SIX TINY CARAVANS P4 GM’S TOP TECHNICIAN P2
ASH CAR SALES
September 24, 2015
Dealers in Superfine Exotic and Sports Cars Tel: 033 345 1971, 033 342 4717 Fax: 033 342 2900 - www.ashcarsales.co.za
Witness
WHEELS
2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE 1,6L 65 000 km, 16 inch mags, tint windows, electric windows, aircon, power steering, CD player, 5-speed, manual, airbags, smash and grab. BANK FINANCE AVAILABLE
R129 995
Contact Ash on 083 786 3377 (PMBurg)
550 Church Street, Pietermaritzburg 3201 PO Box 8390, Cumberwood 3235
EDITOR: ALWYN VILJOEN 082 4589 332 ADVERTISING: AVIR THULSIRAM ON 084 278 3447
Fastest legs in the world Canadian hits 137,9 km/h in a recumbent bike ALWYN VILJOEN DESPITE falling over in his pod during the first heat and missing the second heat while the pod was being repaired, Canadian Todd Reichart became the fastest man in the third heat of the 16th annual humanpowered vehicle races in Nevada last week. Competing against cyclists from England, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Italy and the U.S., the 33yearold athlete set a top speed of 137,9 km/h in the annual World Human Powered Speed Challenge in Nevada last week. He was pedalling in a recum bent bike designed and built by Aerovelo engineering. Reichart shattered the previ ous record of 133,8 km/h, set by 26yearold Dutch cyclist Sebas tiaan Bowler, just as Aerovelo
said they would when they an nounced their intention to com pete last year. He pedalled an eightkilometre runup to build up speed before entering the 200 metre stretch on what Neva da’s Department of Transporta tion billed as the flattest and smoothest roads in the world. Recumbents.com report this highway was repaved in 2009, with “special consideration for this particular section of road to ensure utmost smoothness” for the sensitive recumbent bikes. Pedalling at an altitude of 1 408 metres, Reichart shot over these two rugby fields in 5,22 sec onds to beat Bowler’s record by 4,152 km/h. It is not Aerovelo’s first record, with the silverware in their cup board including a land speed record for collegebuilt and col
legepiloted vehicles in 2011 (116,9 km/h) and the Atlas hu manpowered helicopter that won the Sikorsky Prize in 2013. The tiny teardrop shaped re cumbent bike in which Reichart put his back into it is called Eta, which cut through the air one percent faster than the team’s 2012 bike called Bluenose. Like the other top competi tors, the latest recumbent bikes do not make any allowances for the human shape in a quest for the lowest possible wind resist ance. Reichart could only view the road ahead using a GoPro camera in the nose, linked to a video monitor mounted above his head. The Netherland competitors did go home with honour, howev er, as Ellen van Vugt set a new trike record of 87,63 km/h.
The members of Team Aerovelo who made the world’s fastest legpowered machine (from left) Tomek Bartczek, Alex Selwa, Victor Ragusila, Todd Reichert (the rider), Cameron Robertson and Trefor Evans. The pod has no window, instead using a camera in the nose and screen above the rider’s head. PHOTO: AEROVELO
033 940 1432 R105 900
2012 TOYOTA YARIS 1.0 XS, WHITE, 43 000 KM
R129 900
2014 TOYOTA ETIOS HB 1.5 XS 5-DR, 24 000 KM, WHITE
R229 900
2014 HILUX 2.5 SRX 4X2 S/C, WHITE,
R239 900
2014 TOYOTA AURIS 1.6 XR, WHITE, 52 000 KM
R469 900
2015 TOYOTA FORTUNER 3.0 4X4 AT, WHITE, 15 000 KM
R279 000
2012 HILUX 2.5 4X4 D/C, R/B, WHITE, 62 000 KM
R95 900
2014 CHEV SPARK 1.2 L, WHITE, 33 000 KM
R269 900
2011 TOYOTA FORTUNER 3.0 4X4, WHITE, 128 000 KM
R219 900
2012 IX 35 2.0 GLS EXECUTIVE A/T, SILVER, 89 000 KM
R125 900
2014 TOYOTA ETIOS 1.5 XS SEDAN, WHITE, 33 000 KM
R169 900
2014 GWM C50 1.5 LUX, SILVER, 5 000 KM
79 900
R9R52 900
2014 PEUGEOT 107 URBAN, RED, 7 500 KM
MORE AMAZING VEHICLES TO CHOOSE FROM GIVE US A CALL TO FIND OUT MORE
2
WitnessWheels MOTORING
Capture quality of life BRIAN BASSETT becomes king of the parking lot and explorer of the wild in the new Captur THE cost of living for middle class families in South Africa has risen steeply. Retirement, education, medi cal aids and housing costs erode whatever increases we receive. Families are finding it more diffi cult to keep two cars and are turn ing to a single vehicle that can take care of all their needs. This is probably why the com pact crossover segment of the SUV market is the fastest grow ing one in South Africa and Ren ault has just added its contribu tion to that sector with the new Captur, which was launched in the country in 2015. My thanks to McCarthy Ren ault in Pietermaritzburg for mak ing the Captur available to me for a few days. Styling The French have an obsession with style and the Captur bene fits from this. There is no risk of missing it in a parking lot. The Cliobased light cross over, with its bold bicolour paintwork, chunky styling and purposeful stance, which is ac
SWAPPING BETTER THAN RECHARGING AT America’s fifth annual Na tional Drive Electric Week, shifts into high gear, a group of students showed their take on creating swappable bat tery system to extend electric drives. The group envisage “ex change stations” at conve nience or auto parts stores where drivers can simply swap any number of portable bat tery modules for fullycharged ones, eliminating the range anxiety many EV drivers expe rience when traveling too far from home or running low on charge. Inventor Lou Shrinkle, UCSD engineering students and uni versity advisers behind the en deavour launched a fundrais ing effort challenging the world to help take their con cept mainstream while sup porting their milestone jour ney, currently slated for No vember 2015. To prove their concept, the team have retrofitted a 2002 Volkswagen Golf and will next month drive east to west across the U.S. with 16 10 kilo gram briefcasesize modular battery systems delivering about 26 kWh per charge. Their goal is to raise $15 000 on Indiegogo. —Wheels Reporter.
