THE POWERED SHOPPING TROLLEY P2
CARS WANTED
May 28, 2015
Witness
WHEELS
Exotic,luxury and supercars WANTED FOR CASH must be low mileage and mint condition, email pics and brief description to ashgani@telkomsa.net
ASH EXOTICS
Dealers in Superfine Exotic and Sports Cars Tel: 033 345 1971, 033 342 4717 Fax: 033 342 2900 - www.ashcarsales.co.za 534/550 Church Street, Pietermaritzburg 3201 • Ash 083 786 3377
KZN’S BEST READ ON BIKES, CARS, VANS, BAKKIES, TRUCK …AND SHOPPING TROLLEYS
Understated endurance BRIAN BASSETT slaloms around (almost all) Msunduzi’s potholes in the new Audi A4 1.8l TFSI Manual PHOTO: QUICKPIC
Styling Some motoring journalists regard Audi’s design as conservative, but the car has a distinction born of familiarity and is easy to recognise by its striking front grill flanked by newlydesigned headlamp modules with daytime running strip lights and an gular fog lamps. The A4 has a swept back, threedi mensional, long bonnet and continuous shoulder line, all of which stretch the car visually and create an elegant sportiness. The roofline and shoulder edge fall slightly towards the rear, ending in a spoil er that hints at the power the big, 17inch, forged, aluminum wheels will deliver to the tar. Interior The A4 has seats that are manually adjustable and very comfortable, although electric seat adjust ments are optional. The dashboard in black is de signed with care to put all immediately required information in front of the driver. The leathercovered, threespoke, multifunc tion steering wheel is a pleasure to handle and al lows the operation of a wide range of functions like cruise control, radio/aux/CD and Ipad connec tivity, as well as a Bluetooth function, which is easy to connect. Those controls not directly in front of the driver are in a centrallyplaced module and combined with a touch screen, all of which allow operation without the driver taking his eyes off the road. The interior has a spacious feel and the car is a full fiveseater, as I found out when I drove four young Rotary Interactors from Linpark High School to Cars in the Park. Unfortunately I hit a
lurking pothole, which wrecked the driver’s side front tyre, and which was changed for me by a kind stallholder, who also owned an A4. The car I drove had a manual gearbox and be cause I love to drive I had no problem with the smooth changes and the feeling of contact with the road a manual box provides. The boot is generous at some 480 litres and, with the rear seats lowered, you get 962 litres. The windows and mirrors are electrically operated and fold back once the engine is turned off, as one would expect on an executive saloon of this quality. Controls for this and the door locks are built into an armrest on the driver’s door. Performance and handling The Audi A4 1.8 litre TFSI Manual is driven by a 1 798cc inline petrol engine with direct fuel injec tion and turbocharging and uses the Audi TFSI system to generate power. It expresses its 88 kW/230 Nm on road via a six speed manual gearbox, which is a pleasure to oper ate. In town the steering is direct and steering feed back and response is immediate. With its electronic park assist the car is easy to park and the doors are designed for easy exit, even for large men like me. On the highway the car is stable at speed and overtaking is effortless. The engine is in fact so peppy that I had to keep bringing down the speed, as the speed creeps up while driving. The sound proofing is excellent and only when accelerating fast are you aware of engine noise. The Audi is, however, a town car and performs best on tar. It will take you onto the D roads with out too much trouble but, once the road becomes poor, it is clear that the car is not happy. However, if you are an offroader, buy one of the Audi Qse ries, which will take you almost anywhere. The car is quite fast with 0100 km/h coming up in about 10 seconds and top speed, if you are insane enough to want to go there, is about 208 km/h. Fuel consumption — very much de pendent on driving style and terrain — is about eight litres per 100 km. Price and competition The car comes with a oneyear, unlimited manufac turers guarantee and a fiveyear or 100 000 main tenance plan, as well as a sevenyear unlimited mileage rust warranty. There are some 18 models in the range. The entry level will cost you around R400 000, while the top of the range RS 4 Avant Quattro tops out at just over R1 million. Also have a look at the BMW 3 Series, CClass MercedesBenz and Lexus IS.
The Audi Q5. Dynamic. Comfortable. Superior. Each route is different, many of them are challenging. It is good to be prepared for unexpected situations. Numerous technical innovations await you in the Audi Q5, helping to get you to your destination more effectively.
Audi Centre Pietermaritzburg 9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg, 3201. Tel: 033 940 1382. www.audipietermaritzburg.co.za Nathi Mncube • Sharon Mpulo • Darryl Chetty New Vehicle Sales Manager: Prunella Naidoo
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AUDI has always had a reputation for reliability and longevity in South Africa. Retirees bought an Audi because they knew that even if they lived to be 80, they would still be driv ing the car. Colleagues of mine at Rotary have A4s that have done well over 300 000 km and have done only normal maintenance and replaced tyres and batteries. Of all the Audi models the A4 is Audi’s world car and is made in places as far apart as Germany and China. It is one of the bestselling automobiles in the world, but in South Africa it has sold less well, some say because of its association with older peo ple who find its durability attractive. However, the arrival of the RS (Renn Sport) models and the retention of Audi’s legendary Quattro allwheel drive system, have made the marque much more exciting and attractive to younger buyers. The A4 is an iconic motor car and I am grateful to Darryl Topper, dealer principal at Audi centre, Pietermaritzburg, for allowing me to drive one for a few days.
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WitnessWheels MOTORING
May 28, 2015
Now for power shopping In one of those whydidInotthinkofthat ideas, shopping trolleys will soon push themselves RICHARD MOSS ISRAELI electrical engineer Avraham Hagay sent photos to show his invention — a motorised shopping trolley de signed to make it easier to push a full load of groceries around the store and back to your car. The system, which carries loads of up to 120 kg, can be retrofitted onto existing carts or integrated into new builds. Hag ay is currently in talks with local compa nies and he hopes to soon find a business partner to help manufacture, market, and sell the technology worldwide. “It all began when I saw old people having difficulty driving the heavy trol ley in the super[market],” Hagay wrote. “I noticed that it is hard also for young women.” Hagay researched online and couldn’t find any standard shopping carts with motorassisted drive, so he de cided to build one himself. The first prototype was essentially just an electrical motor that attached to a regular trolley at one of the wheels and the underside of the cart platform.
