December 7, 2017
In next week’s Wheels: SA can take lessons from the tiny homes in the U.S. and Europe.
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World’s top Landy mechanic Upington technician rated the best of the best in challenge against dealers from 27 countries JAGUAR Land Rover South Afri ca’s Technician of the Year win ner Jan Olivier has been crowned the best Jaguar Land Rover tech nician in the world. Olivier won the coveted award at Jaguar Land Rover’s global Technician of the Year competi tion, when top technicians from the company’s global markets gathered at the company’s Learning Academy in the UK to put their skills to the test. The best of the best from re tailers in 27 countries were put through a gruelling threeday test to see who could demon strate the best technical knowl edge, skill and customer service. Olivier, who works at Land Rover North Western, in Uping ton, beat 45 of his fellow Jaguar Land Rovertrained technicians to be crowned Global Technician
of the Year 2017. His grand prize consists of a trip for two to watch Panasonic Jaguar Racing com pete in next year’s New York round of the Formula E World Championship, plus a persona lised Snapon toolbox. Olivier said: “The training I have had in this company really helped me in this process, I used all my skills and learning but nev er imagined I would win against such tough competition. Jaguar Land Rover is committed to sup porting lifelong learning and the Learning Academy offers train ing to employees at all stages of their careers.” Andy Goy, global learning and development director, retailer operations, said: “The techni cians working in our retailers worldwide are an integral part of our business, and this event cele
Land Rover Jaguar top mechanic Jan Oliver from Upington. PHOTO: MOTORPRESS brates their continuous hard work and amazing talent. We want to create experiences for our customers that they will love
The year used cars started to rule JEFF OSBORNE IN a tough year for the economy, the strength of the used car mar ket has been the most significant story in the local automotive in dustry in 2017. New car sales are showing some nascent signs of picking up but they have been trading be low inflation for the first time in many years while there has been a marked increase in the price of used cars for sale. The previously owned market has maintained a volume of more than twice the size of the new vehicle market this year. We continue to observe this trend on Gumtree, with approximate ly 75 000 listings of cars for sale at any given time. “Toyota Tazz” was the single most searched for Gumtree item of the year — an other signal that demand for cheap cars remains high. Aside from a concerning ina
Jeff Osborne. PHOTO: SUPPLIED bility to reduce the shocking death toll on South African roads, the big news stories for the auto industry in 2017 were: • GM’s withdrawal from South Africa taking Chevrolet with it, while Opel remained. • Chinese company BAIC’s re ported R11 billion investment in a manufacturing plant in Port Elizabeth.
• The relatively quiet arrivals on the local market of BAIC vehi cles and another Chinese SUV brand Haval. • The Ford Kuga recalls. • The new AARTO bill that might include a demerit system. • The proposed new Code of Conduct, which seeks to provide consumers with the right to choose independent workshops and alternative parts without voiding their warranties. The big global auto industry issues in 2017 were the growth in electricpowered vehicles, driverless cars and the impact on sales of the continued rise of ridesharing apps like Uber. Inevitably, we’re lagging some way behind on those issues but they will impact significantly on the local market at some point in the near future. • Jeff Osborne is the head of automotive for Gumtree SA.
Breakfast run and drags at Dezzi’s WITNESS Wheels, Gaz magazine and DY Tuning invite all car enthusiasts in Pietermaritzburg to join us for a breakfast run on December 16. The scenic run starts at 6 am from the Engen fuel station on New England Road and will then meander at legal speeds through KwaZuluNatal’s lush countryside to end with drag racing just outside Port Shepstone at the Dezzi Raceway — billed as the world’s most beautiful race track. Taking part and getting access at the track will be free, but motorists who want to join the breakfast must confirm attendance with organiser Dizzy Govenden on 083 641 0356. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
for life, and our technicians are key to delivering on this promise. It is with these kinds of events where we can truly celebrate their
skills and dedication.” The Global Technician of the Year award is open to Jaguar Land Rover technicians from across its network of 2 600 retailers in 130 countries. Jaguar Land Rover SA and subSahara Africa, as well as the other global regions, hosts re gional competitions for techni cians, with winners competing at the global competition. The South African and subSa haran Technician of the Year competitions are hosted at the Jaguar Land Rover SA Training Academy in Irene, South Africa. This is the same facility where all technicians in South Africa and subSahara Africa receive train ing based on Jaguar Land Rover’s global training syllabus. Additionally, retailers are re quired to have technicians who have achieved the highest level of
Jaguar Land Rover qualifications. The Training Academy is also the home of the Jaguar Land Rover SA Apprentice Programme, which addresses the skills short age in the technical sector by vi siting high schools around the country to educate schoolleav ers on exciting careers in the mo tor industry. Brian Hastie, network opera tions director, Jaguar Land Rover SA and subSahara Africa said: “We are beyond proud of Jan for his superb success in the Global Technician of the Year competi tion. He is proof that our facilities and training are worldclass ...” For more information about the Jaguar Land Rover SA and subSahara Training Academy and Apprentice Programme, please visit: www.jaguarland rovercareers.co.za — Supplied.