centuated by the high ride, black lower body cladding and eye catching 17inch alloys, with a de cided Art Nouveau character, lend the car an imposing air. The front has a centrally placed Renault diamond badge flanked by headlight modules that run sleekly backwards. Fog lights are built into the front bumper. The remainder of the car has its overall character expressed in smooth, flowing, even lines, which create an agile, dynamic and elegant impression. The electric mirrors look good in a contrasting colour and fold back at the driver’s command. Interior The Captur has a spacious interi or with a full set of electric win dows. I particularly like the twotone seat covers that are covered in a robust material and can be un zipped and removed for cleaning after the kids have turned the seats into a play area. Contrasting stitching also adds flair to the interior. The
September 24, 2015
Despite lugging all that space inside, the Captur’s 898 cc engine just sips petrol, while the 1,2 makes 190 Nm for steady power up hills. PHOTO: QUICKPIC dashboard has two analogue di als covering the rev counter and fuel gauge, as well as a digital speedometer, which makes easy reading when the car is filled with noisy children or talkative adults. The multifunction steering wheel is leather covered and fully adjustable, as is the driver’s seat making longdistance driving pleasurable. The central console is domi nated by a 17cm touch screen, which handles the satnav (a stan dard feature across the range). The fourspeaker radio, with Bluetooth, USB and handsfree technology, although I had to borrow a memory stick from a friend as this model does not take CDs. The gear lever is also finished in leather and the cruise control, ecomode button and handsfree key card, which appealed to me, complete a wellequipped interi or. The rear space is remarkably comfortable and seats five easily. If you only have to seat four, the central panel in the rear seat folds down into an arm rest,
which increases rear comfort considerably. The boot offers 377 litres of space, while with the rear bench forward you get 455 li tres. With the rear seats folded forward in 60/40 fashion, the car offers a huge 1 235 litres. Safety and security The Captur has the usual seat belts for all, cornering fog lights, rear park sensors as well as four airbags, the passenger airbag can be switched off. There is also ABS, EBA, and an alphabet soup of safety measures including a threepoint ISOFIX fitting for child seats. So the Captur is a safe car for your family, whether you are col lecting the children from school or going to Cape Town to see the parents. There is also an on board alarm and central locking. Performance and handling The Captur comes with Ren ault’s proven 898 cc, threecylin der, turbocharged petrol engine that delivers 66 kW and 135 Nm for peppy performance via a five speed manual gearbox, with 150
Nm overboost when you put foot. If you want more power, purchase the 1 197 cc fourcylin der, 88 kW/190 Nm turbo, Dyna mique auto, that uses a sixspeed auto box. The 100 km/h marks comes up in 12,9 seconds and top speed on the car I drove is 171 km/h, while the fourcylinder 88 kW auto will do around 192 km/h and reach 100 kph in 11,5 seconds. The threecylinder Captur is an ideal town car. Its electrically assisted steering is wellweighted and the car exhibits excellent body control because of the tweaked Clio chassis specially made for it. Some of Pieterma ritzburg’s tight side streets al lowed the Captur to show its ex cellent handling qualities, while its speedadaptive steering and 10,8 metre turning circle made parking lots a pleasure. On longer distances the Cap tur shows excellent refinement and road holding, which in my opinion makes it an effortless longdistance cruiser. The sometimes difficult road surfaces in the city presented no
problem to the supple suspen sion, only the occasional deep pothole caught the car by sur prise. On the Midlands D roads the Captur acquitted itself well despite its frontwheel drive train. It was stable on loose surfa ces and its ground clearance of about 200 mm made for less anxiety on rocky roads. Fuel consumption for my driv ing style was around 6,1 litres per 100 km. Prices and competitors There are three Captur models available, the Expression at around R220 000, the car I drove the Dynamique costing about R240 000 and the 88kW Dyna mique Auto at R280 000. The cars come with a five year/150 000 mechanical war ranty, a threeyear 45 000 km service plan and a sixyear anti corrosion warranty. This is the most competitive area of the South African car market so have a look, amongst others, at the very popular Ford Ecosport, the Kia Soul, Nissan Juke, Opel Mok ka and Suzuki SX4.
Toti’s Dharmalingum proves best technician for GM in SA PORT ELIZABETH — The best technician in the country was an nounced amid loud applause last Friday during the annual General Motors South Africa (GMSA) Top Technician Skills Awards. Govender Dharmalingum (52) of South Coast Motors in Amamzimtoti scooped the first prize after showing his technical prowess and problem solving skills during four gruelling rounds of the competition. The runners up were Stefan de Wet (28) of Reeds N1 City, Cape Town and Quintin Vermeulen (33) of Williams Hunt Pretoria, who claimed second and third place respectively. The winners walked off with gift vouchers to the value of R15 000, R10 000 and R7 500. Dharmalingum also won a weekend getaway for two at a South African destination. “Winning the competition was a dream come true for me, but being recognised by the deal er network for your skills and abilities is a huge honour,” said an ecstatic Dharmalingum. He said the competition was tough, but he kept his cool and applied his knowledge to solve the problems accurately and effi ciently. Having landed a spot in the top three of the competition last year, Dharmalingum was deter mined to claim the title this time around.
Winner Govender Dharmalingum with runners up Stefan de Wet (left), who came second, and Quintin Vermeulen, who bagged third place. PHOTO: QUICKPIC Dharmalingum, who has been working for South Coast Motors for the past 22 years, said he be lieves the Chevrolet, Opel and Is uzu customer is everything. “I believe that the customer is always right. When I go to work every day I strive to give our cus tomers my best to make sure that they are happy and satisfied with their vehicles.” GMSA development and training manager Dr Alf Bennett said the competition was fierce
and as in 2014, less than three percent separated the top three positions. “We would like to congratu late the winner and the runners up on a job well done. We look forward to hosting the competi tion once more in 2016,” he said. A joint initiative of the Service Division of GMSA and the Na tional Dealer Council, the com petition aims to promote excel lence in customer service, tech nical expertise, and support
GMSA’s technological innova tions in vehicle manufacturing. Brian Olson, GMSA vice pres ident of vehicle sales, service and marketing, said the company is reinforcing its commitment to continuously improve service levels at its dealer network in South Africa. “All Chevrolet Opel and Isuzu service centres are equipped with a complete range of equip ment and analytical systems to carry out maintenance and re
pairs,” said Olson. In addition, GMSA provides approximately 40 000 hours per annum of regular and extensive training for all service personnel. Olson said this competition complements the recently launched Complete Care pro gramme to all Chevrolet, Opel and Isuzu customers. “Complete Care demon strates our commitment to be ing a leader in customer care, ser vice and satisfaction through one of the most thorough service packages available anywhere. “Our ultimate objective is to drive GM authorised service centres to deliver ‘manufactur ing standard’ service and to en sure transparency in our service procedures.” Across its 134 dealerships countrywide, 300 technicians entered this year’s challenge. The final rounds of the competition took place in Port Elizabeth and was based on three GM products — the Isuzu KB, the Chevrolet Cruze and the Opel Astra. The finalists were required to diagnose and fix problems with in a specified time period. Practi cal exercises were scored by trained observers. The five finalists who battled it out in the final round were Dharmalingum, De Wet, Ver meulen, Jaun Smit (Simpson’s Phalaborwa) and Seun Venter (Tommy Martin). — Supplied.
MOTORING WitnessWheels ADVERTORIAL
September 24, 2015
Kodo design named best of the best MAZDA Motor Corporation has announced that the company won three awards in the Automo tive Brand Contest recently. The company’s global design team, Mazda CX3 and Bike by Kodo concept, were honoured at an award ceremony at the Städel Museum in Frankfurt on Sep tember 15. The prestigious Auto motive Brand Contest honours outstanding product and com munication design. Sponsored by the German De sign Council, the annual contest has 15 regular and four special award categories. Winners in each category are selected by a ju ry of journalists and experts in design and communications. Mazda’s global design team re ceived the Team of the Year award, which is presented for “in
novative and consistent brand design”. A member of the Ger man Design Council said the Ko do design differs and that it does not define a form language, which gives Mazda designers freedom to exceed expectations. “That is why each of the cur rentgeneration Mazda cars can have its own character while con sistently expressing lively mo tion.” The compact crossover SUV Mazda CX3, which is soon to be launched in South Africa, was named Best of the Best in the Ex terior Volume Brand category, while the Bike by Kodo Concept track racer displayed during Mi lan Design Week in April, was recognised in the Parts and Ac cessories category. — Supplied.
