January 18, 2018
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Q5 competes on price too SIBONELO MYENI finds a sexy softroader in the Audi Q5 TFSI Sport in 2.0 Auto FOR the festive season period, we got to test the New Audi Q5 TFSI Sport in 2.0 Auto guise. Over three weeks, we got to experience this model in more detail than normal and it seems the public got to view it more intimately judging from the in terest generated. The design of the new Q5 is a mixture of Q7 and the svelte lines of the A5 and in our test units SLine design (standard) and Navy Metallic, it garnered a lot more positive comments from onlookers. One of the onlookers was a gentlemen who was driving a similar model in Silver. He com mented the darker colour works best for the design. The LED daytime lights work like jewelry to accent the design, while the single frame grille and SLine lower air intakes give an impos ing appearance in anyone’s mir ror. The Q5 rides on 18inch wheels as standard. The rear gets LED dynamic in dicator lights that drew much admirers. Overall the Navy me tallic Q5 was an attention grab ber wherever we went, even out staging much more expensive SUVs at events over the festive season. Interior Inside the architecture is well laid out and easy to set up. The one negative feature I found was the lack of stowage space for phones and kehys around the front. The cup hold ers are also not ideally placed when using the armrest. But the Virtual Cockpit worked magic allowing ease of Navigation instructions with out taking eyes off the road. Google Maps stunned many passengers with real life Satellite view images of places. The Panoramic Glass roof created an airy feel inside and at
night created a “Night amongst the stars” atmosphere inside. LED interior lighting also comes standard with different hues of colour accessible through the MMI system. Leather seats with manual ad justable front seats. Through loading rear middle seats worked a boon with Festive season shopping whist the gen erous boot space carried holiday luggage with ease (we never got to use the folding rear seats but we realised when needed, huge space would be attained). The rear seats were a bit up right over long distances and we felt a reclining adjustment would have been a bonus. Under the hood The TFSI on test features the 185kW/350Nm 2litre, 4cylin der Turbo engine linked to a Du al clutch sevenspeed automatic transmission. Drive is through Audis Quat tro allwheeldrive system that on normal roads uses only the front wheels to engage power but in milliseconds can transfer power to any of the wheels with most traction. This saves fuel as less power drives the wheels in normal con ditions. Our test unit came with Adaptive Air suspension, an op tion that is well worth the invest ment. This system allows the driver to configure the drivetrain for varying ride quality (Com fort, Efficiency, All Road, Dy namic, Auto, Individual). Playing dirty For offroad conditions, the sys tem raises the ride height whilst dynamic lowers the ride for agili ty. Put the system in comfort and it has one of the best rides I have experienced making long dis tance travel even on bad roads, a breeze. Allied to the excellent sound insulation on the cabin,
this makes the Q5 an effortless cruiser. Put the system in Dynamic and the throttle response is im proved but still lags which makes Economy quite frustrating as the throttle response is even la zier. The major plus of the Adapt ive Air Suspension is the ability to select the Sport trim (Sport Suspension) which means you get the sporty appearance but unlike some rivals who then de liver a hard ride, the air suspen sion still allows a plush ride, best of both worlds. Running costs During our test we averaged 9.5l/100km, a figure higher than the claimed 6.8l/100km. At the standard price of R797 500, the Q5 TFSI Sport Auto is good value for an excellent pack age. The downside is that to have all the features that transform this model to be brilliant (Air suspension of note), you have to pay more, something the Q5 is not alone at as its main rivals al so command a price premium on extras. The Audi Q5 comes stan dard with a 5 year/ 100 000km Audi Freeway Plan Q5 competitors BMW X3 30i XDrive ........................................... R739 800 Mercedes GLC 300 Petrol 4Matic ............................................. R742 198 Lexus NX 200t FSport .......................................... R786 600, Q5 TFSI Sport Auto R797 500 Alfa Romeo Stelio Super ........................................... R810 000 Jaguar F Pace 25t AWD R Sport .......................................... R943 400. Range Rover Velar P250 ............................................R947 700 • Catch Sibonelo Meyni live on Ukhozi FM, every Thursday from 7.45 am.
