Wheels_1 June2017

June 1, 2017

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… NOW YOU’RE MOTORING

For a big sky ride ALWYN VILJOEN finds the new little Suzuki Ignis really does like going off the highways PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN “YOU must just write Adidas un­ der there,” said the petrol attend­ ant as he tanked up the Suzuki Ignis five­speed manual in Beau­ fort West.

The fuel jockey was referring to the faux air vents on the C­Pil­ lar that reminded him of the Adi­ das logo, but which Suzuki said pay homage to the air intake grills of the rear­engined Suzuki Fronte Coupé — a pocket rocket of note in its day. The fuel tank swallows just over 30 litres, meaning I got to meet a lot of petrol attendants on a long test drive from Cape Town to KZN in Suzuki’s latest offering.

En route, I quickly found the one thing I did not like at all in the hatch — a ridge on the hard plastic of the door handle. After a few hours of driving, this ridge presses into a male driver’s right knee to the point where I started driving like a girl, knees together, which had me wondering if this was designed as a city girl’s hatch.

But Charl Grobler, manager of sales and product planning at Suzuki Auto SA did boast at the launch this little hatch would also prove willing and able over grav­ el. So I took it there — and Grob­ ler was right.

The top of the range Ignis likes getting its 15­inch boots dusty.

Its 180 mm ground clearance is not really high enough for rocky roads, but a kerb weight of only 850 kg on those thin tyres meant the Ignis just sliced through mud — like a Nissan 1400 of yore. The lightweight construction and rigid platform also ensures the little hatch re­ acts nimbly to any steering in­ puts. So make this a car designed for city girls who don’t mind get­ ting a bit dirty.

In city traffic the 1,2­litre four­ cylinder engine (which also does service in the Suzuki Swift 1.2) re­ turned 6,6 km/100 — or 15 km to a litre. On a slow stretch of road works the best I got was 4,1, but the average open road con­ sumption was 5,9 l/100, or 16 km per litre.

The 1 197 cc engine in the Ignis makes 61 kW at 6 000 rpm for a power­to­weight ratio of 71,65 kW/ton. But it is torque that gets one past the trucks, and while 113 Nm at 4 200 rpm is good for a small engine, it needed down­ shifting into the long second gear to get moving. I did not drive the automated manual gearbox, but suspect it will require much

the same high revving treatment.

While happy on gravel and nimble in mud, this runner­up in the World Urban Car Award comes into its own in the city, where it turns on a dime and offers enough leg and more im­ portantly, head room for two friends in the rear seats.

The rear doors open over 70 degrees for easy entry, and the boot swallows 260 litres with the seats up and 469 litres with the rear seatback folded flat.

Standard items across all models include electric win­ dows, remote central locking, air­conditioning, electric pow­ er steering, and an MP3­com­ patible CD sound system with USB port and 12V socket. The Bluetooth system is not exactly intuitive and the USB port is not powered, meaning you will get to use that 12 Volt socket.

These niggles were, however, quickly forgotten when I finally got to use the projector­type LED lights on the GLX model on a dark but busy N1.

This lighting system is sim­ ply the best I’ve experienced in the sub R190 000 price range and to my mind these lights alone are well worth the R20k

Tide turning against toxic diesels ALWYN VILJOEN THE end of diesel is nigh — al­ though this end will take a bit longer to come to pass in SA. With several cities around the world already phasing in a total ban on diesel vehicles and Wheels last week reporting that diesel engines are up to 50% dirtier in the real world than even the most cynical laboratory tester predicted, more evidence is coming in of diesel cheats.