V DAVID HUGHES
MD of Mazda Southern Africa
MAZDA’S AWARDWINNING BICYCLE
Both the Mazda CX3 and Bike by Kodo concept were honoured at an award ceremony at the Städel Museum in Frankfurt on September 15. Winners in each category are selected by a jury of journalists and experts in design and communications. The compact crossover SUV Mazda CX3, which is soon to be launched in South Africa, was named Best of the Best in the Exterior Volume Brand category, while the Bike by Kodo Concept track racer, displayed during Milan Design Week in April, was recognised in the Parts and Accessories category. PHOTO: QUICKPIC
22087
We are very excited about the awards presented for the CX3, the Bike by Kodo Concept and the Mazda Global Design Team who continue to create dynamic and energetic designs that excite our customers.
3
M{zd M{zd{2 1.5 active was r2 699 per month now only r2 199 per month Model
M{zing M{zd{ BT-50 Drifter Pack
Mazda2 1.5 Active manual
Recommended Retail Price
R188 900 10% R66 115 (35%)
Instalment (excl R57 monthly admin fee)
R2 199 72 6.97% R226 289
5 YEAR
M{zd{3 1.6 Manual now from just R2 999 per month Model
Mazda3 1.6 Manual
Recommended Retail Price
R232 900
M{zd{ CX-5
0% R81 515 (35%) Instalment (excl R57 monthly admin fee)
R2 999 72 6.19%
To find a Mazda dealer near you go to www.mazda.co.za or contact 0860 069 700. All finance offers are subject to credit approval by Mazda Financial Services, a part of WesBank, a division of FirstRand Bank Ltd. An Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP20. Terms and Conditions apply.
4
Are you really a good driver? ARE you ready for holiday traffic? As we head into the festive season, one thing we can be sure of is chaos on the roads to South Africa’s holiday destinations. If you are one of those entering the fray, are you sure you have the driving skills to avoid becoming one of South Afri ca’s tragic statistics? Take our quiz to find out. 1. What is a safe following distance? a. Three seconds b. Four car lengths c. Five arrows 2. Who needs to wear a seatbelt? a. Only the driver b. Only the driver and passenger c. Everyone in the car 3. How many fivepercent alcohol beers can you drink and remain within the legal bloodalcohol limit?* a. Two beers b. 2/3 of a beer c. Half a beer 4. What is the best way to reduce blind spots? a. Do not change lanes unless you have to b. Adjust your review and side mirrors for opti mal vision c. Just glance over your shoulder 5. What is the best way to arrive at your destination stress free and on time? a. Use a GPS b. Drive in the fast lane c. Plan your route and leave well in advance 6. What is the most responsible thing to do with your cellphone while driving? a. Put it where it will not distract you b. Use a handsfree or Bluetooth kit c. Only check it at traffic lights 7. The lower your revs, the more fuel you save, thus you should change gears be tween: a. 1 500 and 2 000 rp/m b. 2 000 and 2 500 rp/m c. 2 500 and 3 500 rp/m 8. Anticipate trafficlight changes to a. Reduce the amount of times you stop your car b. Get through the amber light before it turns red c. Avoid window washers 9. An engine that idles for three minutes uses: a. More fuel than what it would take to switch off and start the car again b. The same amount of fuel as it would take to drive 1 km at 50 km/h c. Less fuel than either a or b 10. Underinflated tyres make contact with the road: a. Evenly across the tyre b. In the centre of the tread c. Mostly on the edges of the tread 11. You should remove unnecessary weight, like roof racks, so that your car will: a. Look nicer b. Go faster c. Save more fuel 12. What are the three most common causes of fatal car crashes: a. Poor vehicle maintenance, reckless driving and rain b. Drunk driving, speeding and driver distraction c. Disobeying rules of the road, night driving and young drivers. Answers: 1a, 2c, 3b, 4b, 5c, 6a, 7b, 8a, 9b, 10a, 11c, 12b. RESULTS If you got between 10 and 12 answers correct, you are a MasterDriver: Your knowledge of the roads, how to drive economically and how to avoid difficult situa tions is close to perfect. Now the test is to put what you know into practice while driving in holiday traffic. It also never hurts to brush up on your knowledge occasionally. If you got between seven and nine answers correct, you need a bit more practice: While your driving knowledge is not bad, a brushup course will help you perfect your weaker areas. Holiday traffic requires longer hours behind the wheel and lightningfast reac tion skills. There is no room for uncertainty. If you got six or fewer answers correct … Red alert! You may not know some basics which can make the difference between life and death on SA roads in December. Give serious considera tion to more training. • If you would like to brush up on your driving skills, phone MasterDrive at 011 867 4778. It has the courses to make you a stronger, more competent driver.
WitnessWheels EXPLORE MOTORING
September 24, 2015
6 caravanning trends Caravan designers turn to smaller, cuter models to show off their skills
The Vintage Overland teardrop weighs only 317 kg, providing a cosy room and en suite kitchenette off the beaten track.
The HC1 Adativ has modular furniture that clicks onto the floor like Lego bricks in whatever configuration suits the camper best.
ALWYN VILJOEN WHILE caravanners always require more space, it seems caravan design ers enjoy nothing so much as to de sign smaller, cuter models to show off their skills. In Colorado, one such enthusiast is Britton Purser, who designed the Vintage Overland teardrop trailers, which Purser and his codesigning brothers say are lightweight but tough enough for veld work. Empty, a Vintage Overland tear drop weighs only 317 kg, but it has the usual double mattress with read ing lights inside and kitchenette un der the nosecone. For those who don’t want to go offroad, but need space both to sleep in and transport stuff, the Mogo Freedom trailer offers a rectangular space that opens on both sides to create a simple but very versatile shelter and bike transporter. With very little space to work with, flexibility is key, and no caravan is more adaptive than the HC1 Adaptiv. Like a box of Lego bricks, the HCI offers six base components — a bench, kitchenette, table, cush ion, floor panel and lid, which all click into place on the floor so that the caravanner can create a layout that best suits their needs — from a bed to sleep five to empty floor space for mountain bikes. All the components can also be used as outdoor furniture. Other ac cessories in the HC1 include a Bose sound system, builtin USB and AC power sockets and a tablet docking station. On the roof a 100 Watt solar panel generates power for the water heater. In Belgium, Olivier Caluwier, cre ative partner of the design firm Five AM, did not have play in mind when he designed a mobile office using an
The Mogo Freedom trailer opens on both sides to offer versatile space and instant awnings.
Being Belgian, the dojowheels is an office on wheels — with a fridge that can keep 150 bottles of beer chilled.
Made from recycled wood, this Tiny Office trailer from Denmark may look like a garden shed, but it sells for over R200k in Europe if equipped with a few sticks of basic office furniture.
Beauer’s x3 teardrop electrically expands to offer a bedroom, bathroom, dining area with kitchenette. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED
old caravan. Calling his creation do jowheels, Caluwier’s officefrom home has a raised floor on drawers and a central, circular table that can be lifted from the floor or dropped back to form part of the bed’s base. The round table can seat six in rela tive comfort, with reading lights and work lights above the desk. Most notable about the dojo wheels is its fridge, which can keep 150 bottles of beer chilled. It is a Bel gian caravan, after all.