Electrical engineer Avraham Hagay has designed a motorised wheel for a shopping trolley that can push up to 120 kg of groceries for 1213 km, using a 120volt battery and a controller set into a modified handlebar. PHOTO: SUPPLIED Testing showed it was too heavy and cumbersome for practical use, so Hagay designed a mechanical structure to hold the electrical engine and the wheel. This could replace the existing rearleft
wheel. And to it he added a rechargeable battery, control box, and speed throttle. That second prototype also proved problematic, this time because it accel erated too fast when the trolley was emp
ty. To fix the problem, Hagay added a speed sensor to the wheel structure. The control unit can now adjust the speed to a programmable maximum of 10 km/h. Hagay says that the speed is usually three km/h, with a linear acceler ation below that point. A speed throttle on one of the hand grips gives you control over the precise speed of the trolley, just like on a motor cycle. Next to the throttle you have a bat tery power indicator and an on/off switch. The electric trolley runs on two 12V/5Ah batteries connected in series to reach 24V. Hagay says it should last for 1213 km of travel, which will likely neces sitate charging every two days. The battery box can be easily swapped out for another one while it recharges, so the supermarket doesn’t have to wor ry about putting the trolley out of com mission for more than a few minutes. Hagay says that the necessary parts can be retrofitted to existing supermar ket trolleys with little difficulty because most supermarkets around the world
WRC champ Sébastien Ogier in action (left) and in the pits with his wife, TV presenter Andrea Kaiser, taking a selfie. PHOTO: DECCANCHRONICLE.COM
It’s all about staying smooth when under pressure AS a French boules champion and skiing instructor, Sébastien Ogier could easily have ended up pursuing a different sporting career to motorsport. However, a love for speed saw him start racing at the relatively late age of 22, since when he has enjoyed a meteoric rise: winner of the French Automobile Federation’s “Rallye Jeune” junior trials in 2005, overall victory in the 2007 Peu geot 206 Cup, winner of the FIA Junior World Rally Championship in 2008, then first WRC victories in 2010. In 2012 he switched to the Volkswag en Motorsport team, which is powered by Castrol EDGE and was, at the time, preparing to enter the pinnacle of rally ing with the Polo R WRC in 2013. A year later he married TV presenter
Andrea Kaiser and the couple is rally ing’s golden couple. Skiiing a lot like rallying With nine victories from 13 rallies en route to Sébastien Ogier’s first World Championship title, the Polo R WRC car was quite literally a welloiled machine in Volkswagen’s debut season in the WRC — not least thanks to Castrol’s premium products. India’s Deccan Chronicle reports Ogier grew up on Switzerland’s slopes, where he mastered the art of skiing and became a professional ski instructor from age 20. “There is a lot you can learn from ski ing that’s useful in a rally car. While at first sight there may appear to be little
in common between a pair of skis and a 300horsepower World Rally Car, there are a few areas in which the two worlds collide,” said Ogier. “The first common factor is carbon fibre. Modern skis and rally cars both make ample use of cuttingedge weight saving materials, with the common goal of going faster,” Ogier said. His first race car was a crosskart he got for Christmas when he was eight. “Later, when I got my driving licence, I realised that rallying is what I love, more so because it is a more accessible form of motorsport compared to circuit racing,” he said. Lube the secret ingredient A successful rally requires a good team
of mechanics, a robust drive train and a lot of talent from both driver and navi gator, but the secret ingredient is lubri cant. The engine oil plays a key role, as fric tion and pressure of up to 10 tons per square centimetre are at play in a mod ern rally engine. That is the equivalent of the weight of five cars on an area the size of a post age stamp. Castrol’s Titanium FS supplements double the strength of the oil film in the engine, which in turn prevents the oil film rupturing and considerably reduces friction between the metal surfaces. This prevents engine damage and sig nificantly increases performance and durability. — Supplied.
Etolls: Proposal to withhold licence discs ‘unlawful’ NEW proposals to withhold vehicle licen ces until outstanding etolls are paid are unlawful, unreasonable and procedurally unfair. This according to the Automobile Asso ciation (AA), which was commenting on the new hybrid funding model for etolls in Gauteng announced by Deputy Presi dent Cyril Ramaphosa in Parliament last Wednesday. The AA, in reaching this conclusion, re fers to Regulation 25(7) and 59 (2) of the National Road Traffic Act, which makes
provision for a registering authority to refuse a licence disc in respect of penal ties or fees owed. Fees here are specified as licence fees. “Our view is that these provisions clear ly do not cater for outstanding toll fees. The etoll legislation implemented in Oc tober 2013 also does not contain any pro vision for an authority to withhold a vehi cle licence disc for outstanding etolls and neither does the Sanral Act,” the associa tion said. The AA said in light of this, any with
holding of licence discs by any authority for outstanding etolls would be an ad ministrative action that is unlawful, un reasonable and procedurally unfair, and therefore unconstitutional. “Any individual who is refused a vehicle licence for this reason has grounds to take legal steps against the minister of Trans port and apply to a court, and request that the Department of Transport be or dered to issue the vehicle licence disc,” said the association. The AA stands by its comments made
on Wednesday that the new proposals are an opportunity missed in dealing once and for all with the unnecessarily burden some funding model for etolls. “We believe these new measures will add to an increase in traffic on alternative routes in the province, and may also lead to many more unlicensed vehicles as mo torists do not renew their discs, as they cannot afford to pay outstanding etoll accounts or simply refuse to do so in pro test,” said the AA. — Supplied.
use the same trolleys and the same type of wheels. That means that most carts will be able to accommodate Hagay’s wheel holder structure without modifi cation, and for those that don’t the structure could be redesigned to fit the differences. Hagay has tested his electrical super trolley to rave reception in his local com munity, and it’s been received with en thusiasm by Israeli supermarket compa nies. “Since I am a private person and still do not have a company, locally in Israel I joined a local super trolley im porter,” Hagay explains, “and he pre sented the product to the big local su per[market] brand companies. “They emphasised that every su per[market] should have some electric trolleys to serve older people and wom en, and to support the super[market] workers who arrange the goods on the shelf,” he continues. Hagay has not yet sold his idea or technology to anyone, but he hopes to move forward with it shortly. — Gizmag.com
Focus on more sales interns THE crucial need for a big increase in the number of people taking up apprentices in the retail motor indus try formed the main focal point at the Retail Motor Industry organisa tion (RMI) conference, Rewards Just Ahead, at Automechanika Johannes burg recently. The purpose of RMI and its indus try partners’ presence at Autome chanika Johannesburg was to provide career guidance in automotive ca reers and promote apprenticeships and vocational training. The event was attended by over 300 pupils from Gautengbased technical schools and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and finished with the Rewards Just Ahead conference. Dr Paul Spear, the returnonin vestment (ROI) manager at the In stitute of the Motor Industry (IMI) in the United Kingdom, gave a de tailed rundown on the global re quirement for more apprentices. He then used a calculator he has developed to show the monetary val ue to an employer of taking on ap prentices. The calculator shows the net productivity from an apprentice and paints a very positive picture in terms of the hours and replacement parts sold. He said benefits started flowing through in the second year. Spear also stressed the importance of attracting talented and wellquali fied people into apprenticeships in the retail motor trade due to the huge leaps in automotive technology and the growing complexity of motor ve hicles. He said the old stereotype of a mechanic in greasy overalls was far from the current situation. He also gave examples of the prac tical and monetary benefits that came from sending employees on specialised training courses. This is particularly true in terms of those employees working in the body shop and parts stocking area. The conference concluded with a panel discussion on the subject of en couraging apprenticeships. — Supplied.
MOTORING WitnessWheels
May 28, 2015
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Made cute for millenials The Wheels team discovers a durable engine, a shark and boot for skinnydipping costumes Made cute for trendy millenials, the Adam proven 1,4’s engine will make up in durability what it lacks in frugality. PHOTO: QUICKPIC
NORMALLY, the first question people ask about a new car is how much does it cost? In the case of the Opel Adam, the FAQ was why Adam? The short answer: Adam Opel was the man who founded the company in 1862 and this new lit tle car pays homage to him. South Africans can choose from three Adam models, with either Opel’s naturallyaspirated 1,4litre (74 kW/130 Nm) and a fivespeed manual gearbox, or the smooth 1,0litre turbo charged threecylinder engine (85 kW/170 Nm) with a six speed manual gearbox. Thanks to rally legend Tschops
Sipuka, theWheels team could enjoy the entry level 1,4 Adam, which currently costs just shy of R190k, including a fiveyear or 120 000 km vehicle warranty and a threeyear or 60 000 km service plan. During a week of conservative city driving, this Adam’s average consumption was 8 l/100 km, which is on the high side of acceptable, but our mechanic assures us the 1 398 cc Ecotec four cylinder will make up for this relative thirst with its proven durability. Opel brand manager at Gener al Motors South Africa Christo pher Cradock said the Adam is aimed at trendsetting image makers, and in the Wheels test crew, that guy is Amil Umraw.
