’s a really a soft roader made for snow and sand, but if those are the worst surfaces you plan to drive over, Merc’s quietly rumbling diesel makes 500 Newtons at 1 600 rpm — ideal to keep the tyres turning when you are driving over Namib dunes — as we did — while the work rate of 150 kW will keep the cruise control where you set it over the long, boring roads towards those dunes. All models are covered by a six­year or 100 000 km Premium Drive maintenance plan.

The drawback is the latest consumer surveys show you may be calling on that warranty often, as the nine­speed auto and sound system do not always live up to Merc’s reputation of reliability on the long run. PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN Our recommended family luggers on the left are (clockwise from the top) the Nissan Xtrail, Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX5 and Chevrolet Captiva. The Xtrail starts cheapest at under R400k and has a five­year warranty for 90 000 km, as does the Tucson. The Tucson and CX5 are dearest at about R500k, but come with a three­year warranty and 60 000 km for the Chev and unlimited kilos for the Mazda. All give a high seat, big wheels to go over potholes, five­star safety ratings and reasonable fuel consumption. Test drive them at the closest dealers and wrangle for discounts. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

MOTORING WitnessWheels

April 21, 2016

3

Leader of the pack BRIAN BASSETT spends time in the new Toyota Hilux 4x2 Double Cab 2,4 l GD­6 RB SRX. TOYOTA launched the Hilux brand in South Africa in 1969 and it has been not only the best selling bakkie in South Africa for the past 45years plus, but also the country’s best sell­ ing vehicle, with over a million Hilux­ es having been sold in SA to date.

The Hilux is part of South African life. There are places in South Africa where it is sacrilege to speak ill of this iconic vehicle and South Africans, from families to farmers, swear by its reliability, toughness and durability.

The recent launch of a new Hilux is therefore a major national event and we are grateful to Deon Olivier, new vehicle sales manager at McCarthy Toyota in Pietermaritzburg, for al­ lowing us a few days with the new bakkie.

Styling The Hilux has always been a working vehicle with not much emphasis on lifestyle. In the 12 years since the last sixth­generation Hilux was launched, many brands offer enhanced levels of comfort, refinement and design, over and above the levels of toughness as­ sociated with the bakkie breed.

The Hilux therefore enters a com­ petitive new market environment.

Hilux designers realised that curved lines would not detract from the bakkie’s rugged feel and the result is a much softer design at the front.

The prominent front grille boasts a good deal of chrome and is flanked by wraparound headlights and trade­ mark bumper air intakes, which are themselves flanked by fog lamps.

This makes for an integrated, pow­ erful and rugged look. The rear end is all Hilux.

Interior The 2,4 l Hilux GD­6 RB SRX that we drove was essentially the entry level double­cab model. It was how­ ever obvious that Toyota had taken a great deal of trouble to create a modern, comfortable and spacious environment. The seats were covered in rugged and durable black­pat­ terned upholstery, while being very comfortable. In the 12 hours I spent in vehicle over a two­day period I had no physical discomfort at all. Part of this is due to the redesigned and up­ graded driver’s seat.

The rear seat, which folds down in 60:40 fashion, provides useful rear cab storage and, when folded open the seats will house three adults without trouble and ample legroom.

The dash is simple and robust with centrally­placed 4,2 inch multi­infor­

Experience how the new Hilux turn even 45­degree angles into level ground during the Royal Agricultural Show in May. PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN

mation touch screen and you do not have to lose sight of the road while using it. Driver instrumentation is housed in two analogue dials with a digital information panel in between.

The tactile, multi­function steer­ ing wheel operates the radio and speed control functions, with econo­ my and power buttons within easy.

As to be expected there are storage spaces everywhere and the plastics are robust and of the best quality.

Safety and security The Hilux has the usual ABS with EBD, Emergency Brake Signal and Hill Hold and Hill Descent assists, as well as Active Traction Control and a Limited Slip Diff, make this bakkie safe both on and off road. There are seatbelts for all and three airbags in the model we drove. This, however rises to as many as seven airbags in the more expensive 4x4 versions.

There are also ISOFIX attachment points and a three­point centre rear seatbelt. Central locking comes as standard, as well as an alarm.

Performance and handling The Hilux Double Cab 2,4 l GD­6 RB SRX has a four­cylinder, in­line, Tur­ bo­Diesel engine putting out 110 kW/400 Nm, expressed on road via a six­speed gearbox. 0­100 km/h comes up in around 13 seconds and top speed is around 175 km/h.