This after the U.S. Environ­ mental Protection Agency last week announced they have un­ covered at least eight secret features in the computers of Fiat­Chrysler vehicles that basi­ cally turn off the cars’ emis­

sion­control systems after they pass government tests. Nearly 104 000 diesel cars — all Ram 1500s and Jeep Grand Chero­ kees from model years 2014, 2015, and 2016 — were sold with “defeat­device” software in the U.S. Volkswagen, by comparison, sold 482 000 cars equipped with emissions­ cheating defeat devices in the U.S. The U.S. Department of Justice is consequently suing the Fiat Chrysler company for violating the Clean Air Act. The software in the Fiat­ Chrysler vehicles allow the cars to “meet emission standards in the lab and during standard EPA testing,” but then proceed to emit levels of noxious nitro­ gen oxide pollution “much

higher than the EPA­compliant level” once on the road, the EPA said in a press release.

In Germany, Fiat­Chrysler has already been accused of timing cars to emit test­pass­ ing levels of emissions for ex­ actly 22 minutes — just two minutes longer than the Ger­ man certification test lasts — before shutting off emissions controls and reverting to illegal emissions.

The tide against toxin­spew­ ing diesel engines will also im­ pact in SA, where our total ve­ hicle sales last year reached 0,68% of global sales. Initially, this will see diesel models dumped here, but as the world moves on to electrics, so will we on Africa’s southern tip.

price difference between the GL and GLX models. The new Suz­ uki Ignis is covered by a standard three­year/100 000 km warran­

ty, and as a two­year/30 000 km service plan.

Services are at 15 000 km or at 12 month intervals.

Ignis prices: 1,2 GL — R169 900 1,2 GLX — R189 900 1,2 GLX auto — R204 900

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June 1, 2017

Yanks test self­drive e­bus Proterra pilot programme in Nevada to advance recognition of intent by robotic perceptors ALWYN VILJOEN ROBOT buses are being tested in Nevada before they start operat­ ing on their own in cities across the U.S. While several companies are betting future public transport will see more midibus taxis trun­ dling around without a driver, Proterra is betting the buses will be bigger.

In Arizona, Local Motors is one of the companies betting on smaller buses, having last year in­ troduced a small, 12­seater elec­ tric bus called Olli.

This 3D­printed, autonomous, electric shuttle is also partially re­ cyclable and links with IBM’s “Watson” software to recognise and interact with passengers.

Electric bus manufacturer Proterra intends to go bigger and has introduced what it calls the industry’s first autonomous bus programme, working with the University of Nevada, Reno and its Living Lab Coalition partners.

Proterra’s buses won’t be the first large vehicles driving on their own along America’s high­ ways and suburban streets.

The Daimler group is already testing super­link trucks in the

Electric bus manufacturer Proterra is testing a robot bus programmme.

PHOTO: PROTERRA

U.S., while Volvo and Scania did so in Europe. Down Under in Oz, Komatsu have long proven the cost effectiveness of removing the nut that holds the steering wheel in giant robot mining trucks. With other electric bus builders, like BYD from China, not divulging news on autono­ mous tests, Proterra is the first with a programme to help prove

robot buses are safe. Unlike other programmes to date, this auton­ omous vehicle pilot will deal with real road conditions from the perspective of public transit sys­ tems, and emphasise the most challenging aspects related to mass transportation, which in­ clude dense and dynamic envi­ ronments, degraded conditions, and a need for swift emergency

response. Proterra said in a state­ ment the pilot will also explore a new set of robotic perception algorithms that are required to address these conditions, and fo­ cus on tight cues from multi­ modal sensors and new multi­ modal localisation and mapping.

Rather than solely detect traf­ fic, the Living Lab will focus on predicting traffic flows and plans

Refuse truck follows forwards or in reverse SWEDISH waste manage­ ment company Renova and Volvo Trucks are testing how automated vehicles can con­ tribute to safer, more efficient refuse handling and create a better working environment for drivers.

The automated systems be­ ing tested are in principle the same as those fitted to the au­ tonomous Volvo truck operat­ ing in the Kristineberg Mine in northern Sweden since au­ tumn 2016.

Carl Johan Almqvist, traffic and product safety director, Volvo Trucks, said the systems used in the refuse truck being tested continuously monitor its surroundings and immedi­ ately stop if an obstacle sud­ denly appears on the road.