Brian Basett, our pensionedoff tailgater, has, however, owned two soupedup minis in the pre vious century and he also wanted a go in the new millenium’s super mini. Amil says … If there’s one thing the Opel Ad am has it’s personality. Looking at the Adam gives me the same sensation as peeping at a cute puppy in the window of a pet shop — it’s the furry poodle in the corner that seems timid but has a wild side behind it all. Looks aside, the Adam is a spunky little car that’s purpose built for cityslicking. It’ll get you through tiny spaces in peak traf fic with ease, especially with its
fastest fish in the ocean. The 1,4l I tested won’t get you anywhere in a hurry and it has quite the appetite for fuel. Designed as a twodoor, the back seats are irrelevant unless the Adam’s target market is strictly for those who battle to pass the height restriction for a roller coaster. Other than that, it promises a smooth and fun drive every time. Brian says … The Adam is a niche market car for the young and the young at heart. I liked the excellent build quality and stylish looks, which
made people stop and stare at the vehicle and sometimes ask ques tions about what it was. I also liked the power of the 1,4litre en gine, which makes the car peppy and responsive. In the interior I liked the blingy finishes, which were quite excit ing, and the dashboard, which lit up like a computer game at night. Parking in town is a pleasure and I found that I could squeeze the car into small spaces without having a problem getting out. Inside I found the seat roomy enough for my sixfoot frame, but this space was crimped from the rest of the tiny cabin, which meant the rear seats can only serve as parcel shelves with a tall person behind the wheel, while the tiny boot has space only for costumes to go skinnydipping in. That this design is neverthe less spot on, was proven by a fe male friend, whose response to was “Ag siestog, it’s so CUTE!”. 21917
ALWYN VILJOEN
“City” mode that makes the car all the more manoeuvrable when taxis jam up the road. Opel equipped it with every thing you expect to be standard in a car today, but added a few bells and whistles like cruise con trol and parkassist, which really sets it apart from competitors in its class. Then I spotted three imprints of a shark on a few interior panels. Baffled, I did what millenials do, and Google said that one Sunday afternoon in 2004, Opel designer and diving enthusiast Dietmar Finger was at home working on a sketch for the Corsa. His son caught a glimpse of his sketch of the glove box, which in corporated a shark design, and thought it looked cool. Corsa chief designer Niels Loeb agreed and now the Adam, like the Jeep Renegade, sports this new style of designer graffiti. The Adam is, however, not the
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WitnessWheels MOTORING
May 28, 2015
Synthetic fuel coup for Audi Firm produces first batch of ebenzin AUDI logs another success in the devel opment of sustainable, synthetic fuels: collaboration partner Global Bioener gies has produced the first batch of Audi “ebenzin”. Audi “ebenzin” is synthetically pro duced without the use of petroleum. It is 100% isooctane and therefore has an outstanding octane rating of RON 100. Because Audi “ebenzin” contains no sulphur or benzene, it burns very cleanly. It is thus a highgrade fuel that enables engines to use high compression ratios for enhanced efficiency. Audi will test the new fuel in the lab and in test engines. In the medium term, the company and Global Bioenergies aim to modify the process so that it requires no biomass, instead needing just water, hydrogen, CO2 and sunlight. Reiner Mangold, head of sustainable product development at AUDI AG, em phasised that Audi has taken a broad based approach to the development of CO2neutral, nonfossil fuels. “Global
Bioenergies has demonstrated the via bility of the Audi ‘ebenzin’ production process. That is a big step in our Audi efuels strategy.” Audi is already producing larger quan tities of “egas” (synthetic methane) on an industrial scale for its customers. Global Bioenergies SA operates a pi lot plant for the production of isobu tene, the starting material for Audi “ebenzin”, in the French town of Poma cle, near Reims. Isobutene is produced there from renewable raw materials rath er than the usual petroleum. Another project partner is the Fraun hofer Centre for ChemicalBiotechno logical Processes (CPB) in Leuna, Sax onyAnhalt. Researchers there use hydrogen to transform the gaseous isobutene into liquid isooctane. Global Bioenergies is building a demonstration plant at the Fraunhofer centre that will begin pro ducing larger quantities in 2016. — Supplied.
Dezzl helps 78yearold tick bucket list Dezzi Raceway received a call from 78yearold Jane Chisholm, who asked them if they could help her tick off an item from her bucket list. Her dream has always been to ride in a racing car. “During our conversation with her we discovered her need for speed and the next item on her bucket list was to ride on a Harley Davidson,” said Paul Peniston, coordinator at the track. “So in true Dezzi style we made it happen, not only her ride in the racing car but also on a Harley. On behalf of Dezzi Raceway and Mrs Chisholm we would like to say a big thank you to Mikey Skelton of SupaDrift, Kevin Krummeck of Village Tavern and George Myburgh for making this happen. Mrs Chisholm was absolutely thrilled with her rides.” PHOTO: FACEBOOK
Milestone for Nissan LEAF The Nissan LEAF that sparked an electric taxi revolution in Cornwall has clocked up its 100 000th mile without losing a single bar of battery life. ‘Wizzy’, as it was named by St Austellbased operators C&C Taxis, hit the milestone in the course of more than 25 000 pure electric paying fares and having been rapid charged over 1 700 times. Mark Richards, fleet manager at C&C Taxis, estimates that each vehicle saves the business around £8 500 (R156 000) per year in fuel bills and maintenance costs. He said: ‘When we speak to other taxi operators they often tell us range and battery life are the biggest factors preventing them from considering an electric taxi. ‘Then, when we tell them Wizzy’s done 100 000 miles and still has full battery health, they’re left speechless. It’s no exaggeration to say Wizzy has transformed our business. We took a gamble when we bought her but she’ll have paid for herself in just 24 months and the savings we’re now making across the fleet are phenomenal.’ Built in the UK and priced from £21 490 RRP (including Government PlugIn Car Grant), the trailblazing Nissan LEAF is the world’s bestselling pure electric car and costs just two pence per mile to run. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
HYUNDAI LEADS WITH THE i10 HYUNDAI’S new i10 won “Best City Car” at the 2015 Fleet World Honours at an award ceremony hosted by the UK Royal Automobile Club last week. Steve Moody, editor of Fleet World, said the smallest sector of the rental market is also the most demanding, and Hyundai is leading the pack with New Generation i10. “Sales of 25 000 units in its first year set a new record for a Korean car, and takeup is heavily weighted towards top trim levels. It’s a sign that demand is driven by desirability
Voted the best little rental in the UK, the Hyundai i10. PHOTO: QUICKPIC as well as low running costs.” Martin Wilson, fleet director at Hyundai Motor UK, said the award from Fleet World reinforced the i10 as
an attractive proposition. In the UK, passenger cars come with Hyundai’s industryleading fiveyear, unlimited miles warranty. — Newspress.