While plush as can be, we can vouch the Q5 can to dirt roads too, thanks to adaptive air suspension and all wheel drive. PHOTO: GT SPIRIT
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With its Navy metallic paint, the Q5 was an attention grabber wherever we went during the festive season. PHOTO: SIBONELO MYENI
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WitnessWheels AUTO SHOWS MOTORING
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January 18, 2018
To mark the introduction of the secondgeneration MercedesBenz GClass as a 2019 model at the Detroit auto show, Merc encased a 1979 GClass wagon inside a 49ton block of synthetic resin. The 2018 GClass still has a live rear axle, permanent fourwheel drive and three diff locks. PHOTO: ROAD AND TRACK Toyota’s Avalon is destined for the American market, but the design philosophy that underpins it is light years from the staid Corolla or Camry models. PHOTO: TOYOTA
Toyota pimps Avalon Design philosophy of the staid Avalon delivers good sound and exciting drive ALWYN VILJOEN TOYOTA launched the fifth evolution of the sedan at the North American In ternational Auto Show. Like most other Toyota sedans, its a white one, but there any resemblance to the safe but boring Toyotas we all know and secretly love, stops. For starters, there are all those cutting edges in the design. A 3.5litre V6 sends its power to the front wheels via an eightspeed auto box. American buyers also have the op tion of a 2.5litre fourcylinder hybrid system with a 650volt electric motor (A25AFXS) and continuously variable transmission. Then there are all the options to pimp
this ride, or as Toyota calls it in the press statement, “Piquing the Adventurous Side”. In a first for Toyota, the Avalon has adaptive variable suspension (AVS), an intake sound generator (ISG), and gradespecific exhaust baffle tuning and engine sound enhancement (ESE). A JBL multimedia system’s incabin speakers amplify what Toyota calls “ex ceptional engine notes” at startup for that “hearty flare of sound” right before idle upon startup. And with the throttle wide open, the engine’s air inhalation sound to create robust vocalisation” throughout the rev range. The fifth Avalon will handle less like a stately barge and more like a race car
too, thanks to shock absorbers with sole noid control valves that allows inde pendent wheel control, advanced front and rear G Sensors to comprehend the vehicle’s condition, and an intelligent central ECU that reacts to the G Sensor’s observations by dictating exact damp ing adjustments to the shock absorbers’ solenoids. Its all part of Toyota’s drive to ensure no one calls a new Toyota a boring drive ever again. When this thinking arrives on our shores, young Toyota drivers will no longer need to fit a freeflow pipe to make the Corolla/Tazz they inherited from mom sound like it has an engine. With 14 speakers standard and full
suite of Entune 3.0 Premium Audio, Ava lon drivers also will not need to add extra speakers. And for the geeks, the Avalon features Toyota’s first integration of smartwatch or Amazon Alexaenabled device con nectivity, as part of Toyota Remote Con nect. The connection lets drivers lock/ unlock their doors, start their engine to warm up, or check their fuel, all from the convenience of their smartwatch or Am azon Alexaenabled device. It’s voice controllable too, and compatible with select Android or Apple devices. Toyota is among the first automakers to feature Amazonenabled device con nectivity capable of executing hometo car and cartohome interactions.
First ever Defender found, now to be factory restored LAND Rover will mark its 70th anniver sary with a series of events and celebra tions in 2018, beginning with the resto ration of the vehicle that started it all – one of the three preproduction Land Rovers shown at the 1948 Amsterdam Motor Show launch. This gave the world its first glimpse of the shape that would become instant ly recognisable as a Land Rover. For years the whereabouts of this launch Land Rover was a mystery. The demonstration vehicle from the Amster dam show was last on the road in the 1960s, after which it spent 20 years in a Welsh field before being bought as a restoration project; it then lay languish ing unfinished in a garden. Following its surprise discovery just a few miles out side of Solihull, UK — where the offroad er was first built — the experts at Jaguar Land Rover Classic spent months re searching in company archives to unrav el its ownership history and confirm its provenance. The team behind the successful Land Rover Series I Reborn programme, which allows customers to own a slice of Land Rover history with meticulously restored Series Is, will now embark on their most challenging project yet: a yearlong mission to preserve this his torically significant prototype and ena ble it to be driven again. Tim Hannig, Jaguar Land Rover Clas sic Director, said: “This Land Rover is an irreplaceable piece of world automo tive history and is as historically impor tant as ‘Huey’, the first preproduction Land Rover. Beginning its sympathetic restoration here at Classic Works, where we can ensure it’s put back together pre cisely as it’s meant to be, is a fitting way to start Land Rover’s 70th anniversary year. “There is something charming about the fact that exactly 70 years ago this
LOST AND FOUND: The first Defender was discovered last year, rusting away as an unfinished resotration project not far from where it was built in Solihull in 1948. PHOTO: LAND ROVER
vehicle would have been undergoing its final adjustments before being prepared for the 1948 Amsterdam Motor Show launch – where the world first saw the shape that’s now immediately recog nised as a Land Rover.” The Jaguar Land Rover Classic team will follow a dedicated process to restore the launch vehicle, which has a lot of spe cial features that are unique to the 48 preproduction Land Rovers that were produced prior to the mass production vehicles, such as thicker aluminium alloy body panels, a galvanised chassis and a removable rear tub. The patina of its components will be preserved, including the original Light Green paint applied in 1948. Previous owners of this historic vehi cle are being invited to Jaguar Land Rov er’s Classic Works facility to share their experiences and to witness its loving res toration.