Fuel consumption is quoted at 8,5 litres per 100 km, although off­ road driving will push this up.

Towing capacity is a remarkable 3,5 tons.

In town the Hilux is very manoeu­ vrable for a bakkie. So getting to work and collecting the kids will be no problem. In the Karkloof forests I was surprised at how the 4x2 system coped with the inhospitable driving environment on rutted and root­ strewn tracks.

I also decided to take the vehicle to Hilton via our now famous back route. This starts with the ascent of The Slopes, 30­degrees of deeply rut­ ted incline that is either muddy or sandy. I engaged the diff­lock and pushed the power button and up we went. At the halfway mark, just as I was beginning to congratulate my­ self, I put the right front wheel into a bad rut, sump plate resting on the sand, wheel flush against a 90­degree obstacle as high as the rim. No prob­ lem. I simply toed the accelerator and the Hilux crawled its way out and up the rest of the slope.

To put this in perspective, Wheels editor Alwyn Viljoen followed in the GLE AMG, a softroader that costs R1,2 million in its socks, but had to stop halfway up The Slope. Every alarm in the Merc was bleeping in panic, and even in its high “off road” setting, the Merc’s undercarriage would not have made it over the ruts without expensive damage.

Costs and the competition The bakkie I drove will cost you around R415 000. The 4x4 comes in at R440 000, which is good value if you think you need it.

The vehicle comes with a five­year or 90 000 km service plan and the usual Toyota factory guarantee. The list of bakkie contenders is long, but only the Ford Ranger, Mazda BT­50 and Volkswagen Amarok make more torque, which is, after all, the raison d’être of bakkies.

See the wood from the Forester Subaru gave the Forester an upgrade to make the great all­rounder even better. Outside key upgrades and enhancements include a new grille and headlight design on bigger 17­inch and 18­inch alloy rims. Inside, the seats are redesigned and the cabin has high gloss black and chrome accents and detailing. The dashboard features improved graphics and visual ornamentation. At night, the new headlights turn with the steering.

A three­year or 75 000 km full maintenance plan and a three­year or 100 000 km warranty are included in the price for five models, starting with the entry­level 2.0X 6MT for R376 000.

The 2.5X Lineartronic CVT — our pick of the bunch — sells for R427 000 and the top of the range 2.0XT Lineartronic CVT costs R579 000, but it does come with an eight­speaker Harmon Kardon sound system.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC

DISCOVERY LANDMARK

UPGRADE YOUR ADVENTURES TO FIRST CLASS

THE MOST LUXURIOUS DISCOVERY EVER. New for 2016, Discovery Landmark Special Edition is the most luxurious model yet, with superb levels of finish both inside and out.

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

LAND ROVER PIETERMARITZBURG 9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg Tel: 033 897 8700 landroverpmb@smg.co.za

Model

3.0 SDV6 Landmark

Retail Price (incl VAT, Excl CO2)

R1 168 540

Principle Debt

R1 056 326

Deposit (10%) Period Monthly Instalment Rate Balloon Payment (30%) Total Cost of Finance

R116 854 72 months R16 299 10.12% R350 562 R1 507 770

Offer available from Land Rover Financial Services. Deal parameters flexible but will affect rate and payment. Contact dealer F&I manager for options. These payments are indication only and may change depending on date of first payment etc. Changes in the prime rate, currently 10.50%, will cause changes to this schedule unless calculated on a ‘Fixed Rate’ basis. Customer responsible for Balloon Payment when and if applicable. Subject to normal credit approval as per JLR FS credit criteria. Retail prices subject to change without notice. Advertised monthly payment includes initiation fee of R1140.00 and R57.00 monthly service fee. Terms and conditions apply and while stocks last. Land Rover Financial Services, a product of WesBank. WesBank is a division of FirstRand Bank Limited.

An Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP20.

4

WitnessWheels MOTORING

April 21, 2016

Warning on fake shocks Imitations will not last past the first pothole ADRIAN BURFORD

Frugal and fast, plus packed to the gunwales with technology, the new Astra looks to shake up the hatch segment again. PHOTO: QUICKPIC

More power, less thirst from Astra ALWYN VILJOEN WITH the fuel price again set to rise, (thanks again for the low rand, dear government) it there­ fore good to know that the new Astra is all about sipping petrol.

