December 2, 2021
THE WITNESS
Tiggo comes with longest SA warranty Chery South Africa last week launched the Tiggo 4 Pro with a headlinegrabbing 10-year or one-million-kilometre engine warranty. The warranty has two elements. A standard five-year/150 000 km factory warranty applies to all new Tiggo 4 Pro models sold. This warranty remains with the vehicle. The second, a free extension for another five years and a massive 850 000 km focused on the engine, is added automatically at the end of the first warranty, provided that the vehicle is still owned by the original owner. As is standard practice throughout the industry, the warranty requires the service and repair of the vehicle by Chery dealerships, with Chery standards and using original Chery parts and components. Chery also has an agreement with the Automobile Association of South Africa to provide roadside assistance and support for five years of unlimited kilometres. “Modern Chery vehicles not only represent the best on offer in terms of technology and performance, but they do so while meeting CNCAP five-star safety standards and with in-house developed engine and drivetrain technology,” said Tony Liu, executive deputy general manager of Chery South Africa. At the same time, Chery has partnered with industry leaders like Aisin, Getrag, Bosch and Schaeffler to perfect its internal combustion, hybrid and all-electric powertrains. Chery has 30 dealers across South Africa and Lui said the company will soon expand its partnership to more dealers to have a Chery technical specialist in all major towns and cities. “We hope the one-million-kilometre engine warranty will set the benchmark and that our service and parts support through our dealer network will seal the deal. There is now no reason at all not to test drive a Chery Tiggo 4 Pro,” said Liu. CHINA HEART ENGINE AWARDS Chery’s commitment to developing the best possible propulsion systems was recognised at this year’s China Heart Engine Awards. China Heart is considered one of the three most authoritative engine awards, alongside the Ward Top Ten Engine Awards and the International Engine of the Year Awards. It has been held for the past 16 years and has featured nine of Chery’s proprietary engines in the Top 10 Awards. This year, the awards picked the new Chery 2.0T GDI engine as its overall winner. This petrol engine uses Chery’s second-generation i-HEC combustion system and an ultra-high direct injection system of 350 bars to deliver 192 kW and 400 Nm of torque. The engine has a maximum thermal efficiency of 41%, making it one of the most efficient and strongest kilogram by kilogram engines in the competition and arguably in the world. The new Chery Hybrid System uses three electric motors to offer full four-wheel drive, a 0-100 km acceleration in under five seconds and an average fuel consumption figure of less than one litre per 100 km. The Chery Hybrid system has nine distinct working modes and 11 combined gears for the most optimal performance in any situation. A range of new internal combustion, hybrid and electric options is available on the Tiggo 8 Pro, which is earmarked for South Africa in 2022. — WR.
Stellar sales for the all-new Navara Nissan South Africa yesterday announced that sales figures for the all-new Navara — which launched in the SA market in July — have surpassed the previous full year’s sales of what was already a very good bakkie. This surge in sales in just four months has given the Navara a 13,4% market share among SA’s one-ton bakkies. “The success of the new Navara is mainly owed to two things, its value proposition and the fact that it is produced right here at home — made with the South African consumer top of mind,” said Charl Timms, sales and operations director at Nissan South Africa. Timms expects steady growth in sales for the Navara range for the next six months, which has potential to grow significantly once the plant is at full capacity. “We are incredibly proud to have provided our South African consumers with a vehicle that is built right here at home and will be part of the country’s legacy,” said Timms. LOCAL COMPETITION The Navara comes with either a 2,5 petrol engine (118 kW, 233 Nm) from R316 700, or a 2,5 diesel engine (120 kW, 403 Nm) from R355 700. Nissan’s petrol workhorse is aggressively priced to compete with the Toyota Hilux 2,0 S, but the GWM Steed 5 2,2 MPi is also a contender. The Hilux 2,0 S is a bit cheaper, but also produces less power at 102 kW and 183 Nm. The Steed 5 is a lot cheaper at R204 900, and while its 73 kW looks low, the Chinese import delivers this peak power between 2 400 and 2 800 revs compared to the high-revving Japanese engines. The Navara diesel single cab is priced to compete with the Hilux 2,4 GD and both these bakkies face stiff competition from the considerably lower priced Ford Ranger 2,2 TDCi, the GWM P-Series 2,0 TD SX and even Hyundai’s H-100 workhorse. — WR.