The first time the automat­ ed refuse truck is used in a new area, it is driven manually while the on­board system constantly monitors and maps the route with the help of sensors and GPS technolo­ gy. The next time the truck en­ ters the same area, it knows ex­ actly which route to follow and at which bins it has to stop.

Driver leads the way At the first stop with the auto­ mated system activated, the driver climbs out of the cab, goes to the rear of the truck, brings out the wheelie­bin and

A robot dump truck reverses down a lane to follow its driver. PHOTO: VOLVO empties it exactly the way the job is done today by operating the relevant controls.

When the operation is com­ pleted, the truck automatical­ ly reverses to the next bin upon receiving the driver’s com­ mand. The driver walks the very same route that the truck takes and thus always has full view of what’s happening in the direction of travel.

But why reverse instead of driving forward?

“By reversing the truck, the driver can constantly remain close to the compactor unit in­ stead of having to repeatedly walk between the rear and the cab every time the truck is on the move. And since the driver

doesn’t have to climb in and out of the cab at every start and stop, there’s less risk of work­related injuries such as strain on the knees and other joints,” says Hans Zachrisson, strategic development man­ ager at Renova.

Reversing is otherwise a fairly risky manoeuvre since the driver may find it difficult to see who or what is moving behind the vehicle, even if it is fitted with a camera. In cer­ tain areas it is not allowed to reverse with a heavy commer­ cial vehicle for safety reasons, in others it is a requirement that a co­driver must stand be­ hind the truck to ensure that the road is clear before the ve­

hicle is allowed to reverse.

The solution being tested is designed to eliminate these is­ sues. Since sensors monitor the area all around the refuse truck, driving is equally safe no matter the direction in which the vehicle is moving.

And if for instance the street is blocked by a parked car, the refuse truck can automatically drive around the obstruction provided there is sufficient space alongside.

Since the automated sys­ tems optimise gear changes, steering and speed, fuel con­ sumption and emissions can also be reduced. Although the technical scope already exists, a lot of research, testing and development remains before self­driving refuse trucks can become a reality.

The project will continue all year and will be followed by an extremely thorough evalua­ tion of functionality, safety and how well this type of vehi­ cle is accepted by drivers and local residents.

Vehicles with varying de­ grees of automation will prob­ ably be introduced earlier in other applications, where transport assignments take place within strictly confined areas such as mines and cargo terminals.

— WR.

to enhance safety. The universi­ ty’s current work focuses on the problems of vehicle perception, navigation control, path plan­ ning and vehicle­to­vehicle as well as vehicle­to­infrastructure research.

“Autonomy is key for safety, ef­ ficiency and reliable transporta­ tion systems at scale. Our shared vision is to have robust, long­

term autonomy to enable safer modes of transit,” said Carlos Cardillo, PhD director of the Ne­ vada Centre for Applied Research at the University of Nevada, Reno. “The pilot will research and develop a robust set of algo­ rithms for localisation and map­ ping, object detection in the do­ mains of multi­modal fusion and recognition of intent to ultimate­ ly advance robotic perception and move systems closer to our simultaneous goal of enhancing safety. The project involves uni­ versity researchers in advanced­ autonomous systems, computer sciences, synchronised mobility, robotics and civil engineering.”

The pilot is supported by the Knowledge Fund, an innovative funding mechanism developed by the State of Nevada to spur research, knowledge­intensive and innovation­driven economic development, and Research & In­ novation at the University of Ne­ vada, Reno.

Ryan Popple, CEO of Proterra, said the pilot was the first of such projects to advance mobility so­ lutions that best meet people’s evolving needs as more commu­ nities take steps to integrate au­ tonomous vehicles.