Further north in chilly Denmark, designer Jonas Hallberg’s Tiny Of fice on wheels is less focused on cele brating that deal and more on keep ing warm. The caravan, which is made from recycled materials, features a cut tingedge little Gaia Marin wood burning stove, mounted on a wall. Each Tiny Office is handmade, which is European for bloody pricey, and unit prices start at R171 609, not including the fully kittedout office
which adds another R79 783 to the price. But Hallberg’s Tiny Office is cheap compared to the “three room” expanding teardrop made be French caravaning company Beauer. Selling for R361 282 in England, the oneton 3X teardrop telescopes out the 1,85 metrewide body on both sides to expand the 4 m² to 12 m² in about 20 seconds. Inside a bedroom, bathroom, dining area with kitchenette awaits.
Wheelchair racing in Richmond
Lined up at the starting point of the 21,1 km race are Jabulani Ngobese, Nkosibonile Mngoma, Sihle Nzimande and Justice Maphumulo, who won the event. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
RICHMOND Riders & Runners Club hosted its seventh annual Wheels Wheelchair Racing Event at the same time as the World Cup for Paracycling, which took place in Pietermaritzburg. The popular event again at tracted disabled people from as far as the Western Cape, with 685 participants competing in three races — 21,1 km, 10 km and a 1,5 km fun walk. Justice Maphumulo won the 21,1 km in 43 minutes. He was followed home by Sihle Nzimande (49 minutes) and Nkosibonile Mngoma (54 minutes). Organiser Michael Luthaka told Wheels that this year’s event also launched a campaign to prevent discrimination against people
with albinism, and zonal games for people with disabilities. The event also raised funds for a day care centre for children with disa bilities. Luthaka thanked the sponsors for fuelling the excitement of the participants with prizes. “We as the Richmond Riders & Runners Club, would like to take this op portunity to thank all sponsors for their generosity and dedica tion towards the development of sports for people with disabilities. This event touched many hearts and we hope that we will be able to ... equip the daycare centre for children with disabilities,” he said. Next year’s event will be held on September 10. More details from michaelluthaka@gmail.com
What does heritage mean? By Pieter from Maritzburg Barons Pietermaritzburg is the home of Volkswagen motoring in and around Pietermaritzburg. So why not head to Barons this week, to see what happens when a forward-thinking car company builds on its own particular kind of heritage?
With today being Heritage Day, I’ve been thinking about what heritage means to me. Heritage is something passed down from previous generations, something worth preserving and celebrating. It’s something that has become a part of who you are and what you do. Heritage isn’t something that just appears, it’s something that builds up over time.
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.
Volkswagen has taken that to heart. Innovation is important – just look at BlueMotion technology – but the real key to Volkswagen’s success is that they have years of experience upon which to draw. The knowhow that goes into making a beautiful car today has accrued over the years.
New Polo Exuding classGTI. and style. Ultimate Performance = Ultimate Confidence.
service plan
5 year / 90 000km
Golf TSI 81kW Trendline from R3,551* per month.
Purchase a Polo 1.4 TDI Trendline from R2,698* per month.
The Golf TSI 81kW Trendline standard features include:
The Polo 1.4 TDI Trendline standard features include: -
Air conditioning system Central locking system Hill hold control Model
Vehicle Price
Polo 1.4 TDI Trendline
R223,500
-
R2,698*
-
Dual front and side airbags Electronic stability control with ABS Front electric windows
Monthly No. of Instalments Instalments
72
service plan
Start-Stop with Brake Energy Recuperation Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) Curtain airbags, front & rear
Interest Rate Linked / Variable
Deposit
Balloon Payment
Total Cost Incl fees & VAT
Model
Vehicle Price
7.74%*
10.6% (R23,691)
35% (R78,225)
R272,454
Golf TSI 81kW Trendline
R273,000
-
Multi-collision brake system Electronic Park Brake with Auto-hold Air-conditioner
Monthly No. of Instalments Instalments
R3,551*
Interest Rate Linked / Variable
72
8.23%*
Deposit
Balloon Payment
6% 37% (R16,380) (R101,010)
Visit us on www.baronsvw.co.za
An optional cost of R900 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.5%. Note: Offers calculated on the Polo 1.4 TDI Trendline model in standard specifications. Instalment excludes optional extras, but includes monthly administration fee of R57 and initiation fee of R1140. Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other special service or offering. Subject to bank approval. Information subject to change without prior notification. All finance offers are subject to credit approval from Volkswagen Financial Services. Offers only available through Volkswagen Financial Services South Africa Proprietary Limited trading as Volkswagen Financial Services an Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP6635. Terms and Conditions apply. All the above is subject to price increase and valid until 28 September 2015.
An optional cost of R900 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.5%. Note: Offers calculated on the Golf TSI 81kW Trendline model in standard specifications. Instalment excludes optional extras, but includes monthly administration fee of R57 and initiation fee of R1140. Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other special service or offering. Subject to bank approval. Information subject to change without prior notification. All finance offers are subject to credit approval from Volkswagen Financial Services. Offers only available through Volkswagen Financial Services South Africa Proprietary Limited trading as Volkswagen Financial Services an Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP6635. Terms and Conditions apply. All the above is subject to price increase and valid until 28 September 2015.
Mileage certified • Full Service history • 7-day exchange plan • Vehicle Customization • 24 Hr roadside assistance •
e&oe
Visit us on www.baronsvw.co.za
• • • • •
80-point mechanical check 2-year / unlimited km warranty* Vehicle History Integrity Check Balance of VW Automation Plan Professional Vehicle Reconditioning
Polo Vivo
WAS
R356,708
Not just tough. Smart.
HERITAGE SALE
2013
Polo Vivo 1.6 5 Door
Blue
21 000 km
R129 900
2013
Polo Vivo 1.4 Tiptronic 5 Door
Silver
101 000 km
R114 900
R109 900
2014
Polo Vivo 1.6 GT 3 Door
Red
31 000 km
R147 900
R142 900
R124 900
R131 900
2014
Polo Vivo 1.4 Trendline 5 Door
Silver
20 000 km
R135 900
2014
Polo Vivo Sedan 1.4 Trendline
Silver
71 000 km
R109 900
R105 900
2015
Polo Vivo GP 1.6 Comfortline
Silver
6 000
R162 900
R158 900
km
Total Cost Incl fees & VAT
e&oe
3 year / 45 000km
Golf. For the love of the drive.
Polo 2013
Polo 1.2 TDI BlueMotion
White
112 000 km
R138 900
R135 900
2014
Polo GP 1.2 TSI Trendline
White
23 000 km
R175 900
R169 900
2014
Polo Sedan 1.4 Trendline
White
18 000 km
R159 900
R155 900
2014
Polo Sedan 1.4 Trendline
White
36 000 km
R154 900
R149 900
2015
Polo GP 1.2 TSI Comfortline
Red
9 500
km
R221 900
R217 900
2015
Polo GP 1.2 Highline
White
8 000
km
R224 900
R217 900
2015
Polo GP 1.0 TSI BlueMotion
Blue
3 000
km
R233 900
R228 900
m warranty 3 Year / 120 000k plan 0km maintenaence 5 year / 60 00 servic plan 5 year / 90 000km
Amarok Double Cab 2.0 BiTDI Highline Automatic from R6,516* per month.