Opel last week launched the 2016 Astra with a choice of three efficient turbo­charged engines that promise to make the most out of every drop of petrol.

Lightest of the lot is Astra’s all­al­ uminium 1.0 turbo, followed by 1.4 turbo and a 1.6 turbo ECOTEC engines. These en­ gines are mated either to Opel’s five­ or six­speed manual gear­ boxes. A six­speed torque con­ vertor automatic transmission is

available for models equipped with the 1.4 turbocharged en­ gine. The 1.0 litre, three cylinder engine makes 77 kW at 4 500 rpm and 170 Nm from a low, low 1 800 rpm. Mated to a five­speed manual gearbox its turbo burns all the petrol for a very good fuel consumption of 4,3 litres/100 km and 99 grams of CO2 emitted per kilometre. Throw frugality to the winds and Opel says its little 1,0­litre can yet drive the Astra to a top speed of 200 km/h.

Bear in mind this is the slightly detuned version of the 1.0 turbo three cylinder engine which was first introduced in the ADAM and Corsa. The little one­litre is

a key player in the biggest engine offensive in Opel’s history which will see 17 new engines brought to market by 2018.

There is much else besides to impress in the Astra, from phone projection technology to the Opel Eye front camera. What we like most is the latest generation Intellilink that seamlessly con­ nect to any phone on the go.

Why can’t the Mercs and BMWs link with this little fuss?

We will be testing these driver aids in the next month. Stay tuned on Capital 104fm or watch this space.

Astra 1.0l­itre pricing 1.0T Essentia R254 000 1.0T Enjoy R284 300

Audi Centre Pietermaritzburg presents the

BILSTEIN South Africa,the lo­ cal importer and distributor of Bilsteing as pressure shock ab­ sorbers, has warned motorists not to be misled by counterfeit versions of the brand’s Airmatic spring/damper, the fitment of which will severely compromise a vehicle’s stability and safety.

Damper assemblies with inte­ grated height­adjustable air springs are fitted to a number of upmarket SUVS and saloons and provide the best of both worlds: extra ground clearance when off­road and the secure handling that lowered ride height provides when on the tar.

These complex, sophisticat­ ed assemblies combine elec­ tronically­controlled hydraulic damping with air springing and can react instantly to road con­ ditions, driver inputs, and speed. Unfortunately, they are frequently copied or inade­ quately refurbished and sold at a price much lower than the original — often with the infer­ ence that their performance will be the same as or similar to that of the original.

These counterfeiters go to great lengths to pass their prod­ uct off as a Bilstein, but there are a number of key visual differ­ ences that can be used to verify the authenticity of the product.

For starters, a fake “Airmatic” was 40 mm too long. Dimen­ sional accuracy is critical and if the suspension is forced to work through an abnormal arc, it will cause not only incorrect geome­ try under certain conditions but also premature failure of rubber bushings and mountings and accelerated wear of other com­ ponents such as constant veloci­ ty joints.

It also revealed that while the remote valve cylinder which controls the transfer of oil into the main damping tube of the shock was an original Bilstein part, it had however been har­ vested from a discarded assem­ bly and had been attached to the fake in a completely non­func­ tional manner. In fact, there was no link between the two, so while the fake unit still con­ trolled the ride height, the all­ important technology to con­ trol damping rate had been ren­ dered inoperative.

Inspection of a refurbished assembly revealed the use of an incorrect length air bellows which was also secured by inad­ equately crimped retaining rings.

The inflatable bellows is the suspension spring, and its integ­ rity is therefore critical: if it is punctured, the on­board com­ pressor will struggle to maintain the correct ride height. If the crimped­on metal retaining band fails — which it could at any pothole — the result is far more dramatic and the ‘spring’ will collapse instantly, with po­ tentially catastrophic conse­ quences.

Due to the safety­critical na­ ture of the issue, Bilstein South Africa advises consumers and the motor trade to be aware of the dangers of attempting to re­ pair these items, or fitting non­ original replacement compo­ nents. To this end they have is­ sued a series of images which will assist in identifying a fake assembly.

Key differences include: 1. The extended length of the fake assembly which was found to be 40 mm longer than an original item.

2. On a Bilstein unit the remote valve cylinder is invisibly laser welded onto the damping tube, whereas on the fake item uneven “spot” welding is evident where it attaches using a similar inter­ face.