A mountain of tyres shows what Redisa has to recycle. PHOTO: FILE
Old tyres underlay carpets THE Mathe Group in New Germany, KZN, has received a Recognition Award in the first awards hosted by the Recy cling and Economic Development Initi ative of South Africa (Redisa). The award marks the Mathe Group’s contribution towards recycling used tyr es that are becoming a major environ mental hazard in South Africa. The Mathe Group was formed by Vu sumuzi Mathe in 2010 and currently op erates from a small factory in New Ger many. Dr Mehran Zarrebini, head of British investment group PFE International which is part of a joint venture with the Mathe Group and also owns Van Dyck Carpets, received the award in Johannes burg. The Mathe Group has supplied Van Dyck Carpets with rubber crumb since 2012 for the manufacture of acoustic un derlays which are used under floor cover ings to minimise noise between different levels in apartment and office blocks. Dr Zarrebini said that the Mathe Group had been working with Redisa since September 2014. “Redisa has enabled us to focus on our core strength which is the manufactur
ing of rubber crumb. “Prior to being registered with the or ganisation, we had to source and collect tyres from various locations in KwaZulu Natal. This was very costly and we were unable to secure a steady raw material supply. “Since we started working with Redi sa, this problem has been eliminated and we can concentrate on manufacturing as well as on developing new and existing customers,” he said. The award, he added, will be proudly displayed in the new premises that the group plans to open in Hammarsdale in KwaZuluNatal in July. Zarrebini said that this was a com pletely unexpected and much valued ac knowledgement of all the work that the Mathe Group and its dedicated employ ees had done to establish a sustainable business. A multimillionrand investment in Hammarsdale by the joint venture part ners has seen the construction of a com pletely new automated 2 500 sq/m facto ry and a 1 000 sq/m warehouse. It will be fitted out with R20 million worth of stateoftheart equipment which is due to arrive in a month’s time.— WR.
Pietermaritzburg: Where this year’s runners finish and Volkswagen owners start. By Pieter from Maritzburg
Barons PMB are the most conveniently situated Volkswagen dealerships for anyone living between Durban and the Drakensburg. And they provide superlative after sales service.
So this year marks the 90th Comrades Marathon – the race that puts Pietermaritzburg on the map. I wish all runners the best and will certainly be cheering them on from the side-lines. This year is the up-run, meaning the Comrades runners will finish in Pietermaritzburg; the same place where all firsttime Volkswagen owners should start.
Last, but certainly no least, they are also one of the key dealers within the Barons Group. As such, Barons PMB benefits from an extensive pool of knowledge, experience and strength. I could go on, but I don’t think I need to…
Here’s just a few reasons why…
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.
The Bespoke Volkswagen Dealers at Barons PMB are renowned for tailoring deals on Volkswagens (Complete with the quality and reliability of Das Auto Engineering and the fuel efficiency and economy of BlueMotion Technology) to suit your budget and needs.
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Mileage certified • Full Service history • 7-day exchange plan • Vehicle Customization • 24 Hr roadside assistance •
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80-point mechanical check 2-year / unlimited km warranty* Vehicle History Integrity Check Balance of VW Automation Plan Professional Vehicle Reconditioning
2013 2014 2014 2014 2014 2015 2015 2015
Polo Vivo GP 1.4 Trendline Polo Vivo Sedan 1.4 Trendline Polo Vivo GT 1.6 Polo Vivo Sedan 1.4 Blueline Polo Vivo 1.4 Trendline 5 Door Polo Vivo GP 1.6 Comfortline 5 Door Polo Vivo Maxx 1.6 Polo Vivo 1.4 Trendline 5 Door
Red Silver White Silver Silver White Silver Beige
R142 900 R129 900 R139 900 R129 900 R132 900 R159 900 R159 900 R139 900
3 000 35 000 42 000 11 000 27 000 1 000 6 500 8 000
km km km km km km km km
2011 2013 2013 2014 2014 2014 2015 2015
Polo 1.6 Comfortline Polo 1.4 Trendline 5 Door Polo 1.4 Comfortline Polo Sedan 1.6 Comfortline Polo GTI DSG Polo 1.4 Trendline 5 Door Polo 1.2 TSI Highline Polo 1.2 TSI Trendline
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R149 900 R152 900 R169 000 R184 900 R269 900 R149 900 R239 000 R185 900
62 000 25 000 58 000 21 000 20 000 24 000 3 000 1 500
km km km km km km km km
2010 2012 2013 2014 2015
Golf 6 GTI 2.0 TSI DSG Golf 6 1.4 Comfortline Golf 7 1.4 TSI Comfortline Golf 7 GTI 2.0 TSI Golf 7 1.4 TSI Comfortline DSG
White Silver Silver White Silver
R275 000 R184 900 R229 000 R359 900 R295 000
65 000 60 000 61 000 38 000 6 000
km km km km km
2015
Amarok Double Cab Automatic 132kW
Grey
R439 000
2 500
km
2011 2011 2012 2013 2014 2014 2015 2015
Touran 1.4 TSI Highline Jetta 1.4 TSI Comfortline Jetta 2.0 TDI T5 Crew Cab 2.0 TDI Passat 1.8 TSI Comfortline DSG Touareg 3.0 TDI BlueMotion Tiptronic Volkwagen CC 1.8 TSI DSG Move up! 1.0
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R199 900 R149 000 R199 900 R299 900 R279 900 R699 000 R374 900 R146 900
75 000 88 000 81 000 63 000 15 000 13 800 7 000 2 000
km km km km km km km km
Polo
Golf
Amarok Other VW
Other
2010 2010 2013 2013 2015 2015
Audi Q5 2.0 TDI Quatro Mazda 3 1.6 Audi A5 2.0 TFSI Quatro S-Tronic Ford Figo 1.4 Ambiente Nissan NP200 Suzuki Swift 1.2 GL
Interest Rate Monthly No. of Vehicle Price Instalments Linked / Instalments Variable
R292,400
R3,222*
72
6.44%*
Balloon Payment
Deposit
Total Cost Incl fees & VAT
10% 38.1% (R29,240) (R111,404)
R343,386
Gold Blue Grey Silver White Silver
R259 000 R109 900 R299 900 R99 900 R149 900 R117 900
64 000 62 000 72 000 69 000 1 500 4 000
Visit us on www.baronsvwpmb.co.za and find us on facebook.com/BaronsPietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg
9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg, 3201 • Tel: 033 845 3100
Your choice of a hatch or sedan for an extra R10 p.m
The Polo Vivo 63kW Trendline and standard features include: Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with EBD Height adjustable driver seat Driver and passenger airbags Central locking system with remote key
km km km km km km
No. of Instalments
Interest Rate Linked / Variable
Model
Vehicle Price
Monthly Instalments
Polo Vivo 55kW Conceptline
R144,900
R2,223*
72
9.75%*
Polo Vivo 63kW Trendline
R159,600
R2,233*
72
7.64%*
R151,000
R2,313*
72
9.75%*
0%
R52,850
R219,411
R165,600
R2,323*
72
7.73%*
0%
R57,960
R225,235
Polo Vivo Sedan 55kW Conceptline Polo Vivo Sedan 63kW Trendline
Balloon Payment
Total Cost Incl fees & VAT
0%
R50,715
R210,774
0%
R55,860
R216,665
Deposit
Visit us on www.baronsvwpmb.co.za
e&oe
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
An optional cost of R900 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.25%. Note: Offers calculated on the New Jetta TSI Comfortline in standard specifications. Excludes optional extras. Instalment includes delivery, initiation and monthly administration fee of R57. Subject to bank approval. Information subject to change without prior notification. All finance offers are subject to credit approval from Volkswagen Financial Services. Volkswagen Financial Services South Africa Proprietary Limited trading as Volkswagen Financial Services an Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP6635. Terms and Conditions apply. All the above is subject to price increase and valid until 15 June 2015.
Buy a Polo Vivo 55kW Conceptline and we will upgrade you to a Polo Vivo 63kW Trendline.
*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.
Barons
(EDL) Air conditioner Hill hold control Driver and passenger front air bags Cruise control
-
Visit us on www.baronsvwpmb.co.za
An optional cost of R900 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.25%. Note: Offers calculated on the Polo TSI 81kW Highline in standard specifications. Instalment includes delivery, initiation and monthly administration fee of R57. Subject to bank approval. Information subject to change without prior notification. All finance offers are subject to credit approval from Volkswagen Financial Services. Volkswagen Financial Services South Africa Proprietary Limited trading as Volkswagen Financial Services an Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP6635. Terms and Conditions apply. All the above is subject to price increase and valid until 15 June 2015.