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WitnessWheels MOTORING
December 7, 2017
It’s time to get Captur’ed Space is a bit tight, but the value offering is pretty impressive for a car with MPV aspirations SIBONELO MYENI LOOKING for an exciting small SUV with hatchback looks and MPV functionality? Renault deems the Captur that vehicle, so we tested it to find out if it is. On the design front, the Cap tur takes the sexy lines from the Clio and manages to keep that sexiness on a bigger, higher rid ing car. The twotone body colour, mirror combo works best on the Captur with the new 16inch black wheels, LED daytime lights and rear privacy glass tint adding to its feminine look. Inside, the Captur retains the functional layout of the Clio with a gloss black centre console and steering wheel inserts. Revisions to the quality fit and finish are obvious and are com mended. The Dynamique standard kit is extensive but the leather seats and heated functionality is op tional. Standard kit includes park as sist, electric windows all round, climate control, USB/radio sys tem, navigation, multifunction steering controls and cruise con trol all coming standard. Interior space is good front and rear, however, storage space around the cabin could be better
for a car with MPV aspirations. Our test unit had Renault’s 1,2litre fourcylinder petrol en gine credited with 88kW/190Nm mated to a sixspeed manual transmission. The engine proved powerful in everyday highway driving with the manual gearbox being a bit rubbery in shift feel. On the open road the engine noise proved very low also owing to very good sound insulation throughout the cabin. Wind and road noise is mini mal at best and the Captur proved relaxing on a longdis tance drive. Handling on tar is safe even on rough or dirt roads. We averaged 8,4l/100 km, which is higher than the 5,4l/100 km claimed by Ren ault and is a bit high for the seg ment. At R294 900, the Captur 1.2 EDC Dynamique is good value especially when taking its exten sive standard features into ac count. The standard fiveyear or 50 000 km warranty; threeyear or 45 000 km service plan and a sixyear anticorrosion warranty add to the package. • Listen to Sibonelo Myeni talk more cars on Ukhozi FM, every Thursday from 7.45 am. • imotoonline.co.za
The Renault Captur has nothing to do with state capture, but it should inspire tender feelings in any bargain luxury car hunter’s heart. PHOTO: QUICKPIC
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MOTORING WitnessWheels
December 7, 2017
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Big plans for SA’s railway Calls for public comment on policies ranging track gauges to security management and tourism ALWYN VILJOEN THE Department of Transport has released for comment the draft white paper on the national rail policy. Comments must be sent by Friday, December 15 to the details below. In nine chapters the 86page document ranges from track gau ges to security management and rail tourism and is of special in terest to industrialists in Pieter maritzburg, which provincial capital hosts a lot of infrastruc ture to service and supply trains. The white paper does not ad dress the large scale plundering of Transnet budget as listed in
the “Gupta emails”, but focuses on a future supported by more government funding for the rails and private funding for the roll ing stock. “Funding of both freight and passenger rail will recognise that present sources are inadequate and government will ensure that additional sources are tapped,” reads the white paper. “In principle, government will take responsibility for infrastruc ture funding, while train opera tors will fund their own rolling stock, an arrangement that is commonly applied to all trans port modes. “Beyond that, several sources have been identified, including
“In principle, government will take responsibility for infrastructure funding, while train operators will fund their own rolling stock ...” private sector participation in in frastructure and rolling stock, to solve to the impasse of too much investment backlog and too little funding ability. The aim over the next 23 years is to place South Africa’s rail on
a sound footing to collaborate with and compete against the other transport modes to posi tion it to serve as the national land transport backbone by 2050. The remedial interventions
will be twopronged, infrastruc ture investment interventions to enhance rail’s inherent competi tiveness, and enabling interven tions to adjust institutional ar rangements to ensure that rail functions effectively in delivering its share of the national transport task. The aim is to implement stan dard gauge technologies on the national rail network, while re taining existing Cape gauge on the metropolitan commuter net works where narrow gauge does not impede inherent competi tiveness. The plan is also to regulate competition in the freight rail market, in order “to gauge its true