3. One of the most obvious dif­ ferences between the real and the fake is how the yoke, which straddles the vehicle’s suspen­ sion arm, is attached to the damper tube. The Bilstein item has an open tube which is pressed onto the shock body and then welded both above and below. The fake uses a casting which is closed at the bottom, has a longer boss and is welded onto the shock body on the up­ per side only.

4. Viewed from below the genu­ ine part has a dimple in the cen­ tre of the end cap, and the fake is smooth 5. The edge of the bellows on the Bilstein unit is extremely accu­ rately and precisely aligned rela­ tive to the steel crimping ring.

Extra crimping marks and a large and/or irregular overlap of the rubber are tell­tale signs that the bellows has been replaced, or that the entire unit is not a Bilstein product.

Some of these differences are only apparent by removing and examining the unit carefully but one of the most obvious — and important ­ giveaways in situ is the area at the bottom of the damper, where the fork joins the tube.

The fake has a longer boss which is clearly welded to the tube on the upper side. And fi­ nally, if the quoted price for the Airmatic assembly is very low, it is likely too good to be true.

• Adrian Burford is a media con­ sultant for Bilstein SA.

Old valve cylinders are harvested and ‘spot’ welded to the main damping tube, making damping inoperative.

Unmissable offers on 10 Audi’s for one day only New, Pre-Owned & Demo vehicles will be showcased

VW hybrid aims for Chinese elite

Sunday 24 April 2016 | Liberty Mall, Underground Parking | from 8am – 4pm Finance applications and trade-in valuations also available

9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg, 3201.

Tel: 033 397 8800. www.audipietermaritzburg.co.za

BP Advertising

Audi Centre Pietermaritzburg

VOLKSWAGEN has released a teaser of its next luxury hybrid SUV to be launched at the Bei­ jing Auto Show next week.

In a press statement, VW promises it will be one of the most luxurious SUVs in the world, which has the pundits predicting to VW concept SUV will be rivaling the Volvo XC90 as well as Lexus hybrids, who made the world’s first luxury hy­ brids.

Lexus has, by the way, sold a million RX400H hybrids around the world since it went on sale in 2005, and Wheels will next week report what it is like to have four electric motors on each wheel adding power when you want it.

Volkswagen stated its new SUV will be more sporty than utility, with 280 kW and 700 Nm on tap, and able to do the 0­100 km/h in 6,0 seconds,

VW’s new concept SUV to be unveiled in Beijing next week may just become the next Touareg. PHOTO: SUPPLIED which is about half a second faster than a Golf GTI. But Volkswagen says the speed did not come at the ex­ pense of consumption, as the concept will give 3 l/100 km on the New European Drive Cycle, putting it on par with the Volvo XC90 and BMW X5 xDrive 40e.

But the Volksie will be able to

do 50 kilometres on a battery charge, which is about 10 km more than these European com­ petitors..

Chances are the concept will become the next Touareg, with something like Audi’s Virtual Cockpit in what VW describes as a cabin with a “lounge­style” setup. — Wheels Reporter.

Barons Pietermaritzburg presents

s Mall Liberty Midland

PRICES SO LOW, WE HAD TO GO UNDERGROUND! 25 NEW VW • 25 PRE-OWNED VW Sunday, 24 April 2016 • Liberty Midlands Mall, Underground Parking • 8am - 4pm Finance applications and trade-in valuations offered on the day.

R15 000* on Polo Vivo, R20 000* on Polo R50,000* on Save up to

Golf and Jetta

Save up to R100 000* on Amarok, Touareg, Passat or Volkswagen CC

STRICTLY NO DEALERS

BP Advertising

Discounted amounts are dependent on vehicle and model chosen. A R2,000 deposit secures your car.

Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other special service or offering. Subject to bank approval.

All finance offers are subject to credit approval and only available through Volkswagen Financial Services.

Terms and conditions apply. E&OE.

Barons

Pietermaritzburg

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

New Sales Consultants: John Brown - 082 645 4396 Merglin Rama - 083 382 4589 • Menzi Ngubane - 073 534 8545 Bahle Bhengu - 082 337 5825 • Erica Neff - 082 858 7749 Keshnee Pillay - 073 372 1452

Mastercars Sales Consultants: Laurie - 082 783 8040 • Rajen - 072 228 9834 Sanjay - 083 639 0989 • Barry - 072 235 4244 • Phumlani - 073 744 8350

Sales Enquiries: 033 940 1445

6

WitnessWheels MOTORING

April 21, 2016

A butch little purple dress Renault now leads the race to make the cutest cross­overs for the world’s urban adventurers ALWYN VILJOEN WHEN the hardworking South African band Boo! broke into the European scene with their new sound in 1997, lead singer Chris Chameleon quickly made a name by play their edgy “Monki Punk” sound in 17 countries, all while wearing that little purple dress.