Polo Vivo
90kW @ 5 000rpm 6 speed manual Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) with Brake Assist and Electronic Differential Lock
An optional cost of R900 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.25%. Note: Offers calculated on the Polo Vivo 55kW Conceptline hatch or sedan and Polo Vivo 63kW Trendline hatch or sedan models in standard specifications. Installment excludes optional extras and delivery fee, but includes monthly administration fee of R57. Subject to bank approval. Information subject to change without prior notification. All finance offers are subject to credit approval from Volkswagen Financial Services. Volkswagen Financial Services South Africa Proprietary Limited trading as Volkswagen Financial Services an Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP6635. Terms and Conditions apply. All the above is subject to price increase and valid until 15 June 2015.
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5.1l/100km 6 speed manual Hill-hold assist Electronic Stability Programme (ESP)
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MOTORING WitnessWheels
May 28, 2015
7
Korean van plugs last hole Hyundai takes on the Sprinter and Transit to meet expected growth in Europe’s panel van market DARREN QUICK HYUNDAI produces a wide vari ety of vehicles, from urban run abouts to heavyduty trucks, and almost everything in between. The company is now plugging one of the few remaining holes in its lineup with the commence ment of production of its first light commercial vehicle (LCV), the H350. First unveiled last year at the Hanover Motor Show, the H350 is set to compete against the likes of the MercedesBenz Sprinter and Ford Transit. Production of
the Europeandesigned and en gineered vehicle began this week in Bursa, Turkey, at the plant of Hyundai’s production partner, Karsan Automotive. The multipurpose LCV is be ing built upon a flexible platform designed to support van, bus and chassiscab body styles. The 3,5ton van will come in a choice of 5,5 m or 6,2 m overall lengths boasting a cargo capacity of 12,9 m3 and the ability to carry five Eurostandard pallets. Meanwhile, the four ton (4,4 ton) bus variant features 13+1 seat layouts and a choice of
The Korean that will compete with Ford and MercedesBenz. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
passenger access doors. Finally, the chassiscab is aimed at versa tility with the vehicle designed to form a foundation for custom ised bodywork to support cargo boxes measuring up to four me tres long and 2,32 m wide. The vehicles will be powered by a 2,5litre engine offered in a standard power variant boasting 110 kW and 373 Nm, and a high power variant generating 125 kW and 422 Nm. Both versions meet Euro5 emissions regulations. “With the start of production of the Allnew H350 today, Hyun
dai Motor will begin to play a key role in the European commercial vehicle sector,” said Byung Tae Yea, executive vice president of Hyundai Motor Company. “This portion of the market is forecast to grow significantly over the next few years, so now is the right time for Hyundai Mo tor to enter Europe’s big van seg ment,” he said. The H350 is set to go on sale in Turkey this month and in nine other European countries from next month, before an expansion into additional European mar kets next year. — Gizmag.com.
IT’S BIGGER IN BOTHAVILLE OVER 250 000 people who attended the annual harvest festival at Bothaville last week helped to make the Nampo show bigger than even the Sema show for bling parts to pimp cars with in Las Vegas. Among the gargantuan tractors pulling mammoth wagons, this year’s festival also showed Suzuki’s tiny Gypsy bakkie (left), which currently sells only in Namibia, and various campers (bottom right) built onto the sturdy ladderframes of Iveco panelvans. Cityslicker and Automotive Business Review editor Graham Erasmus (top right) could not get over the size of the farming economies that drive sales of these behemoths, but the secret is in the show specials. Iveco dropped R110k on the demo Iveco Daily (far left) and added R25k in accessories to make this dropside with its 24 diff ratios the most valuable 4x4 for the money in SA. PHOTOS: ALWYN VILJOEN
Driving four seasons in one day DAVE SCOTT SEASONAL and geographic climatic changes markedly affect South African road safety. In addition to annual changes in weather patterns, longdistance truck drivers in South Africa may easily experi ence four different climatic conditions in a single day. South Africa’s rainy season can be particularly hazardous. The eThekwini Municipality crash sta tistics for 2013 averaged out at 174 crash es each of the 365 days, with one person dead, six seriously injured and nine less seriously injured in each crash. This average does not show what hap pens in “peak crash periods” following bad weather that can top 350 crashes in a single, hectically rainy day. The wet sea son has got to act as an alarm bell for fleets on the road, but ice and snow on the Van Reenen’s even more so. Drivers must be prepared for seasonal
A day in the life of a truck driver — from balmy weather in Durban to snow at the top of Van Reenen’s. PHOTO: LADYSMITH GAZETTE changes at both an attitudinal and opera tional level. Operators must train drivers before a wet season begins and ensure maintenance staff, drivers and crew un derstand what is expected of them during adverse operating conditions. Here are a few steps to take: • Truck stop lamps and turn indicators
are notoriously inadequate due to the presence of months of accumulated road grime. The driver must check and, if nec essary, clean lamps at every stop. It must be part of a job description. • In some escarpment settings, misty conditions are encountered on an ongo ing basis. In view of this, why should well focused fog lamps not be fitted as stan
dard for trucks operating in these areas? Does the driver know how and when to use fog lamps? • Demisting a cab to see out of it can become a very annoying hazard if a de mister is not working. Few trucks are fit ted with airconditioning, which is the most effective demister. • Many operators often discard mud flaps and mudguards due to repairs and maintenance associated with these com ponents. This has two major consequen ces. Firstly, overtaking traffic cannot see past the rear wheel spray and take huge risks in trying to pass. This is a regular experience for private and commercial drivers. Secondly, muddy road residue clings to mirrors and windows masking rear road conditions for a driver. The fact that a crash is the fault of an overtaking vehi cle is beside the point — a driver must avoid any kind of crash. • Are wiper motors, arms and blades all working effectively? It is not sufficient for maintenance staff to renew the wiper blades without checking that the other components are actually in good working order as well. • Does the windscreen washer work? • Dave Scott is an accredited journalist with expertise and a keen focus on the road transport industry including fleet management. He can be reached at dave@davedscott.co.za
DRIVER TRAINING DISCOUNT FOR READERS ALWYN VILJOEN FOLLOWING the successful launch of an advanced driver training programme aimed at women in luxury vehicles, Wheels can report the Hesketh track in Hayfields will host at least two more of these tailored, antihijack courses. The best news is the first 10 people to book will get a steep dis count. Michelle Reding told Wheels such was the feedback after the first course that a Johan nesburgbased and fully accredit ed instructor will again come to Pietermaritzburg to present the advanced defensive driving and antihijack course this weekend on Saturday, and again on June 20. The first 10 to book will pay R1 500, instead of R2 500 for the fourhour course. • Call Reding on 033 501 153 to book and claim you Wheels reader discount.
SALES PERSON: Yusuf – 082 786 1193 • Peter – 083 234 4002 • Patrick – 082 587 5803 Ernest – 074 802 3922 • Jacques – 074 217 7777 • Ria - 074 196 8553 Clinton – 079 522 4719 • TELEPHONE: 033 392 4444
Ford
- Chatterton Road 2013 MITSUBISHI ASX 2.0 GLS
2011 BMW X1 SDRIVE 2.0D STEPTRONI
2012 FORD RANGER 2.2 TDCI, XL, 4X4 LWB
Silver, 39 700 km, Panoramic Roof, Leather Heated Seats, Alloy Wheels, FSH
White, 89 000 km, Sunroof, FSH, Balance of Motorplan.