size”, according to the white pa per. “The Single Transport Eco nomic Regulator will oversee ac cess arrangements and fees, mar ket behaviour, public sector par ticipation, train path allocation and more, while the Railway Safe ty Regulator will adopt a risk based approach to safe manage ment,” the white paper states. • Email comments to Lily Morob ane at railpolicy@dot.gov.za or Morobanl@dot.gov.za by no later than Friday, December 15. • Enquiries to Lily Morobane 012 309 3862 or 012 309 3835. • alwyn.viljoen@witness.co.za
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The Legacy will surprise keen drivers every time ROB RATHGEBER THE Subaru Legacy is a car that in spires, in a word, floccinaucinihilipil ification. This scrumptious word re fers the act of playing down some thing. Which is exactly what all Subaru models do to car fashions — play it down. Both the Legacy and the new Ascent launched last week at the LA motor show exude simplicity with just a hint of understated ability. Their engine is a normally aspirat ed Boxer and the entry level starts at R589 000, pitting it squarely against the German triumvirate range of sport utility vehicles. Unlike the Impreza WRX, which is exuberantly styled and goes like the original wheeled bomb, the Panjan drum, the more sedate Legacy aims to handle, rather than speed. For those of tender years, the Pan jandrum was one of the crazier inven tions from the British Army during World War 2, and comprised two wagon wheels propelled by rockets at speeds of up to 90 km/h, while pack ing a ton of explosives in the axle. The only hint that the Legacy can go like a rocket when one ups the revs, comes from the twin tailpipes at the rear. And unlike the last Panjandrum, which veered off into the sea where it exploded to the testers’ great con sternation (it never being a good idea to send a ton of explosives careening into your own flanks, no matter how often the U.S. Navy bombers try this), the Subaru goes where it is aimed. This is because of Subaru’s Sym metrical AllWheel Drive, or what Audi calls quattro and VW 4Mo tion. Four wheels that push and pull the vehicle where the driver aims en sure a smoother drive that will even tually inspire four wheel drifts on dirt roads. Where the WRX tries to wrap your grin around your head when you press the gofaster pedal, the Legacy provides no turbo rush and one is not flung to the horizon. For there is no turbo. Instead, the
Goes like a bomb: The Panjandrum was an uncontrollable oneton bomb on wheels. PHOTO: WIKIPEDIA Legacy’s 3,6litre (121 kW at 6 800 rpm and 187 Nm at 3 200rpm) took me just over 10 seconds to get the needle to 100 km/h. To my mind, however, the time to get back to zero is a lot more important, and here the Lecacy excels, stopping in under three seconds when you slam on the brakes. While the thrum of a sixcylinder Boxer is marvellous on the ear, its consumption is below par, with the Legacy coming in just a bit better than an old VW Beetle (also a Boxer engine of course) at just over 8 km/ litre. In the case of a crash, six airbags will cushion the blow. All Subaru models are sold with a relatively short threeyear or 75 000 km maintenance plan and new fiveyear warranty. The Subaru dealership in Pieter maritzburg is the busiest in South Af rica, thanks to the many Midlands farmers who swear by the Legacy and Outback’s abilities over their muddy farm roads. Midlands dairy farmers care not one iota for fashionable lines, but they may be pleasantly sur prised with future Subaru models. Former Alfa designer Andreas Za patinas has joined the Subaru team, and it looks as though there are some handsome changes in the offing. Which is when more people will dis cover it is not wise to judge this book by its cover. • When not being a total petrol head, Dr Rob Rathgeber judges if pilots are fit to fly.
Something this good is worth repeating. Our popular A3 and A4 Sedan offer is back. Don’t you love it when a prime opportunity comes around again? Purchase a new Audi A3 or A4 Sedan during November or December and you could receive an interest rate of up to prime less 6% or a minimum of R50 000 assistance. Visit your nearest participating Audi Dealership or retailoffers.audi.co.za for more. Finance subject to approval by Audi Financial Services a division of Volkswagen Financial Services South Africa (Pty) Ltd, an authorised financial services & registered credit provider NCRCP6635. Quoted rates include a monthly admin fee of R68 and an initiation fee R1197. T’s & C’s apply while stocks last.