Back home in Joburg, young Afrikaners embraced his cross­ dressing appearance as proof that not all Boertjies had a two­tone­ shirt­in­a­Hilux mindset.

Back then, some of them “could even like to drive” the cute little Suzuki Jimny or Toyota Rav4. In the decade that followed, the number of vehicles that made like Chameleon with his purple dress to cross the divide between butch and sexy have grown every year. The Renault­Nissan and Peugeot­Citroën alliances have been neck and neck in the race to make the cutest cross­over, but in the Kadjar, Renault has now edged ahead.

The Kadjar is the lovechild of a menage a trois between the bulky Murano­Koleos clone, the Duster and the Captur, or as Ren­ ault puts it, “the Kadjar is the re­ sult of the integration of three ve­ hicle categories: capable SUV, dy­ namic hatch and versatile sportswagon capable SUV, dy­ namic hatch and versatile sports­ wagon”.

Dealers are now selling glove box and central armrests of­ three models — from fer 30 litres of combined space.

R359 900 for the The rear bench folds in a 60/40 “entry level” Kad­ split. jar, then R384 900 As in an Audi, the for the Dynamiq­ dashboard is shown ue 96kW Turbo on a seven­inch while the diesel TFT colour 4x4 costs screen. The steer­ R449 900. ing wheel is Extras include equipped with us­ 17­inch alloys, er­friendly which cost an controls for extra R6k, using and while 19 inches The Kadjar boasts two remarkably efficient engines from the Renault­Nissan alliance on a configuring cost R8k, neither relatively high ride for that cross­dressiest cross­over yet. PHOTO: QUICKPIC the on­board of which we do computer, recommend on South Africa’s R2 500. Those who are into the dard with six­speed manual controls for the information dis­ potholed roads. Pick the higher eye­glazing stats will be really im­ transmissions that really help to played on the console, controls sidewall each chance you get. presses by the thermo­efficien­ lower the fuel bill. As Renault for the hands­free telephone as cies of Renault’s little mills. Max states: “These new generation well as cruise control/speed limit­ Under the hood power is 96 kW at 5 500 rpm and low­inertia turbo engines boast er controls.

Our pick is the diesel­powered peak torque turns the wheels at efficient and advanced technolo­ A second seven­inch touch Dynamique 96 kW 1.6 dCi 4x4. 205 Nm from only 2 000 rpm. a gies derived from Renault’s For­ screen present the Multimedia It makes 320 Nm and offers all figure that compares favourably mula 1 expertise affording the system that has a configurable wheel drive that will be good for with much higher capacity nor­ New Renault Kadjar significantly home page to which widgets can moderate rock crawling thanks to mally aspirated engines. All en­ lower fuel consumption and CO2 be added. the Kadjar’s ground clearance of gines have temperature manage­ emissions.”

It offers Birdview (2.5 D) type 200 mm. Renault also claims ment to run cold, with special car­ navigation, has a new display 5,4 litres/100 km for the little bon coating on the piston sleeves Under the roof screen for advanced driving as­ mill, which we can well believe. to reduce friction and energy loss. Inside any new Renault you can sistance features, Eco Driving and For those who never leave the The batteries also collect the expect cutting­edge touchscreen Air Quality monitoring. city we recommend the 1,2 turbo kinetic energy from braking and infotainment systems, and the Intuitive voice recognition is petrol engine, which is fitted in recycle this as electric power. top­of­the­range Kadjar also has used to navigate, control selected both the Kadjar Dynamique and And as is the case with all new several driving assistance fea­ audio functions and make tele­ Expression variants. cars aimed at European buyers, tures, Self­Parking with Blind phone calls. The latest system has For typical Kadjar buyers who the petrol Kadjar has a stop­start Spot Detection and 360° Park superb audio quality and music don’t want to know any specs system to prevent idling out fuel Distance Control with rear cam­ playback interface and also allows other the the colour, a metallic while stuck at traffic lights. era. Practical bottle, cup and the occupants to view photos and finish can be had for an extra All three models come stan­ smartphone holders in the doors, videos.