White, 50 000 km, FSH, Balance of Warranty.
R229995
R249995
R224995 2013 FORD RANGER 2.2 TDCI, XLS, 4X4, D/CAB
2014 CHEVROLET UTOLITY 1.4
2009 RENAULT SANERO 1.6 UNITED
80 000 km, CHOICE OF 3.
White, 22 500 km, Canapy, FSH
92 500 km, 1 Lady Owner, FSH.
R129995
R69995
2011 VW POLO 1.4i COMFORTLINE. 5-DOOR
2012 KIA RIO 1.2 SEDAN
2013 FORD RANGER 2.2 TDCI, MP, LWB
White, 47 000 km, Electric Windows, Alloy Wheels, FSH.
Silver, 15 000 km, Like New, Alloy Wheels, FSH.
White, 106 000 km, FSH.
R129995
R165000
2012 FORD FOCUS 1.6 TREND, 5-DOOR
2014 CHEVROLET UTILITY 1.4 SPORT
2012 JEEP WRANGLER 2.8 CRD 2-DOOR
Silver, 60 300 km, Balance of Warranty.
Silver, 15 000 km.
Silver, 67 000 km.
R159995
R269995
2012 RENAULT TRAFIC 1.9 DCI, PANEL VAN
2013 HYUNDAI I30 1.8 GLS
2015 FORD KUGA AMBIENTE, DEMO MODEL
White, 120 000 km.
Silver, 77 000 km, Leather Seats.
White, 106 000 km, FSH.
R189995
R299995
R329995
R129995
R164995
R139995
SALES PERSON: Shaheed – 084 624 6239 • Winston – 082 871 0294 • Douglas – 072 4710 896 • Tyron – 083 232 6866 • Sithembiso – 083 858 8638 • TELEPHONE: 033 392 4444
Auto
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Body/Safety Panels
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MOTOR SPARES
431 Hoosen Haffejee Street • Tel: 033 342 7055 • 033 342 1807 • 033 342 1808 • Fax: 033 342 1745 • Email: asalysales@gmail.com
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DIRECT IMPORTERS AND SUPPLIERS OF QUALITY PARTS Body panels • Grills • Suspension parts • Windscreens SABS Tailgate handles Radiators • Fan blades • Mirrors, rubbers Wiper/motor blades • Headlights Marker/fog lamps • Bumpers Window mech Door glasses/locks/handles/hinges • Boot locks Steering racks
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12
WitnessWheels MOTORING
May 28, 2015
The beast that doesn’t kill You’d never call it a learner’s bike, but on the other hand I think just about any rider could enjoy it LOZ BLAIN KTM’s marketing team scared us a bit with its buildup for the 1290 Super Duke R, nicknaming it “The Beast” and pointing at a truly frightening spec sheet: 1 301 cc, 180 raging horsepower (134 kW), 144 throbbing Newtonme ters of torque, in a lowgeared streetbike with a nasty attitude. Everything about the 189 kg bike screamed “widowmaker”, the next in a long line of motorcycles that were too big, too bad and too damn much for a normal rider to handle. But a funny thing happened when I took it out to test it — it didn’t kill me. In fact, despite its tarmacripping torque and insane power levels, it proved to be a friendly, even encouraging, bike to ride, even when you switch the trac tion control and ABS off. What kind of black magic is this? The tyredestroying, earthshattering power and torque are most certainly there. From anywhere on the tacho, you can unleash absolutely explosive acceler ation with a firm twist of the wrist. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that I’ve never ridden anything that accelerates faster on the road. The sheer flexibility of that massive engine is so extraordinary you’ve got your choice of about three gears at any speed, and that includes standstill, as the bike will happily launch in third with a bit of a clutch slip. Its bigtwin power lets you overtake at the speed of thought, and wheelie in all the gears. But the throttle mapping is so sweetly designed that I never bothered taking it out of Sport mode. In fact, most of the two weeks I’ve had this bike for, the weather has been absolutely atrocious and I’ve been riding it around in Sport mode with
The KTM 1290 Super Duke R corners well on Dunlop Sportmax Sportsmart 2 tyres, although as a Bridgestone fan I’d love to see how it steers on BT003s. PHOTO: GIZMAG traction control off. I feel like we can gloss over handling a little. The 1290 uses KTM’s inhouse WP suspension at either end and this has always been topnotch gear. I found the standard settings underdamped, so I used the handadjusters on the forks to dial in four clicks of extra rebound,
and used a screwdriver to do the same at the back. Being a tall bike with a nice low centre of gravity, it handles beauti fully — although I almost thought I felt a bit of frame flex hitting bumps when leaned over. The footpegs are slippery, so I’d al most take a file to them and hatch in a
bit more grip. The mirrors are only good for elbow gazing, and the gear lever is too short, but that’s about where my complaints end on the ergonomics. The riding position strikes a great balance between elbowsout aggression and all day touring comfort. Brakes are absolute topshelf Brembo
monoblocs with Bosch ABS. They bite quickly and they bite hard. For all the 1 290’s vaunted acceleration it almost feels like you can stop harder than you can go, although the ABS does seem to intervene earlier than on other bikes. Fuel consumption is another nice sur prise. We never recorded worse than 6,5 litres/100 km, whether commuting or going hard in the twisties, and the fi nal tank range hovered around 280 km. In fact, for all my apprehension going into this test, I’ve come out with pre cious few bad things to say about the Super Duke 1290. You’d never call it a learner’s bike, but on the other hand I think just about any rider could enjoy it. In fact, I think it’s so easy to ride that KTM might have stuffed this up a bit. This isn’t supposed to be a bike with mass market appeal. This is supposed to be The Beast, the bike that strikes fear into the beige. The kind of bike you give your mate a ride on, and he comes back looking pale and defeated. I put a mate on this thing, and he came back looking downright empowered. That’s not good enough. My real worry here is that with a bike like this, your riding buddies will think you’re only fast because your bike is awe some. What you want is for them to take it for a ride, come back and say “Christ knows how the hell you ride that thing, I’m not man enough.” It’d be easy enough to fix with a Sport mode and throttle mapping as well as dedicated traction control and ABS but tons that we can switch on the fly. Oh, and knock sixth gear down a few notches so you can actually use it at 100 km/h. Do that, and this would be a damn near perfect motorbike. As it is, it’s only brilliant.
TUCK IN TO NIP IN WITH 100S
Most affordable hubwheel for bicycles Korean company Centinel (est. 2012) has launched a kickstarter campaign for what could be the cheapest hubmotor wheel, if they ship as planned. The 26inch Centinel produces 360 W from two 180 W motors and can fit onto any bike. A 24V, 13A lithiumion battery and the two motors are removable to recharge, facilitate maintenance or even replace with upgrades. The stated range of the eight kilogram wheel is a conservative 50 km, with top speed a realistic 25 km/h. To save power, an automatic planetary gear switches between the motors to provide high speed for level sections or high torque for hills. An intelligent controller ensures optimum power delivery and links to an app. Kickstarter pledges start at $899 (R10 629) and Centinel plans to ship the first wheels next April. PHOTO: YOUTUBE SCREENGRAB
Maritzburg’s most caring motorbike club, 100s, invite all enthusiasts on a motorcycle ride to the Nip Inn in Bulwer on June 14. This club requires hiviz jackets. A preride and social takes place at the Vintage Sports Car Club on Oribi Road at 6.30 pm on June 12. More info from Minnesh at 083 701 6762. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Cayenne to deliver bikes right to your door Use card to donate bikes CAYENNE Group has created a unique service for motorcyclists wanting to pur chase any of their brands who cannot get to their head office at Kyalami. “The service includes a doortodoor delivery to anywhere in the country for any of our brands and models,” said Craig Langton, sales director and co owner of the Cayenne Group. “We will handle everything via tele phone and emails, the finance, registra tion, licence, predelivery of the motor cycle and deliver it to your doorstep at no extra charge. It also does not stop
there. When you want a service it’s a call and we will pick up your motorcycle, bring it back to our workshop, complete the service and get it back to you within two days,” said Langton. Other options for this new service is that when you buy a new superbike and live out of town, Cayenne will fly you in, pick you up at no cost and you can ride your new motorcycle home. If you have a tradein all you do is send Cayenne images and the history of the motorcycle and they will make you a bet ter book value offer and the Cayenne ser
vice machine takes over from there. All the preparation, paper work, fi nance, insurance is done inhouse, plus all the existing added value offers are still available such as a twoyear warranty and a free threeyear service plan valued at R15 000, the unique Cayenne Flexifin package that include 0% deposit, up to 72 months to pay, guaranteed tradein facility above book value, guaranteed buy back at 65% after three years and 24hour roadside assist. Terms and con ditions do apply, so call Berto or Clinton at 011 244 1900 for more information.