Golf 2011
Golf 6 GTI 2.0 TSI R DSG
Red
66 000 km
R309 900
R299 900
2014
Golf 7 1.4 TSI Comfortline
Silver
17 000 km
R274 900
R269 900
2015
Golf Sports Van 2.0 TDI DSG
Red
6 500
km
R325 000
R316 900
2015
Golf 7 GTI 2.0 TSI DSG
White
5 000
km
R435 000
R429 900
The Amarok Double Cab 2.0 BiTDI Highline Automatic standard features include:
Amarok Silver
4 000
km
R489 900
R484 000
2015
Amarok Double Cab 2.0 TDI 4x2 132kW
White
9 000
km
R399 900
R395 000
-
Other VW 2013
Tiguan 1.4 TSI Trendline
Silver
90 000 km
R209 900
R202 900
2015
21st Century Beetle 1.4 TSI Sport
Blue
11 000 km
R269 900
R275 000
2015
Tiguan 1.4 TSI
Silver
7 000
km
R314 900
R311 500
2015
Take Up!
Black
11 000 km
R119 000
R113 900
2013
Suzuki Swift 1.6 Sport
White
42 000 km
R159 900
R155 000
2014
BMW 316i Automatic
White
37 000 km
R275 900
R267 000
2015
Isuzu Double Cab KB300 D-Teq Serengeti
White
16 000
R439 900
R435 000
Model Amarok Double Cab 2.0 BiTDI Highline Automatic
Other
km
Barons
Pietermaritzburg
9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg, 3201 • Tel: 033 845 3100
-
ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme) with brake assistant Hill Start/Hill Descent Assist
Interest Rate Monthly No. of Vehicle Price Instalments Linked / Deposit Instalments Variable R472,200
R6,516*
72
9.75%*
0%
Balloon Payment
Total Cost Incl fees & VAT
35% (R165,270)
R634,422
Visit us on www.baronsvwpmb.co.za
e&oe
Visit us on www.baronsvwpmb.co.za and find us on facebook.com/BaronsPietermaritzburg
-
Exclusive to Barons Pietermaritzburg.
*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 After hours: Laurie: 082 783 8040 • Rajen: 072 228 9834 Sanjay: 083 639 0989 • Barry: 072 235 4244 • Phumlani: 073 017 1294
8-speed automatic Alloy wheels – Aldo 17” with anti-theft wheelbolts
An optional cost of R1600 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.5%. Note: Offers calculated on the Amarok Double Cab 2.0 BiTDI Highline Automatic model in standard specifications. Instalment excludes optional extras, but includes monthly administration fee of R57. Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other special service or offering. Subject to bank approval. Information subject to change without prior notification. 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 28 September 2015.
New Sales Consultants
Alison Wiltshire – Sales Manager 082 783 8855 • 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 Thando Gumede – 078 969 8072 • Keshnee Pillay – 073 372 1452
BP Advertising
Amarok Double Cab 2.0 TDI 4Motion Auto 132kW
e&oe
2015
6
WitnessWheels MOTORING BIKING
September 24, 2015
GenZe a ‘mobility app’ Mahindra’s outofthebox solution for those who would rather ride than drive ALWYN VILJOEN MAHINDRA’s GenZe scooter goes on sale in three states in the U.S., with prices starting at $2 999 (R39 800), according to the Salt Lake Tribune. It is a big experiment for Ma hindra, as scooters account for less than seven percent of mo torbike sales in the U.S., with just 3 528 sold last year across America. Mahindra said, however, the GenZe was not designed to be the basic transport unit it is in other parts of the world, but to help solve the problem of urban mobility. “We have cast aside traditional assumptions about transportation to develop out ofthebox solutions that make your life easier. Our starting point was not scooters, cars or public transport — rather, we fo cused on getting you from A to B in the most efficient manner possible, with no hassles.” Viewed as a “mobility app” for Generation Z, those young
Mahindra’s GenZe scooter, shown here with the small storage bin. PHOTO: MAHINDRA sters born into a world of cell phones in every pocket, the Gen Ze scooter comes with an on board laptop charger and seven inch touch screen display.
Behind the traditional storage area under the seat, the scooter also has a small or large carrying bin, sold with either hard or soft “cargo cover”. Both bins are wa
terproof and the larger option can lock up a fullface helmet and a shopping bag. The scooter will be sold in California, Oregon, and Michi
gan, where it is assembled. Ma hindra plans to target college campuses and supply vehicles to scootersharing programmes. The GenZe has a top speed of 48 km/h and features a 13 kg re movable battery pack that riders can take inside to plug in. It recharges in threeanda half hours and can do about 50 km on a charge, depending on the rider’s weight and the to pography. All the information pertinent to the ride, from the battery charge to the speed and map, shows on the touch screen. Mahindra said 300 buyers have put down a $100 deposit for a GenZe scooter to date. The company says it can make 3 000 scooters in the first year of pro duction. If more students take to the scooter, Mahindra will be the first car builder with an answer on how to sell vehicles to a gener ation that do not want to own cars, but rather share a ride on Uber.