The Subaru Legacy shows why one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. PHOTO: QUICKPIC
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WitnessWheels MOTORING
Prospecton now builds biggest Hino trucks THE latest range of Hino 500 Wide Cab trucks has gone into production at Hino South Africa’s worldclass assembly plant in Prospecton, near Durban, and units are already on the way to dealerships countrywide. The Hino 500 range is being ex panded from five models to 12 in the first full model change in 14 years. The start of production follows the longest and most intensive pre launch marketing programme by Hi no SA. This included road shows in Gauteng, the Western Cape and KZN and will continue to Namibia and Botswana in January 2018. There were also visits to Hino Ja pan by commercial vehicle journal ists and Hino SA customers, as well as a public launch at the Futuroad Truck Expo, which was colocated with Automechanika Johannesburg at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in October. “The increased Hino 500 range, including 6x4 models, will allow us to compete in many niche segments we were not in previously,” explained Ernie Trautmann, the vice president of Hino SA, speaking at the recent lineoff ceremony for the new model. “The many additional features in the new Hino 500 model range, as well as competitive pricing, and the much bigger lineup should enable us to regain our dominance in the local heavy commercial vehicle market.” The traditional lineoff ceremony was attended by senior executives from Hino Motors Japan, customers, dealers, media, officials from the KZN government, eThekwini Mu nicipality and team members in the
Two of the 113 workers at the Hino assembly line in Prospecton. PHOTO: MOTORPRESS factory. The introduction of this latest model from Japan’s leading heavy truck manufacturer into the Pros pecton facility involved an invest ment of more than R20 million by Hino SA, with several significant changes to the assembly process. Most of these are aimed at improving productivity and quality, while less ening the physical load on team members. The current plant, which has been in operation since 2013, has a produc tion capacity of 5 000 trucks a year on a single shift, with total manning increas ing re CV Joint cently by 10 people speCialists to a total for CV joints, ball joints, of 113. tie rod ends, wheel bearings. — Supplied.
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December 7, 2017
Quite brisk, for a bakkie SIBONELO MYENI THE Mitsubishi Triton is on sale in both manual and auto guise, to see if it real ly takes the fight to the Hilux and Ran ger. We found out. The last genera tion Triton started the design move to wards passengercar like bakkie designs, and the new one still retains those smooth flowing lines. LED daytime lights, round fog lamps and the large, bold glossy grille immediately stand out at the front. Our test unit came with a chrome nudge that greatly enhances the looks but unusually for such a new car, we noticed some rust on it. The rear step doubles up as a bumper while the chrome roll bar and side steps are use ful practical items that also en hance the looks. The only slight issue we had was the 17inch wheels, which
look out of size, maybe 18inch would fill the wheel arches best, but might negatively affect road refinement. Interestingly, we had more than the usual num ber of ladies inquiring about the Triton and also comment ing about its “sexy” lines. The interior retains the pas senger car layout with the leatherlined seats proving quite comfortable over long distances. Space is enough to seat five adults in comfort with good legroom at the rear, while offering very good rear entry/exit space. The dashboard layout is in tuitive with all controls within
easy reach of the driver. Standard features include cruise control, HID head lamps, electric windows all round, multifunction leather steering wheel, Bluetooth connectivity, dual zone cli mate control, reversing cam era, electrically adjusted driv ers seat, fivespeaker USB/Ra dio/CD system with a touchscreen. The instrument dials are clear but accessing the on board computer menu can be tricky. Safety is catered for by the dual airbags, active stabili ty and traction control, hill start assist, ABS with EBD. The Triton comes with the excellent 133kW/430Nm 2.4 Turbodiesel unit that pulls strongly from low revs and this
pleasantly surprised us with one thinking it’s a dual Turbo mill. It’s a smooth unit with refinement levels above many ac claimed competi tors. Allied to the slick shifting sixspeed manual transmission, the Triton feels brisk on the move with a short throw gearbox, sports car style. The fivespeed auto is not as great, sometimes hold ing on too long to a gear negat ing the engine’s impressive lowdown torque. The manual on the other hand is best suit ed to the Triton but then again when one considers daily traf fic volumes and clutch re placement costs, the auto makes more sense. At R479 900 for the manual and R499 900 for the auto, the Triton range comes with a fiveyear/90 000 km service plan, threeyear/100 000 km warranty with 10 000 km ser vice intervals. • Listen to Sibonelo Myeni talk more cars on Ukhozi FM, every Thursday from 7.45 am.