LION BUS MADE AFRICA TOUGH

Markus Geyer MAN Automotive MD, and Philip Kalil­Zackey, head of MAN Bus and Coach sales with the new Lion Explore bus. Launched last week at the South African Bus Operators Association annual conference, MAN said the Lion Explore combines 20 years of passenger transport expertise and global developments from the MAN Lion’s family of buses into a completely new bus body with modern European styling that includes the DNA requirements of arduous African operating conditions. PHOTO: QUICKPIC

BRAGGING RIGHTS — WHAT IS THIS?

For more information on Witness Wheels advertising Contact Avir on 033 355 1152 or 084 278 3447 Avir@witness.co.za The Wheels team will stand a round at the Veterans Sports Car Club’s Clink in Pietermaritzburg to the first reader who can tell the make and model of this bakkie conversion. E­mail your answers, and any memories you have of this bakkie, to alwyn.viljoen@witness.co.za.

MOTORING WitnessWheels

June 1, 2017

3

Classic driving, done right ALWYN VILJOEN finds top systems from German cars used to best advantage in the Mazda3 ALWYN VILJOEN THANKS to my preference for vehicles that can earn their keep and the predilec­ tion of SA buyers for SUVs or small cross overs, it has been a while since I tested a car.

Hence, while driving the Mazda3, I had to keep reminding myself this vehi­ cle has such car­like handling because it is, actually, a car.

And what a beaut to boot. The bev­ elled edges of Mazda’s design ensure the entire model range stands out in the parking lot. This design philosophy looks so good on the Mazda6 that read­ ers guessed it to be a Maserati, but in the Mazda3 it comes together even bet­ ter — much like any shoe looks that much prettier in a smaller size.

Best of all, the beauty is not just skin deep. Under the hood, the lack of a turbo in Mazda’s Skyactiv Technology engine (77 kW and 144 Nm) continues to sur­ prise any mechanic I took for a test drive.

I did not miss the turbo up in Gauteng’s thin air, and down at our altitude in KZN, this tech growls happily.

The new Mazda3 also boasts all the tech just introduced to the Mazda CX5 sport utility vehicle. On long roads, the heads­up display, (first seen locally in a BMW), gives a handy reminder of the current speed limit (recently also a party trick in the new Opels).

While this speed limit display is really handy, it is not entirely to be trusted.

Along one stretch on the N3 outside Warden, the onboard GPS thinks the 80 km/h zone is a 100 km/h zone, which

The bevelled edges of Mazda’s design ensure the entire model range stands out in the parking lot, but this design philosophy comes together best in the Mazda3.

Best of all, the beauty is not just skin deep.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC can result in a steep fine.

I found using the mouse­like system in front of the handbrake intuitive, thanks to a much simpler architecture behind the touch screen than what BMW and Audi used when they first placed similar control wheels where the driver’s fingers can easily reach them.

Most impressive in the Mazda3, how­ ever, is the G­Vectoring Control (GVC).

Mazda claims it to be the world’s first control system to vary engine torque in response to steering inputs in order to provide integrated control of lateral and

longitudinal acceleration forces and op­ timise the vertical load on each wheel for smooth and efficient vehicle motion.

Regular readers will recall how we wrote this system kept the much higher Mazda CX5 SUV level around the dy­ namic handling corners at the Gerotek Test Centre, to both reduce the passen­ gers’ overall movement and make for a less tiring ride. In the Mazda3 with its lower centre of gravity, the GVC system adds a little daring to the drive.

Mazda states the GVC engages “by finely controlling engine torque that is

based on the steering and acceleration of the driver, resulting in improved han­ dling for the driver and ride quality for the passengers around corners”. In plain English, you will feel like putting foot just for the fun of it a lot more often.

Courtesy of Mazda, Wheels got to do just this in the 2.0L Astina Plus sedan.

After yet another 22­hour drive in a small car with no cruise control, I especially appreciated the way the cruise control in the Mazda3 could hold the sedan to the speed limit down Field’s Hill. I also like the paddle­shift behind the steering

China’s Haval coming to taste SA’s gravel GREAT Wall Motors (GWM) celebrates its 10th year on the local market by, rather confusingly, changing its name to Haval — the group’s premium sub­brand.