The Navara single cab workhorse enjoys 13,4% market share in South Africa. PHOTO: MOTORPRESS
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WHEELS
www.witness.co.za
The Cherry Tiggo 4 Pro has a 10-year or one-million-kilometre engine warranty.
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‘Cat thieves’ want your exhaust Catalytic converters are the latest target for thieves ALWYN VILJOEN While drivers in southern Africa are grappling with hijackings, car owners in the U.S. and Europe are reporting the increased theft of catalytic converters ... and this crime has now arrived in SA. While exhaust shops are reporting limited catalytic converter thefts from mostly the Western Cape, the single biggest heist of “cats” happened in Gqeberha in August, after three men hijacked a truck carrying 44 pallets loaded with catalytic converters worth R24 million. Only 24 of the pallets were recovered. A month earlier, News24 had reported that the SAPS Anti-Gang Unit recovered converters worth around R15 million in Greenbushes in Gqeberha. In the U.S., the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reported that catalytic converter thefts rose from about 100 per month in 2018 to more than 1 200 per month in 2020, and while this year’s numbers are not in yet, the NICB expects that this spike continued throughout this year. In England, insurance company Ageas reported that London is the hot spot for cat theft, with some 15 000 thefts of catalytic converters reported in 2020, up from around 9 500 in 2019. GONE IN 120 SECONDS CCTV footage shows these new form of “cat burglars” need only three minutes to slide underneath a hybrid model and cut out the part of the exhaust pipe containing the catalytic converter. The Prius is very popular in this regard, having arriving first on the market in the U.S., but thefts from all low-emission vehicles are on the rise. The thefts are driven by much higher prices for the precious metals in catalytic converters, which include platinum, palladium and rhodium. Of the three, rhodium is the
Catalytic converters found at a London scrap yard during a raid. PHOTO: MET POLICE rarest, estimated to make up only 0 000 2 parts per million of the Earth’s crust. With such low supply and increasing demand from car builders, rhodium traded at over $14 850 (R235 161) per ounce in November, compared to palladium’s price of $1 882 per ounce and platinum’s $945 per ounce. In rand terms, a gram of rhodium cost over R8 420 in November, which is rather more than the R100 Mzansi’s treasonous cable thieves are said to get per kilogramme of melted metal from equally treasonous scrap-metal buyers. Replacing a stolen catalytic converter in the U.S. can cost $3 000, but scrapyards typically pay only $1 022 for a 20042009 Prius, meaning the
converter is worth more than the old car. In England, a new catalytic converter can cost up to £1 000, meaning most older cars have to be written off. In South Africa, a new converters can cost up to R20 000. GOING WITH THE FREE-FLOW Instead of writing off their cars, or replacing the expensive stolen catalytic converter, many drivers resort to welding a new exhaust pipe in the gap left by the missing converter. While such a free-flow exhaust system often translates into better performance for the small petrol engine in the hybrid cars, it also means these formerly “clean” vehicles belch as much smoke as an 1980s clunker, doing the environment no favours.
Europe’s biggest order yet for e-trucks Europe’s leading trucking company, DB Schenker, has placed an order for 1 500 full electric trucks from Swedish company Volta Trucks, the largest order yet for large zero-emission trucks in Europe. The full-electric 16-ton Volta Zero’s 200 km range enables it to transport goods from 10 DB Schenker terminals to city centres and urban areas in five countries. The partnership will also jointly develop specifications for the previously announced 12-ton Volta Zero variant, conducting site testing to accelerate the deployment of vehicles and train drivers.