The tricks to ride a bike as economically as possible DENVER BIGGS THE 2015 annual RFS Bike Economy Run is a fun event. “It is one of those on the cal endar that you always look for ward to. It is amazing how peo ple still think it is a bunch of rid ers pottering around with light throttles at 60 km/h; trust me it is anything but that. Fun I was going to have, I had decided to not bother trying to go for overall glory, but ride in comfort for a change. However, being the competi tive bugger that I am, I also ride to win something whilst having truckloads of fun. I guess I have a fair record on the event, one overall win, eight class wins and three topthree finishes remind me why I feel like I need another chiropractor visit still three days after the event. In case you wondering why the chiropractor features as strong as the essential — it is be cause to achieve results like that you have to spend two days scrunched up under the bike’s paintwork for over 1 000 km! But as they say, trophies at all cost. I have been privileged enough to have ridden for, as well as man aged, the Bavarian Motorcycles Team for the last three years. My mission statement has remained the same for all of these years: To win overall or my class and of course, get the most coveted prize of all — the Team Award. So this year was certainly no dif
V DENVER BIGGS Econo rider
The race starts with an engine flush and a catalytic cleaner The author sitting pretty at the start of Day 2. PHOTO: SUPPLIED ferent. This year as a Bavarian Team, Roger didn’t want to enter a big team and rather let some of the privateers have a crack at the sil verware. Although we are all on standard bikes, it is often con ceived that a dealership team bike somehow has an advantage. We didn’t want event regulars skipping the fun because they feel they cannot compete against the “factory teams”. So as a smaller team we really had to make a maximum effort to beat our arch rivals, Team Tri umph. “However, it was Team Mo torrad Tech that gave us the big
gest run. But the teammate put in a colossal effort and prevailed and we just pipped Team Motor rad Tech to give Roger and Shar on from Bavarian the Team Award. That’s mission accom plished. There was another box that I needed to tick. I wanted to be the first big adventure bike in the class of “Dual Purpose Motorcy cle over 1 000 cc” to come in un der 4 l/100 km. I figured it would be a big challenge as they nor mally finished around 5 l/100 km. Fortunately with the advent of the BMW R1200GS Liquid Cooled, it made things a little
easier to get closer to this mark. In testing, I kept getting fig ures around the 4,2 lt/100 km mark on a route that is very simi lar to ones we normally traverse in Mpumalanga, where most of the event is ridden. It just wasn’t getting as close as I needed it to be. Then the penny dropped in a tub of oil. I approached Liqui Moly, whom I know to make the best motorcycle oils in the world. They kindly agreed to sponsor my efforts and help the LC get closer to the fine line. My teammate, Reg Gurnell who was mounted on the Team Bavarian F700GS, was coming on with great figures in testing and then the worst thing hap pened. As is typical with a dealer ship bike, the frugal sipper wasn’t available any more so he had to change bikes. The sad part was that the re placement F700GS was no where near the economy of the first one. So that bike needed help as well. Liqui Moly came to party and of course the process starts with a substance that everyone has forgotten about, but in my mind it is simply essential in your oil change endeavors, Engine Flush. That is the substance that gets rid of all the deposits and gunk that is clogging up your motor and blocking its arteries. Then it’s the super superb Liq ui Moly Racing Fully Synthetic Motor Oil. Where Liqui Moly’s oil makes a difference is that it
For more information on Witness Wheels advertising Contact Avir on 084 278 3447 or Avir@witness.co.za
reduces friction, hence making the motor run cooler and more efficiently. I saw a live example of this on the R1200GS LC. In previous testing, the motor ran constantly at 85°C, after the oil change, it dropped dramatically to 80°C and pretty much stayed there the whole event long. The bike I was on had 45 000 km on the clock, so I also ran through the catalytic cleaner as well as the fuel injection clean er whilst doing my testing. These awesome additives helped clean out the fuel lines and injectors as well as removing the deposits from the catalytic converter, which can get clogged up after time and mileage with our dirty fuel. Reg’s bike, sadly, was a no hoper. You get them, it often de pends on how it was run in and ridden previously. The Liqui Moly oil did help with this one too and it finished nearly 200 lt/100 better than it did previously, but still only good enough for second in class. Mine, however, loved the new fluid and the internal clean and it came home in a dream fulfill ing 3,97 lt/100 km and very obvi ous classes win! Both boxes ticked and mission accom plished! I would like to thank Roger and Sharon for the ride and the faith in having me runs the team for them. Thanks also to the team effort from Reg: Glynese, Willlie, Braam, Giel and Iain for our superb win in the Team Award. On behalf of Team Bavarian, we would like to thank all the or ganisers, especially Francois Jor daan and of course The Rock, Hannes Beetge. To all the sponsors, Liqui Mo ly, as without them I would not have won, then most of all RFS who put so much effort and money into this event. If it wasn’t for you guys who knows where we would be, to Chris and his team, a huge thank you.” con cluded Biggs. — Wheels24.
BMW’s Concept Path 22, made to lug surfboards. PHOTO: BMW
Scrambler trend at Frankfurt SPIROS TSANTILAS SCRAMBLERS account for a large share in the custom craze that has been sweeping the mo torcycling world during the last few years. Triumph has met commercial success with its Bonnevillebased Scrambler that’s been in produc tion since 2006, although it was Ducati’s take on this theme that spurred worldwide recognition and led to record profits for the Italian company. Rumors have it that several manufacturers will announce new scramblers at upcoming mo torcycles shows — Triumph is ex pected to unveil a new, larger ca pacity liquid cooled Classic se ries that’ll probably include a new scrambler, Suzuki is said to be working on its own rendition based on the SFV 650, BMW is rumored to be planning a scram bler adaptation of the R nineT. BMW meanwhile showed its Concept Path 22 at the Motorcy cles GmbH in Frankfurt last week, which may well be the fore runner of a new scrambler. De signed by custom builder Roland Sands, artist Ornamental Coni fer and board maker Mason Dry er, the Concept Path 22 has a surfboard holder that can be easi ly removed when not needed, Not quite scambler, but up there in naked design is the Ho rex updated VR6 roadster, which was announced in late June. Pre sented in a collectible Silver Edi tion, the German motorcycle with the patented sixcylinder VR6 engine marks the return of Horex after being saved from bankruptcy in early 2015. The VR6 Silver Edition will be limited to a production run of 33. With three overhead camshafts and three valves per cylinder, the engine produces 125 kW and 138 Nm of torque. That would be 7,5 kW more than the previous model and a milder increase of three Newtonmetre in torque. Horex has not specified how this extra power has come about, nor at which rpm these figures reach their maximum values. Pricing has not been an nounced, but the first bikes are expected to roll out of produc tion this year. Horex has made subscription page on the official website and promises to keep people informed on proceedings. — Gizmag.
Only 33 of the Horex VR6 Silver Edition will be made. PHOTO: HOREX
MOTORING WitnessWheels TRANSPORT
September 24, 2015
7
Nine states in 56 days MAN fights malaria and shows truck benchmarks below the Sahara MAN HAS opened its first dealership with full workshop in Maputo as part of a 13 234 km journey through nine African states for 56 days to promote the new Eu ro 5 MAN TGX 26.540 6x4 truck tractor. To prove the outstanding longhaul capability of the TGX, celebrity adven turer and explorer Riaan Manser (trained by ProfiDrive) and professional MAN longhaul driver Nduna Chari are driving the truck. Chari drives for Manline based in Mkondeni, Pietermaritzburg, and is an expert on the advanced systems with which new MAN trucks are packed out. Apart from the new dealer in Mozam bique, the pair will also help launch MAN’s first workshops in a container in Lusaka, Zambia and — once back in South Africa — they will set the satnav for the shortest route to be on time for the opening of the new MAN head office in Johannesburg. But first their truck will transport ma laria preventative equipment, such as mosquito nets and other malaria prophy lactics, to communities along Africa’s eastern seaboard, from Mozambique to Kenya. This initiative is in partnership with Roll Back Malaria. An experienced television production crew will film the journey in its entirety, documenting onroad experiences and the many events scheduled on the itiner ary. Regular video episodes will show ev ery Tuesday and also be posted on the One MAN Kann Facebook page for pub lic participation, while rolling coverage will be posted on Twitter. Partnering MAN Truck & Bus (SA) on this journey are Castrol Vecton, VW Commercial Vehicles, who supplied the Amarok support vehicles, and Henred Fruehauf/SA Truck Bodies who provided the trailer. Managing director of MAN Truck and Bus Geoff du Plessis said the TGX 26.540 6x4 have notched up a string of fuel efficiency benchmarks since its re lease in Europe in 2008. “Equipped with leadingedge drive line and cab technologies, the MAN TGX
V GEOFF DU PLESSIS, managing director, MAN Truck and Bus (SA).
“An encouraging twolitre per 100 km diesel saving compared to other local truck models was achieved.” One of the two VW Amaroks that will link the world’s social media to the long journey of MAN’s new truck in Africa.