While on the go, Bluetooth connectivity enables safe, conve­ nient and hands­free telephony and audio streaming from exter­ nal devices. SMSes can be re­ ceived audibly and there is a “push to talk” button on the steering wheel for voice­prompt­ ed dialling. Radio controls, in­ cluding source selection (USB & AUX) are accessed via fingertip controls conveniently located alongside the steering column.

Cute competitors The Opel Mokka does not have the digital dashboard and rides 69 mm lower, but it is R72k cheaper on the entry­level 1.4 Turbo Enjoy, which costs R310 600.

The Renault has a longer war­ ranty, (five years and 150 000 km to the Opel’s 120 000 km) and both have the same service plan of five years and 90 000 km.

A left­field competitor for both is the Suzuki Jimny.

This old­school 4x4 is not the biggest all­terrain vehicle from this Japanese stable, but it is the cutest out there, especially as it is about a grand cheaper than both the Mokka and the Kadjar.

It does, however, make up for this price with a much shorter warranty (three years or 100 000 km) and a service plan of four years or 60 000 km.

• alwyn.viljoen@witness.co.za

McCARTHY RENAULT PIETERMARITZBURG 9 Armitage Road • Tel: 033 940 1433 • www.renaultpmb.co.za

Gerard Chetty 033 940 1437

Darryl Smith 033 940 1435

Hector Mkhwanazi 033 940 1436

Njabulo Mtshali 033 940 1434

MOTORING WitnessWheels

April 21, 2016

7

Made by and for GenZ Teen students answer Toyota challenge to build a utility vehicle in the U.S.

THE journal Science reports German scientists have built the world’s smallest heat en­ gine, using only one atom.

Much bigger heat engines have helped shape modern so­ ciety by transforming thermal energy into mechanical force.

The researchers, led by Pro­ fessor Kilian Singer, now profes­ sor at the University of Kassel, used a Paul trap to capture a single electrically charged calci­ um atom. This atom can be heated with the help of electri­ cally­generated noise and cooled by using a laser beam.

As a result, the atom is sub­ jected to a thermodynamic cy­ cle. This means that the parti­ cle moves back and forth with­ in the trap, thus replicating the stroke of a typical engine. The atom not only acts in the same way as an engine but al­ so stores the energy.

The researchers say their sin­ gle particle engine can generate power of 10­22 Watts and op­ erates at 0,3% efficiency. If scaled up, its output would be equivalent to that of a car en­ gine. The cycle can also be re­ versed to cool nano systems.

The aim of nano­engine re­ search is, however, to provide insight into thermodynamics at the single­particle level, which is currently a very hot topic in research. The VW Foundation funds the project. — WR.

ALWYN VILJOEN

The cabin is built in modular zones, with the dashtrims panels easily removed and replaced with different shapes and colours. The roof can be glass or metal and the seats slide on rails and turn 180 degrees, while the passenger chairs fold up to fit a bicycle or surfboards.

Several 220 V sockets can also power tools. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

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TOYOTA and a group of stu­ dents have revealed the uBox at this week’s Society of Automo­ tive Engineers World Congress and Exposition in Detroit.

The uBox is a concept car born out of Project Deep Or­ ange, which dates back to 2014, when graduate students at the International Center for Auto­ motive Research at Clemson University in South Carolina started working with Toyota Motor North America to come up with a vehicle for Generation Z, loosely defined as those born from the mid or late 1990s through the 2010s.

Bear in mind these teens pre­ fer to share a ride than own it and if they have to have wheels, it must be uniquely different.

The challenge Toyota set the automotive design students was to make a utility vehicle by 2020 that GenZ would want to park at their homes.

Paul Venhovens, endowed chair for automotive systems in­ tegration at CU­ICAR said this collaboration with Toyota was extremely fruitful. “The Toyota management team constantly challenged the students with justifying their design and engi­ neering decisions based on brand essence, real­world cus­ tomers and what the students believed the future would embrace. This experience can simply not be gained from a text book.”

Toyota and the Clemson Deep Orange Team unveiled the uBox on April 12th at the Society of Auto­ motive Engineers World Congress and Exposition at the Co­ bo Center in Detroit.

Arjun Narayan, on power train team, said one of the first challen­ ges was to decide what “utility” meant for young 20 somethings.

“Was it hauling surfboards around, or is it something more/ Mark Benton, DO6 project manager, de­ scribed Gen Z very product orientated, they are not brand loy­ al, but they are brand conscious. So they like to have product that can customise.