THE nonprofit organisation Qhube ka reminds people to use their What is MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet cards especially to assist the group to buy bicycles for pupils across SA. MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet is South Africa’s biggest community support programme which raises funds for schools and charities in order to improve education and social devel opment. The cards are free and each swipe at retailers across the country sees a
percentage of the purchase dontated to your selected beneficiary. Qhubeka is World Bicycle Relief’s programme dedicated to advancing education, health and economic op portunities by providing simple, sus tainable transportation. Since World Bicycle Relief’s found ing in 2005, it has delivered more than 220 000 specially designed, locally as sembled bicycles to people in need. More on www.qhubeka.org. — Wheels Reporter.
MOTORING WitnessWheels
May 28, 2015
Nissan, BMW share power Electric car owners will share fastcharging points ROSSLYN — Nissan and BMW confirmed they will col laborate to advance electric vehicle (EV) and plugin hy brid vehicle adoption in SA. Nissan SA and BMW Group SA signed a Memoran dum of Understanding to jointly plan and build a nation al grid of EV and plugin hy brid vehicles charging stations for use by both Nissan and BMW vehicles. “Our introduction of the 100% electric Nissan LEAF in 2013 was part of Nissan’s glob al drive to advance sustainable mobility and to grow the mar ket for zeroemission vehicles. “With this in mind we be lieve our partnership with BMW SA is a sound invest ment to create a futureproof automobile industry,” said Mike Whitfield, managing di rector of Nissan South Africa. Mr Tim Abbott, managing director of BMW SA, says in dustrywide cooperation is the key to the future success of electric vehicles. “We have successfully launched the BMW i3 and i8. A key imperative of our strate gy is to ensure that the neces sary infrastructure is rolled out to help increase consumer confidence in the viability of electric vehicles. “We therefore believe that in order for the introduction and expansion of electric vehi cles as well as plugin hybrid electric vehicles to be success ful in this market, we need to work together. Our partner ship with Nissan is the first step towards that.” The agreement will see
BMW SA and NSA roll out di rect current (DC) fastcharg ing stations that are equipped with both the Combined Charging System 2 (CCS2) used by BMW’s electric and plugin hybrid models and the Charge de Move system (CHAdeMO) plug standards used by Nissan’s 100% elec tric LEAF. The national grid of charg ing stations will also make use of smaller alternating current (AC) type vehicle chargers in certain regions. As part of the newly signed agreement, these chargers will be equipped with “Type 2” sockets that allow the connection of all EVs and PHEVs. Planning and building a na tional electric vehicle charging infrastructure are major feats, and the grid will be managed by a joint task team compris ing executives from both man ufacturers. “By sharing ex pertise, ideas and challenges, BMW and Nissan will acceler ate the growth and consumer acceptance of the EV and PHEV market to the benefit of the entire automotive indus try. “These organisations have shown the same insight in es tablishing a vehicle charging grid as they did in creating their futuristic electric vehi cles,” says Mike Schüssler, chief economist of Econo mist.co.za and an automotive market specialist. BMW SA introduced its EV and PHEV models, the BMW i3 and the BMW i8 in March this year. — Supplied.
KZN TAXI DRIVERS DONATE TAXI drivers last week donat ed 179 school uniforms to 58 different primary schools in the eThekwini Metro during a schools’ outreach by the Dur ban Metro Ningizimu 01 Re gional Taxi Council. The Department of Educa tion said KZN had many needy pupils and the teach ers appreciate the donations by the taxi drivers of the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) to the schools. SantacoKZN manag er Sifiso Shangase said the council’s outreach to schools started last year and has al
ready donated uniforms to 9 810 learners in KwaZuluNa tal. “As Santaco we are giving back to the community since the parents of these children are using our transport,” he said. He thanked the teachers for the role they played to support and uplift indigent pupils in their areas. The Public Transport Pas senger Association (PTPA) used the outreach to remind pupils the taxi fare will see its annual increase on July 1. — WR.
13
Overland Expo West for all nomads at heart CC WEISS NORTHERN Arizona last week hosted America’s baddest, big gest or just most jawdroppingly
ridiculous 4x4 adventure camp ers at the Overland Expo West. The terrain year was muddy with light snow to create tyre swallowing mud that left many
Just the bakkie for braaing behind the stands after the match, the Toyota Tundra with the “Ultimate Tailgating” barbecue and big screen package, by American group Findlay. PHOTOS: GIZMAG
a vehicle grinding its gears fruit lessly. It wasn’t ideal weather for a camping trip, but it proved the perfect backdrop for showcasing rugged fourwheelers with spe
cialised chassis and powertrain components. These are some of the camping vehicles that will al so appeal to South Africa’s no madsatheart. — Gismag.com.
The Ram 2500 Prospector is so big, it does not need a pop up roof or expanding sides.
Four Wheel PopUp Campers bolted their practical caravan onto a Mitsubishi Fuso 4x4 chassis to create a practical, go anywhere trailer. Right: This twofloor Nissan camper van was the highest poptop at the outdoor expo.
Insurer not worried about licence validity A LEADING auto insurance group has assured Wheels that a missing vehicle licence disc on a roadworthy vehicle does not invalidate its insur ance. This after Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announce ment last week that the car rot of discounted etoll rates also came with a stick in the form of Gauteng not renew ing the annual vehicle licence disc if the vehicle’s etolls were unpaid. People asked if insurers would reject claims if their vehicle licence disc were invalid? Tania Joffe, head of Auto
A Gauteng driver’s reaction to the latest etoll threat. PHOTO: ENCA.COM & General’s broker division, said her company is one in surer that would not consider the status of our customers’ vehicle licence disc when de ciding whether to settle claims or not. “If a client has failed to re new his/her licence disc be cause of his/her etoll ac count, this is not material for us whatsoever,” she said Materiality is an important factor when assessing the set tlement of an insurance claim. An expired licence disc would not play a role in
causing an accident. Some thing that could be material is the roadworthiness of the vehicle, for example. “When we investigate acci dent claims, if an aspect of the vehicle is deemed un roadworthy, we would assess its materiality in terms of the accident,” says Joffe. Most insurers will not in demnify a customer for an accident claim if the custom er’s vehicle is deemed un roadworthy and if this “un roadworthiness” was the cause of the accident.