This is the brand under which GWM has been racing in the Dakar and local manage­ ment reassured the owners of over 55 000 GWM vehicles that had been sold through 40­plus dealerships in SA that they can look forward “to an ongoing raft of best­ selling, continually updated GWM prod­ ucts”.

Charles Zhao, MD of Haval Motors SA, said the South African market plays an im­ portant part in the company’s internation­ al expansion strategy.

“Going forward we will continue to dis­ tribute Haval and GWM vehicles, offer parts and service support as well as admin­ ister warranties through the already estab­ lished dealer network.”

New models include facelifts to the Steed bakkie line­ups, as well as the popular H5 and H6 SUVs. But the big news is that premium Haval products are set to be rolled out — starting with the Haval H2 at the end of this month.

As the premium sub­brand of GWM, Haval needs to do a lot better for GMW than what, for example, Nissan’s premium

wheel, which allows you to select the right ratio from the six­speed automatic transmission.

Its safety features include Smart City Brake Support (SCBS), Adaptive LED Headlights (ALH), Lane Keep Assist (LKA), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Driver Attention Alert (DAA) and Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM), all of which are also available on the Astina hatchback. The lights impressed me most at night. The system has three ma­ jor settings; glare­free High Beam, wide­ range Low Beam and Highway mode.

Glare­free High Beam recognises lead­ ing and oncoming cars, and turns off se­ lected LEDs to avoid dazzling other driv­ ers. When driving at speeds below 40 km/h, the wide­range Low Beam ex­ pands distribution of light to increase driver’s visibility. Highway mode func­ tions at speeds over 95 km/h, increasing the distance low beam can illuminate the road behind a leading car, by controlling the axis of light.

All this tech reads like a long list of things that can go wrong, but Mazda backs the model with a three­year unlim­ ited kilometre factory warranty, as well as three­year roadside assistance, a three­year service plan and a five­year Corrosion Warranty.

The top of the range Mazda 2,0 Astina Plus lists for R410 400, while the entry level 1,6 Original sells for R258 500.

In this price range there is a lot of com­ petition, but those who look for all the best practices in one car, and done right to boot, look no further than the Maz­ da3. It’s classic driving done right.

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The Haval H2 is coming to SA to compete in the compact crossover segment.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED sub­brand, Infinity, is doing in SA. Meanwhile, GWM advises Haval is pro­ nounced to rhyme with “gravel” in China, where it’s a massive brand, having achieved sales of over one million units last year, making Haval the best­selling SUV brand in China.

Indeed, the H2 seems set to shake up the unquenchable SA market for sub­com­ pact crossover, with its mixture of excellent driving dynamics, slick styling, high safety levels, and superb quality inside and out.

Powering the H2 is a proven 1.5­litre tur­ bopetrol motor making 105 kW and 202 Nm.

Drive is to the front wheels via a six­ speed manual or automatic gearbox, and equipment levels are stellar, with every­ thing from durable, man­made “leather” upholstery to a high­resolution touch­ screen infotainment system. And reassur­ ingly, this vehicle boasts a five­star C­NCAP rating.

Haval SA said the price will be the big­ gest surprise for SA, battered by a weak rand. They said the H2 promises to under­ cut the competition in this hugely popular segment, offering a standard, five­year or 100 000 km warranty and five years’ road assistance. — WR.

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A one­second 0­100 the aim THE world’s fastest car is the Grimsel, an all­electric go­kart that last year blitzed from 0 to 100 km/h in half the time it takes to say 1,513 seconds.