Lexus adds UX 250h F Sport Lexus SA, which now only sells hybrid drivetrains in South Africa, has launched the UX 250h F Sport. This fourth-generation hybrid powertrain has a 2,0 petrol engine producing 107 kW at 6 000 rpm and 180 Nm at 4 400 rpm, and an electric motor that adds another 28 kW with instant electrical torque that helps to deliver a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 8,5 seconds. The electric motor comes into its own in crawling city traffic, when the vehicle uses no fuel. On the open road, the 2,0-litre uses 4,5 litres/100 km, with combined and CO2 emissions of just 103 g/km. The UX models are all very competitively priced against similar luxury models, listing from R745 100 for the hybrid EX grade, R824 000 for the hybrid 250h SE and R874 800 for the new hybrid F Sport. The entire UX range boasts a Lexus best-in-class seven years or 105 000 km warranty and a full maintenance plan. The vehicle service intervals are at every 15 000 km, alternatively once a year. PHOTO: MOTORPRESS
Pik Up gets super cool addition Mahindra has added a factory-fitted refrigeration unit to its Pik Up S4 Chassis Cab, while the range already boasts a Pik Up Ambulance, Pik Up Mining spec bakkie and a Pik Up Game Viewer. All these models have been developed locally and are assembled at Mahindra’s assembly facility at the iDube Trade Port near King Shaka Airport in KwaZulu-Natal. The Pik Up models can be ordered from all Mahindra dealers in SA, who can also service the vehicles to specification. The box has either a chiller unit that can lower temperatures to minus five degrees centigrade for meat, ice cream and other chilled or frozen foods; or a freezer unit that takes the temperature down to -20 degrees centigrade for medicines. Both the chiller and freezer options are powered by an additional compressor in the engine bay, which is controlled by a digital control unit in the cabin. The insulated box is fitted above the wheel arches and can load 733 kilogrammes, while the Pik Up tows a 750 kg trailer. The bakkie can also be fitted with a full 4x4 drive train for rural applications. Mahindra’s proven MLD locking differential is standard in all models. PHOTO: QUICKPIC
STEPS TO AVOID CARJACKING Crime statistics were released last week for the period July to September 2021. While there were concerning statistics across the board, carjacking saw an increase of 3,5%. There was also a rise in kidnapping. In most instances, people were kidnapped when their vehicles were hijacked. The CEO of MasterDrive, Eugene Herbert, says that as we enter the time of year where crime tends to increase, drivers need to increase their awareness levels as well. “The best way to protect yourself from a carjacking is to be aware of your surroundings,” Herbert said. Follow these important rules to avoid being an easy target for carjackers • Keep an eye on the car behind you, if it has followed you for a while, particularly if you are going home from a shopping centre or places like the airport, do not turn into your driveway. Rather drive to a place of safety such as a petrol station and get assistance there. • Most armed response companies offer services where they see you into your house when you arrive home, especially at night. Make use of this service whenever necessary. • Do not drive straight into your driveway but rather wait for the gates to open while parallel to your driveway. • At intersections, do not look at your phone and be aware of the people there who could pose a threat to you. • At shopping malls, reverse park into a space, preferably against a wall, to prevent someone catching you unaware from behind and to allow you to exit the parking quickly. • If you feel uncomfortable with the presence of someone in the parking lot, ask a security guard to walk you to your car. Ultimately, rather be safe than sorry: do an extra circle around the block or ask someone for assistance rather than regret not doing so. — WR.
Brand design award for Peugeot Peugeot won the Brand Design Language category in the annual Car Design Awards for its transversal stylistic language, which is expressed throughout its product range, including the 3008 (pictured). According to the jury, “the new Peugeot range shows the brand evolving in terms of sportiness and refinement, adding provocatively strong lines that remain consistent with the brand’s historical roots”. Matthias Hossann, director of Peugeot Design, was very pleased to receive the award, an important international recognition that is associated with the great commercial success of the most recent products of the Peugeot brand. This award follows the one received by the new Peugeot 2008 in 2019, in the Production Car category, as well as the 2021 South African Car of the Year award to the Peugeot 2008 SUV. PHOTO: QUICKPIC