Hence the interior has modular zones, with the dashtrims made with panels that can be replaced with different shapes and colours.

The roof panels can be glass or metal. The seats slide on rails to different settings and can turn 180 degrees.

There is no C­pillar, instead the doors open barn­door style to make a wider space for loading. All the panels are designed to be 3D printed.

The electric power­ train, no details of which are known yet, doubles as a battery bank for power tools, with 110­volt outlets inside and out.

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WitnessWheels MOTORING RACING

April 21, 2016

Going fast is what they like SA racers got on top of one podium and narrowly missed a few others around the world ALWYN VILJOEN AT Long Beach in California last weekend, South African Stephen Simpson and his Canadian team­ mate Misha Goikhberg drove their Chevrolet to a dominant victory on the Long Beach Proto­ type Challenge Grand Prix on Saturday afternoon.

The win consolidates the duo’s lead at the top of the IMSA Prototype Challenge Champion­ ship following their Daytona 24­ hour victory and a fighting fourth in the Sebring 12­hour.

Simpson was delighted by the result. “We had a great day at Long Beach!” the Indianapolis­ based Capetonian admitted.

“We started from pole position and led every lap and that makes this win all that much sweeter.”

He thanked the JDC Miller Motorsports team for an out­ standing job that saw their Chev win two out of the first three ra­ ces of the year.

Simpson, Goikhberg and the JDC Miller squad now head to the second of IMSA Prototype Challenge’s two back­to­back Californian rounds at the twisty, challenging and quick Laguna Seca for the fourth round of the championship on April 30.

In Spain tomorrow Another regular on the podium, Potchefstroom’s Brad Binder, heads to Spain tomorrow for the

Stephen Simpson.

PHOTO: STEPHENSIMPSON.COM

Now Moto3 rider, South Africa’s Brad Binder in his Mahindra kit. PHOTO: FILE

Kelvin van der Linde.

PHOTO: TEAM READLINE

Ferrari racer and Wordpress wizard Dave Perel.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

weekend’s Moto GP. Two weeks ago, Binder earned his ninth po­ dium in his Moto GP career in America.

Binder races in the Moto3 cat­ egory and bike pundits warn he can expect an even harder race from Philipp Oetll as the Span­ iard will be riding in front of his home crowd at Jerez.

In a wet England In the UK, Durban boykie Raoul Hyman endured a challenging wildcard outing in British For­ mula 3 championship over the weekend.

As he said: “That was a diffi­ cult weekend.”

Hyman will be back in the higher profile European Formula

3 at the Hungoraring near Buda­ pest in Hungary on Saturday.

taking his car up to 16th while fel­ low racers suffered a few “drive throughs” and crashes around him on Saturday, he was ready for a full attack on Sunday’s second race. He started ninth and passed for 8th early on before coming up on Edward Sandström, whose slam closed a gap that Pepper took, bouncing the Bentley off into the armco to bring out the safety car.

Despite that skirmish, Jordan was delighted with his perform­ ance. “That was a hard race,” Pep­ per explained. “I had a good start and moved up to 8th early and then 7th. Then I just put my head down and chased to the stop to hand Andreas [Weishaupt] the car from sixth position.”

The ADAC GT Masters now heads for Sachsenring for round two in two weeks over the week­ end of May 1.

Fellow Capetonian Jonathan Aberdein South African GT race star Kelvin van der Linde also found the going tough at Oscher­ sleben.

Aberdein’s inexperience showed on the wet track.

“This was out first weekend in ADAC Formula 4 and while we did struggle along the way, we learned so much,” Jonathan con­ cluded. “The last race was much better but we still have a lot of work to do and I need to better understand what we need to do with the car as the conditions change.

In even wetter Germany Three South Africans had the best and the worst of the Oschersleben track in Germany over the weekend.

Jordan Pepper endured an en­ couraging first outing sharing his Bentley with series Gentleman’s champion Andreas Weishaupt in the German ADAC GT Masters series opener at Oschersleben on Sunday. The duo came away in the Trophy class championship lead after netting a second and a third in class in the two races.

After taking the car over in 29th in the first race and making six overtaking manoeuvres and

“Still, it was a positive week­ end and I’m looking forward to moving forward at Sachsenring in two weeks’ time.”