Now a Canadian electric motorbike builder, Daymak, has the Grimsel’s title in its sights. Daymak bills its C5 Blast Go­Kart as “the fastest Go­

Kart on the planet”. Packing 2 400 Watt­hours to drive a 48 Volt, 10 kW brushless direct current motor, the kart’s also has four Electric Ducted Fan (EDF) motors that provide 60 kg of for­ ward thrust on both sides of the driver, while eight more are mounted in the bodywork providing 96 kg of upward thrust.

With ducted fans to give it enough lift to all but float, makers of the Daymak Blast go­kart have plans to make the fastest kart in the world.

PHOTO: DAYMAK

Daymak said this provides enough lift to ensure the 200 kg kart performs as if it weighed just 100 kg.

“We could actually make it lighter and faster and at some point the Go­ Kart would start floating like the Star Wars land speeder — or we could add wings and it would fly,” president of Daymak Aldo Baiocchi told New Atlas.

With a floating vehicle, speed will not be an issue and Baiocchi said the kart could eventually do a one­second zero to 60 dash, making it faster then any vehicle in existence.

The price? A rather robust $59 999 (about R790 876).

Our friendly sales team is equipped to deal with all enquiries and have a wealth of knowledge in the motoring field. We pride ourselves in delivering exceptional service and products to our clients and therefore have a stringent quality check process in place to make sure that every product complies with our requirements and is in top order.

Tel: Cell:

035 789 0464 53 Bullion Boulevard 035 789 0754 Richards Bay CBD 084 357 1082 Richards Bay eastcoastengines@gmail.com

WitnessWheels MOTORING BIKING

4

Brutal power delivery

June 1, 2017

IDEAL RIDE ON TOWNS’ RUSTING RAILWAY TRACKS

New GSX brings tech straight from the MotoGP track THE long­awaited new Suzuki GSX­R1000A made its first public appearance on local as­ phalt at last week’s African Bike Festival, where three units were available for high­speed test rides on the track.

Billed as the all­new king of sportsbikes, the GSX­R1000A has been highly anticipated by sportsbike riders across the globe.

It features a powerful 149 en­ gine and a host of new engine technologies that Suzuki has adapted from its MotoGP pro­ gramme.

The long list of new technol­ ogies include Suzuki Racing Variable Valve Timing (SR­ VVT), which increases high­ end engine power without compromising mid­range torque and driveability, the much­lauded Suzuki Advanced Exhaust System (S­AES) and the ability to toggle engine mapping settings on the fly with the Suzuki Drive Mode Se­ lect (S­DMS) system.

“The new GSX­R1000A is worth the wait,” says Stuart Baker, sales manager at Suzuki

South Africa.

“I think riders are going to be surprised at the brutal, yet linear way the new engine deliv­ ers its power and the ease with which the new, more compact frame improves high­speed handling.”

Sharing the limelight at Suz­ uki’s main stand was the brand­ new 2017 Suzuki SV650 and GSX­250R. Both models ar­ rived at the show shortly after their global unveiling and this was the first time that riders, enthusiasts and Suzuki dealers could see the bikes.

The V­twin SV650 was well received at its global launch as a return to the bike’s original roots, while packing several technologies also seen on the GSX­R1000A. Included on dis­ play were an Easy Start system and a Low­Speed Assist system that regulates engine power at commuting speeds for ease of use and improved driveability.

The GSX­250R, in turn, showcased its new design, its upgraded parallel­twin engine and its full­LCD instrument cluster. — WR.

Mechanical engineering students at the University of KZN’s Howard College showed off their human­powered ‘V10 pedal bus’ at the recent Cars in the Park held at Ashburton. While a pedal bus will likely never be popular on KZN’s steep hills, the unused municipal­owned railway tracks rusting away around most metropoles in South Africa certainly offer a level enough route for this form of sustainable, healthy transport for passengers who can pedal for a cheap passage, in case any taxi operators out there feel like thinking out of the box. Being student transport, this model of the pedal bus is equipped with two cup holders per pedalling passenger. PHOTO: ARMAND ATKINS

New Husky moves off dirt, onto city streets HUSQVARNA Motorcycles South Africa took a bold move into an all­new world when the company pulled the covers off its daring new 401 Vitpilen urban motorcycle at the SA Bike Festi­ val at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit last weekend.