The 16 safetycritical compo nents and functions that should be checked regularly to ensure your vehicle’s roadwor thiness are: 1. Tyres, including the spare wheel, should have a tread one millimetre or deeper and must be correctly inflated. 2. Brake fluid should be full. 3. Brake pads and discs front and rear should be working. 4. Shock absorbers must not be worn. 5. Wheels must be aligned. 6. Exhaust system must not have holes. 7. Steering mechanism, control arm, steering box and tie rod ends must be in good working order. 8. Belts and hoses must have no cracks or corrosion. 9. Windscreen must not be cracked and be transparent. 10. Wiper blades should not be perished and should work. 11. Battery and battery fluid must be at correct levels. 12. All exterior lights and indicators should be in good working order. 13. Oil levels must be topped up and oil filter clean. 14. Water levels. 15. Coolant/antifreeze levels. 16. Seat belts all present and functioning properly.
Tow truck drivers’ insurance scam exposed JOHANNESBURG — Unscrupu lous tow truck drivers have branched into giving crashed ve hicles a quick makeover so that they will be roadworthy and the owners can lodge successful in surance claims, according to a report broadcast by Carte Blanche on Sunday.
“The reason we did it, is tow truck operators allow local transport operators to take road safety short cuts to defraud in surance,’’ the story’s producer Nicky Troll said. “Insurance won’t pay out if your car is not roadworthy. You are technically responsible for
the accident if you don’t main tain your vehicle,’’ she explained. The crew found a truck that had been in an accident years ago, choosing one that was not too damaged, or otherwise the small tow truck industry would have heard about the accident. They then found a quiet road
so as not to disrupt traffic, and with the aid of specialist equip ment, tipped the truck and staged the accident scene. “We took out some parts to make it not roadworthy to see who would be willing to do it for us, and we caught quite a few,’’ said Troll. — News24.
16
WitnessWheels MOTORING
May 28, 2015
MicrojouleLa Joliverie’s overall title was earned with the most fuelefficient performance across all energy types with 2 551,8 km/litre equivalent. PHOTO: AP
As energyefficient as it gets MicrojouleLa Joliverie win overall title with 2 551,8 km/litre equivalent at Shell Ecomarathon ALWYN VILJOEN THE European leg of the Shell Ecomar athon ended in Rotterdam last Sunday. The event attracted 200 teams and 3 000 students from across Europe to test the limits of current technoligies to deliver ultra energy efficiencies in real world driving conditions in the 30th an niversary Shell Ecomarathon. Team MicrojouleLa Joliverie won their second overall title in the race, but French and Danish teams stole the show on the final day with three track records that also beat two of the best results the competition has yet seen. MicrojouleLa Joliverie’s overall title was earned with the most fuelefficient performance across all energy types with 2 551,8 km/litre equivalent — the same as driving from Rotterdam to Moscow — in the new Prototype CNG category. Team Microjoule left the prototype gasoline category behind this year to compete with more challenging com pressed natural gas. “We’re happy with our result,” said team member Richard Sampson. “We had a challenge to keep the gas pressure stable. If we fix that, we hope to achieve 3 000 km/l next year.” Three teams set new track records this year. In the process, they improved on two of the best results seen in the compe
The Trieme, #329, a battery electric prototype, competing for team Poseidon from Piraeus University of Applied Sciences, heads onto the track during the final day of the Shell Ecomarathon Europe 2015 on Sunday, May 24, 2015, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Shell Ecomarathon challenges student teams from around the world to design, build and test ultra energyefficient vehicles. With annual events first in the Americas, then Europe and Asia, the winners are the teams that go the furthest using the least amount of energy. The events spark debate about the future of mobility and inspire young engineers to push the boundaries of fuel efficiency. PHOTO: AP tition’s 30year history. French team Lycee Louis Delage drove 517,3 km/l equivalent with their Urban Concept gasoline car, topping the all time best result of 468,8 km/l which they achieved in 2014. Team IUT GMP Va lenciennes, also from France, set a track
record of 1 323 km/l in the prototype die sel category, inching ahead of their earli er performance. One of the most astonishing achieve ments was the comeback made by Dan ish team DTU Roadrunners, who awoke on Wednesday to find their Urban Con
cept ethanol car had caught fire. Within two days, the team put in a combined 200 hours of work to fix its electrics. Against the odds, they achieved 665 km/l, smashing the previous alltime best re sult which they achieved in 2013. “We wanted to do 650 km/l this year,
but that was before the fire,” said team leader Thor Therkelson Christensen. “What happened was beyond all of our expectations.” The team took the micro phone at the awards ceremony to thank everybody for their help. In the prototype gasoline category an other French team, TED, surprised themselves with a 2 308,3 km/l win. Stu dent advisor Marc Denante said this was over 700 km/l from 2014, all done with electronics. The alltime best remains 3 771 km/l for now. The next Shell Ecomarathon will be in London, said global technical director Norman Koch. “We celebrated 30 years of Shell Ecomarathon and now, as we say thank you and goodbye to the city of Rotterdam, we proudly pass the baton to London as the next host city in 2016.” Three new track records: • French team Lycee Louis Delage drove 517,3 km/l equivalent with their Urban Concept gasoline car, topping the alltime best result of 468,8 km/l which they achieved in 2014. • Team IUT GMP Valenciennes, also from France, set a track record of 1 323 km/l in the Prototype diesel category, inching ahead of their earlier performance. • Danish team DTU Roadrunners got 665 km/l from their UrbanConcept etha nol car.
Tuning houses braced for KZN’s first quartermile at Dezzi Raceway ALWYN VILJOEN THE Dezzi Raceway in Marburg be tween Port Shepstone and Margate will host its first quartermile drag race on June 27 and 28, sanctioned by Motor sport South Africa. Wheels was invited to witness as a se lect group of drivers in cars tuned by KZN’s top tuning companies tested the track and new timing equipment. Desmond Govenden of DY Tuning in Pietermartizburg, who will be the com mentator at the drag racing at the end of July, said this track is a racers’ heaven with lovely cambered bends and great horizon chicanes, as well as the beautiful main straight of 850 metres. “It is guaranteed to put a smile on any motor enthusiast’s face. There is ade quate space for spectators to view the track as well as the proper safety meas ures and facilities for the drivers. A huge thank you to GAS magazine and Dezzi
Raceway and we look forward to having many exciting, adrenalinefilled race days at this venue. “The aim of a drag race is to cross that 400 metre finish line at the fasted possi ble time with the least amount of wheel spin as well as winning the race.” After the tests, Faiz Mansur, who rode a Honda Fireblade, told Wheels he will have to change his tyres, as he was still spinning when he flashed past the clocks at over 200 km/h. Sam Cuthbert, who drove RK Mo tion’s 200 kW, 500 Nm Seat Cupra 1,9 TDI, explained the philosophy of drag racing to Wheels, saying it provides a great platform for the mechanics, tuners and performance parts suppliers to put “the pudding in the proving” of their abilities, as it were. “It is about proving the technology. We drove this Cupra to the track, changed the tyres, raced it, and I get about 30 km to a litre, meaning I drive
Always handson: Dezzi Gutzeit watches as RK Motion’s Seat Cupra 1,9 TDI (200 kW and 500 Nm) flashes past under the new timing gantry. PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN
from the coast to Jo’burg on half a tank.” Govenden said some of the aspects the drivers tested and checked where: • The surface at the start line for traction purposes. This came out tops with great grip being achieved and this can only get better as time goes along with more cars laying down more rubber on the surface. • The width of the track was also checked and is totally adequate for a drag race. • The runoff as well as braking/stop ping distance proved to be totally suffi cient and the return road via CV JOINT the bot SPECIALISTS tom loop for CV joints, ball joints, of the tie rod ends, wheel bearings. track helps cool 339 GREYLING STREET your car Pmb. 033 342 9174/75 down.