Van der Linde started his third year of racing in the German AD­ AC GT Masters series at Oscher­ sleben. 2014 champion Kelvin is driving for new Audi team Car Collection Racing with Spanish rookie Isaac Tutumlu­Lopez this year and despite a challenging weekend, the duo drove the fast­ est car on track in the last stint and we they look forward to be in Sachsenring in two week’s time.

“That’s my happy hunting ground and I’m determined to keep my good record there in­ tact,” said Van der Linde.

This weekend in Italy The Wordpress wizard who is liv­ ing his dream to race, Dave Perel will again be dicing against 58 of the world’s finest supercars in the Blancpain GT Endurance Cham­ pionship at Monza in Italy on Saturday and Sunday.

Tehcnical issues last year saw him miss a double win at this leg­ endary Italian track, and he said he cannot wait to make up for it against a field of cars from Ferra­ ri, Porsche, Lamborghini, Bent­ ley, Aston Martin, BMW, Audi, Mercedes­Benz, racing with his new co­drivers, American Ste­ phen Earle and Belgian Bernard Delhez.

Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit again Africa’s premier motoring facility THE phased refurbishment at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, which commenced in May 2015, is in its final stages.

Phase one of the project, which included a comprehensive redesign and upgrade of the now 4,522 km race circuit, is com­ plete. The new layout received a specialised asphalt surface and substantial upgrades to driver, race official and spectator safety, in accordance with FIA grading.

In the short time that the race track has been complete, Kyalami has successfully hosted two ma­ jor motor vehicle launches.

The 4x4 off­road venue, de­ signed to incorporate a variety of technical obstacles, ideal for off­ road driver training and vehicle launches, is complete.

Conference and event venue The construction of the Kyalami Pit Building and International Convention Centre, which forms phase two of the project, is scheduled for completion by end of May 2016.

The International Convention Centre will include world­class facilities for year­round confer­ encing, exhibitions, trade shows, product launches, private func­ tions and brand activations.

The convention centre incor­ porates the new Paddock Club; a modern, air­conditioned spa­ cious hall with 2 770 square me­ tres of uninterrupted, flexible event space with generous nine­ metre high ceilings, providing a blank canvas ready for limitless transformation.

The Paddock can be accessed via the new five­metre wide con­ vention centre bridge or via a grand staircase leading onto a 820 square metre covered view­

Due for completion next month, the new look Kyalami race track has already been tested at speeds of well over 200 km per hour, Wheels has heard on the grapevine.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC

ing deck with magnificent views of the greater Johannesburg sky­ line. The bridge allows vehicles to drive directly into the Paddock for ease of access when loading in event gear or catering ele­ ments. The first floor houses two grand boardrooms, four confer­ ence rooms and race control di­ rectly overlooking the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit start and fin­ ish line, providing unique meet­ ing spaces.

The new covered roof terrace on the third floor which is open on two sides, boasts 2 100 square metres of space as well as breath­ taking views.

An additional launch area is

situated in the Pits: an exclusive space, especially adapted to ac­ commodate vehicle activations with direct access to the pit lane and circuit.

The new convention centre now also provides large, fully equipped kitchens, new ablution facilities, plentiful parking and disabled access to all venues within the complex.

Driver training Phase three of the project in­ cludes the construction of two multi­functional outdoor exhibi­ tion platforms, with a combined area of 35 000 square metres.

The lower platform, which

serves as a Dynamic Driver Train­ ing area, incorporates an irrigat­ ed skid pan, the surface of which is covered with a specially formu­ lated, low friction asphalt, allow­ ing ultimate flexibility in master­ ing the art of driving or riding in a safe and controlled environ­ ment.

The 1,1 kilometre Dynamic Handling Circuit has been de­ signed with the flexibility to di­ vide into two separate circuits that can be used independently, or connected together to form a longer handling circuit with a va­ riety of corners and gradients.

A portion of the circuit will be irrigated for wet condition driver

training simulation, working in synergy with the Dynamic Driver Training Area.

Completion of this phase is expected at the end of May. The circuit offers ample park­ ing, ease of access and spectacu­ lar views, adding to the appeal of Kyalami as the preferred destina­ tion for a wide variety of events.

Focus has also been placed on providing excellent event sup­ port services to ensure a premi­ um visitor experience.

The Kyalami Grand Prix Cir­ cuit has once again taken its place as the premier motoring and mo­

torsport facility in Africa, as well as a leading conference and event venue, ideally situated, in the growing metropolis between Jo­ hannesburg, Sandton, Midrand, Centurion and Tshwane/Preto­ ria. — Supplied.

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