The slick new 401 Vitpilen rep­ resents a major departure to a simpler, more progressive urban street market for Husqvarna, which prides itself on being the literal father of the dirt bike.

“We will be taking the covers off the forthcoming Husqvarna 401 Vitpilen at the Kyalami Bike Festival this weekend,” Husqvar­ na Motorcycles brand manager Fred Fensham confirmed.

“This urban motorcycle will

The edgy Husqvarna 401 Vitpilen goes on sale at dealers early next year.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC take Husqvarna into a new ‘sim­ ple progressive’ motorcycling market niche — it’s an exciting

new venture for us and we are looking forward to gauging pub­ lic interest while at the same time

connecting with future Husqvar­ na urban lifestyle motorcyclists at the festival.”

Husqvarna also showcased its regular dirt bike range at the Jo­ hannesburg expo.

The edgy new 401 Vitpilen will go on sale at local dealers early next year.

The Vitpilen’s 375cc single cyl­ inder engine makes 33 kW, which is fed to a chain drive through a six­speed transmission. The sus­ pension comprises a 43 mm WP fork up front and WP mono­ shock at the rear. Bosch two­ channel ABS brakes feature a four­piston ByBre front calliper clamping a 320 mm front disc and single­pot rear calliper with a 230 mm disc at the rear. — WR.

Concept Link projects driving information onto the windshield

Billed as the king of sportsbikes, the Suzuki GSX­R1000A has arrived at dealers, PHOTO: SUZUKI

Micro transport The Kiwano K01 is a monowheel electric scooter with a range and speed of 32 km/h. It recharges in an hour, which is a lot quicker than competing self­balancing wheels, but its R10 370 price may hurt imports, despite this being cheap among the growing number of such micro transporters.

PHOTO: YOUTUBE

INSPIRED by the BMW Motor­ rad Vision Next 100, the BMW Motorrad Concept Link inter­ prets the connection between rider, vehicle and the environ­ ment for urban use.

The electric scooter keeps the rider connected while riding, thereby expanding his mobile world by providing him with new opportunities.

Among other things, the Con­ cept vehicle knows what’s in the rider’s calendar and therefore his next destinations.

As a result it can plan the fast­ est or most scenic route and even select the most suitable music if required.

The focus is also on being able to enjoy the riding experience without any distractions.

The classic instrument cluster has been dropped. Instead speed, navigation and battery informa­ tion is projected onto the wind­

The BMW Motorrad Concept Link competes with the likes of Singapore’s Gogoro electric scooters to offer riders the most connectivity.

PHOTO: BMW shield directly into the rider’s field of vision. Secondary infor­ mation is displayed on the large­ surface panel, which matches the design perfectly and is located below the handlebars.

The panel enables a large num­

ber of possible ways of interact­ ing with the outside world and for communicating with other vehicles. The touch sensitive sur­ face of the large­size panel dis­ plays and controls extensive info­ tainment, connectivity and rout­

Fast Gogoro can get gogo on the go GOGORO Scooters have rolled out a fleet of 600 for short­ term rentals in Paris via Bosch’s Coup Mobility service.

This is the second city —

Berlin being the first — that Coup and Gogoro have teamed up in. Gogoro riders have since the launch in August 2015 rid­ den nearly a million kilometres

on the Gogoro system that sells battery banks to quickly swop recharged batteries in the scooters, which can be sold or rented out. — WR.

ing information.

Freely programmable, touch­ enabled buttons on the handle­ bars allow the rider to access pre­ ferred and frequently used func­ tions without having to remove hands from the handlebars.

CV Joint speCialists

for CV joints, ball joints, tie rod ends, wheel bearings.

341 GReYlinG stReet Pmb. 033 342 9174/75