Nduna Chari and Riaan Manser. PHOTOS: ALWYN VILJOEN 26.540 EfficientLine will bring proven economy, productivity and safety enhancements to the longhaul truck transport industry operating across subequatorial Africa,” he said. MORE TORQUE, GREATER ECONOMY “Powered by the legendary MAN D26 commonrail diesel engine, the 540 hp/2 500 Nm TGX 26.540 gives longhaul operators an additional 60 hp over MAN’s SA longhaul stalwart, the TGS 26.480 6x4 BLS (LX). With an extra 200 Nm of torque and a Euro 5 emissions
rating, the TGX 26.540 BLS uses selective catalytic reduction (SCR) tech nology and AdBlue to lower carbon as well as other toxic emissions, making it a bona fide nextgeneration longhaul trucktractor, designed to meet the ever more stringent demands of the local market,” explained Du Plessis. “Initial testing of the TGX 26.540 BLS in South Africa by MAN ProfiDrive has shown comparable fuel efficiency to cur rent TGS longhaul trucktractors. An encouraging twolitre per 100 km diesel saving compared to other local truck
models was achieved and, thanks to the TGX’s extra power and torque, shorter trip times and therefore, greater produc tivity were achieved,” added Du Plessis. Considering southern Africa’s moun tainous topography, the ability for a long haul trucktractor to safely ascend and descend steep gradients at optimum speeds is a primary purchasing criterion for longhaul operators and the TGX 26.540 boasts a host of driveline technol ogies that enable benchmark average speeds. Coupled to the D26 powerplant is a 12speed MAN TipMatic automated manual transmission that effectively keeps engine speed at optimum rpm (in the “‘green band”) without the driver having to manually change gears. The aerodynamic design of the TGX EfficientLine cab (fitted with dragre ducing aerokits), plus a low powercon sumption electronically managed com pressor (APM) and an energyefficient EcoLife alternator, bring additional auto mated fuel savings to the vehicle. ENHANCED SAFETY “The TGX braking system is the latest incarnation of MAN’s BrakeMatic tech nology, which includes a hydrodynamic PriTarder that combines an electronical ly controlled engine valve brake (EVBec)
with a Voith Aquatarder. This combina tion of braking technologies produces an extra 110 kW of braking power over the TGS 26.480 and, by blending and re blending the EVBec with the service brakes, delivers more braking capacity and better engine cooling across a wider speed range. The MAN PriTarder is par ticularly effective at slower speeds, mak ing hill descents safe at 60 km/h under a full load,” said Du Plessis. Additional standard safety features in clude a Lane Guard system (LGS), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and an emergency stopping signal (ESS), along with EBS, ASR and ESP. The TGX is also equipped with the roomiest cab ever released in southern Africa, the XLX, which boasts an extra 200 mm of width and full standing height. Extrawide double bunks and all the latest comfort features, from aircon ditioning to a hitech media system with Bluetooth functionality, makes the driv er’s live comfortable, said Dave van Graan, head of truck sales at MAN Truck and Bus. Driver training is undertaken by MAN’s proprietary ProfiDrive programme that includes modules from “basics” to advanced and specialised ap plications, said Van Graan. — Wheels Reporter.
VOLVO ADDS FULL ELECTRIC TO POPULAR HYBRID STABLE
Jeep’s concept bakkie for 2017 Jeep stopped making a bakkie version of the Comanche in 1992, but Automotive News reports a Jeep bakkie based on the Wrangler may come off the assembly line in 2017 — and it is likely to look a lot like this 2015 concept Jeep bakkie. PHOTO: FILE
BELGIUM will next month see Volvo’s first massproduced city bus at the Busworld exhibition in Kortrijk. Volvo said in a statement the 12 metre Volvo 7900 Electric bus features the group’s unique Volvo Dynamic Steering stabilisation system. The electric motors are almost 80% more energyefficient than a diesel en gine. The batteries can be recharged at bus stops using the power grid tak ing less than six minutes to give 10 km of driving. While the first fully electric bus for Volvo, the 7900 Electric joins two hy brids in the Volvo stable, the 7900 Hybrid (also available as an articulated bus) and the Volvo 7900 Electric Hy brid. Volvo has to date sold over 2 200 hybrid buses since their intro duction in 2010. — WR.
Volvo’s first fullly electric bus, the 7900 Electric. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Hino will help clients with Certificate of Fitness HINO South Africa has launched a campaign to attract extra servicing cus tomers to its countrywide dealer net work while also making a positive con tribution to road safety through encour aging any repairs required for a Hino to pass the annual Certificate of Fitness
(COF) to be carried out at a franchised workshop. The programme will run for three months from September 1 to Novem ber 30 and will involve Hino SA paying the COF examination fee for all Hino trucks with a GVM over 3 500 kg going
for the test. (This does not include trailers). This will be dependent on the customer taking the truck to a Hino dealer after the test so that the work shop can give a quote on the repairs required. “Hino South Africa is very aware of the large number of trucks on
our roads that are unroadworthy, often due to repairs or regular maintenance being carried out at nonfranchised workshops,” said Ernie Trautmann, the vicepresident of Hino SA. “This not only invalidates the warran ty on the truck if it is still in the war
ranty period and cancels the warranty on any genuine parts that have been fitted to the truck, but can also result in a breakdown because the technician is not properly qualified to carry out the work to Hino’s specification.” — Wheels Reporter.
8
WitnessWheels MOTORING
September 24, 2015
Seller keeps SuperGP Win at Dezzi gives defending champ his second successive SuperGP title TWO comfortable wins at Dezzi South Coast Raceway on Satur day, September 19 gave defend ing champion Clint Seller (NeoLife Africa Yamaha R1) his second successive SuperGP title while teammate Steven Oden daal (NeoLife Africa Yamaha R6) had a slightly more difficult path to the Super600 title. After overnight rain the track was still damp when the Su perGP and SuperM riders went out for their qualifying session and they all elected to use wet weather tyres. The tricky conditions didn’t seem to worry Seller and he took pole position from Brent Harran (Metals Centre/Odin Power sport Kawasaki ZX10R) by a mas sive 2,372 seconds. Jade Gutzeit (Proudly Bidvest Yamaha R1) was the first of the SuperM riders and his time put him third on the combined grid. The second row was an all SuperGP affair, Bran don Goode (EmTek Racing Nashua Yamaha R1) leading the way from Anthony Shelley (Em Tek Racing Nashua Yamaha R1) and Lance Isaacs (Black Swan Racing/BMW Motorrad S1000RR). SuperM riders filled the third row of the grid with Lu an van Zyl (Megaforce Racing Kawasaki ZX10R) ahead of the Moto’s KTM RC8s of Neil van Loggerenberg and Jannie Moll. Shortly after the lights went out to signal the start of the first race it became clear that Harran was the only rider capable of get ting close to Seller but, despite his best efforts, the defending champion was able to control things from the front, going on to win by almost two seconds. Dylan Gray (South Coat Mo tors / Steve Wagner Motorcycles Yamaha R1) and Wyatt Avis (Fimlflex Plastics/Prepsol/Gaze bo World Kawasaki ZX6) joined Gutzeit on the SuperM podium. Race two delivered an identical result, Seller winning from Har ran with Shelley in third ahead of Goode. Gutzeit again got the better of Isaacs on his way to win ning the SuperM category. Gray and Avis again had a race long battle for the runner’sup spot in SuperM, Gray winning the drag to the line by about a bike length.
North West crew Heine Strumpher and Henri Hugo in their 4x4 Mega World Toyota Hilux. PHOTO: K@SNAPS.CO.ZA CHARMANE FORTUNE
2015 Champions Beau Levey (SuperM), Steven Odendaal (Super600), Clint Seller (SuperGP) and William Friend (SuperJunior). PHOTO: GASSPORTS Harran’s two second places on the day allowed him to get past Iscaas and into third place on the championship log behind Seller and Scholtz. The SuperM title went to Beau Levey who did all the hard work in the early part of the season. Van Loggerenberg and Jacques van Wyngaardt finished in sec ond and third respectively. Super600 Despite Odendaal coming into the final round needing just a point to secure the title the other riders were not going to make things easy for him. Adolf Boshoff (Indy Oil Toy Store Kawasaki ZX6) grabbed pole position from Odendaal with Blaze Baker (Russell Wood Kawasaki ZX6) on the outside of the first row. Anthony Shelley (EmTek Racing Nashua Yamaha R6), Michael White (Consorti um Shipping Kawasaki ZX6) and
Darien Kayser (Uncle Andy Rac ing / Fourways Motorcycles Ka wasaki ZX6) completed the sec ond row. Dylan Barnard (Kawa saki ZX6) and birthday girl Nicole van Aswegen (Triumph SA Women in Motorsport Tri umph 675) rounded out the grid. Odendaal led the opening lap of the first race but Baker and Boshoff made their way past and opened a substantial gap over the rest of the field despite swapping positions on a regular basis. Odendaal started to close them down one the race reached the halfway mark but crashed heavily. He was eventually classi fied seventh, giving him the points he needed to clinch the championship. The battle at the front continued with Boshoff in front when the flag came out. Shelley had a lonely ride to third ahead of White. Barnard and van Aswegen completed the top six.
Race two saw Odendaal again grab the early lead but this time it was Boshoff who got past first. Baker to a while to get round the champion and, by that time, the gap to Boshoff was too big for him to close down. Odendaal stayed in third with Shelley, White and Barnard completing the top six. With seven wins out of thir teen races, Odendaal took the championship by a comfortable margin. White and Boshoff filled the minor placings. SuperJunior William Friend wrapped up the SuperJunior title at Red Star last time out but wanted to show his dominance, taking pole position from Dominic Doyle (Techron Systems) by 1,872 seconds. Lance Marais qualified third with new comer Torrin Wainright in fourth. Tyreece Robert (Auto styling) and Luca Coccioni com
pleted the top six on the grid. Friend took no prisoners in the opening race, running away at the head of the field to win by over 15 seconds. Behind him a threeway battle between Doyle, Robert and Marais could have gone to any of them. They even tually crossed the line in that or der with just over half a second covering the three of them. Coc cioni and Wainright completed the top six. Friend again grabbed the lead in the second race but an off track excursion dropped him down the field and gave the lead to Mairais. He hung on to take his first win while Friend was fighting his way back though the field. A robust move by Friend saw Doyle crash out but it didn’t affect his second place in the championship. Friend worked his way back to second at the flag ahead of Rob ert and Coccioni.
Cronje, Ford bag incidentfilled Toyota Cape Dealer Rally CHARMAINE FORTUNE EVEN a late change of navigator could not prevent Ford Perform ance driver Mark Cronje from achieving an imposing victory in an incidentfilled 2015 Toyota Cape Dealer Rally, thereby taking command of this year’s SA Na tional Rally Championship. Cronje’s victory in the Ford Performance Fiesta S2000 in the penultimate round of the series, coupled with a nonfinish by his nearest competitors and champi onship leaders Leeroy Poulter/El véne Coetzee (Castrol Team To yota Yaris) has swung the cham pionship odds in his favour. For Poulter and Coetzee, and for the Castrol Toyota team, it was an event to forget. After damaging their Toyota Yaris on Friday in an altercation with a wall at the Killarney race track, the pair had to push hard on Saturday to make up lost time. They managed to move up to fifth position by the end of stage
Poulter, Howie win in style
Mark Cronje and new navigator Gerhard Snyman heading to vistory in their Ford Perform ance Fiesta S2000. PHOTO: MOTOR PRESS
eight, but in the next stage Poul ter hit a series of jumps at high speed, the car went end over end and rolled into a ditch next to the road, ending their onslaught. Meanwhile Cronje and new navigator Gerhard Snyman went
on to finish the 13th and final stage of the Western Cape event in a time of one hour, 53 minutes, 59,8 seconds to beat Gugu Zulu/ Hilton Auffray (Sasolracing Volkswagen Polo) by a full three minutes, a country mile in rally
terms. The proverbial sting in the tail of the rally saw to the demise of Henk Lategan/Barry White (Sasolracing Volkswagen Polo), the only team to really threaten Cronje and Snyman, in the final
stage due to suspension failure. Lategan/White won five stages on the trot in their quest to catch the Ford crew and stood a real chance when Cronje was pena lised with 20 seconds for hitting a chicane in stage 11, but in the end it was in vain. Even while not finishing they were classified fourth under Su perally rules, but will only score half the points. Only twelve out of the 34 origi nal starters made it to Parc Ferme at the finish — testament of how tough the event was on cars and crew. • The final rally of the season, the Polokwane Rally, scheduled for Friday, October 16, and Satur day, Octo ber 17, in the Limpopo Province promises to be a hum dinger.
THE dominance Castrol Team Toyota pair Leeroy Poulter and Rob Howie have exercised over the Production Vehicle category in the Do naldson Cross Country Championship was richly re warded when the pair won the recent Vryburg Endurance, the penultimate round of the series, to wrap up the overall and premier Class T titles. The Vryburg result gave Poulter and Howie their fourth victory of the season, with the pair also sharing heat wins on the Toyota 1000 Desert Race with teammates and outgoing champions An thony Taylor and Dennis Murphy. Behind the two Castrol To yota Hilux crews the Vryburg event provided a bit of a shakeup in the overall and Class T championships. Mpumalanga brothers Johan and Werner Horn (Malalane Toyota Hilux) moved into third place in the two title chases ahead of 4x4 Mega World Toyota crew Jason Venter and Vince van Alle mann. The Horn brothers, Venter/Van Allemann and Van Staden/Lawrenson will go into the final event of the season fighting for third place in the overall championship, and in Class T for cars above four litres with independent rear suspension. Also at stake will be bragging rights as leading privateers. Youngsters Gareth Wool ridge and Boyd Dreyer (Neil Woolridge Motorsport Ford Ranger) have excelled in their first season of national rac ing. They did enough at the Vryburg event to give them a mathematical chance of mov ing ahead of the Horns, but would also need an unlikely overall win at the final race. A close race for honours in Class S — for cars up to four litres with solid axle rear sus pension — will also be settled at the final event. Here only six points separate North West crew Heine Strumpher and Henri Hugo (4x4 Mega World Toyota Hilux), and Portuguese pair Rómulo Branco and João Serôdio in the Regent Racing Nissan Na vara. • The final Donaldson series race is the Atlas Copco Gold 450 on the West Rand on October 30 and 31.
Do you need more customers? WE KNOW HOW! ADVERTISE TODAY! Call 033 355 1333
CV JOINT SPECIALISTS
for CV joints, ball joints, tie rod ends, wheel bearings.
341 GREYLING STREET Pmb. 033 342 9174/75