NEW CARS AT DETROIT SHOW MANY of the models displayed at this week’s Detroit Auto Show are all electric, despite the executives of car makers telling a survey they think the electricvehicle market will eventually be leapfrogged by fuelcell vehicles, due to the infra structure challenges of both lower rate public charging and DC fast charging for longdistance travel. Auditing firm KPMG surveyed 953 senior executives, and the company said their report based on data collected paints an inter esting picture of future automotive trends using hydrogen to recharge the batteries of electric cars. Six in ten automakers and sup pliers are don’t see batteries cath cing up with the energy densities of fossil fuels any time soon, but half of executives nonetheless be lieve that clean air laws will make battery electric vehicles a trend in to 2025. Three fossilfuel cars that we can meanwhile expect on SA shores comes from BMW, Fiat and Ford. BMW X2: A sporty companion to BMW’s X1 and X3 compact cross overs, the new X2 arrives in U.S. showrooms in March. Hyundai Veloster: Hyundai Motor Co’s sporty Veloster gets a new sil houette, while maintaining its trademark threedoorsplushatch back configuration. Jeep Cherokee: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has facelifted the midsize Cherokee for model year 2019. Mercedes GClass: The long running Gelandewagen gets “the biggest makeover in its history,” ac cording to Daimler AG’s Mercedes Benz, but keeps its rugged boxy shape.
This landmark project, representing the earliest beginnings of the Land Rover story – which led to more than 67 years of continuous production of iconic Se ries I to Defender vehicles at Solihull – is the first in a series of stories and events that will celebrate the past, present and future of Land Rover throughout 2018. Follow the story on Instagram @landro versa. — Supplied. 1948 Defender timeline 1948 — Built with LHD and listed as Experi mental on the logbook and record of sale 1948 — Upgraded with new production parts by Engine Department, converted to current RHD setup 1955 — First registered on 25 June 1955 with registration SNX 910 1961 — Sold to a new owner in Handsworth 1965 — Moved to Sutton Coldfield 1967 — Moved to StratfordUponAvon 1968 — Moved to Alvechurch, Worcester
shire 1968 — Used in Wales as a static power source 1988 — Engine seized – the Land Rover was sold to a new owner in Birmingham, 2016 — Spotted in a garden, destined for a restoration which never began.
Ford Ranger: Ford Motor Co is reviving the Ranger midsize pickup truck in North America in early 2019, aiming to reclaim market share from rival General Motors, which has scored a hit with its competing Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize pickups. Ford said a new turbocharged 2.3liter 4cylinder engine will use direct injection and a twinscroll turbocharger and a 10speed auto matic transmission. — Reuters. BELOW: The new Ford Ranger. PHOTO: REUTERS
MOTORING WitnessWheels
January 18, 2018
Equipped with everything New Cerato breaks cover at Detroit and promises good things for local buyers by end the year THE 2019 Kia Cerato, which was launched at the North American In ternational Auto Show this week, is a looker and it Kia South Africa ex pects it at Kia’s 77 dealers in southern Africa towards the end of 2018. The Cerato, which is sold as the Forte in the U.S. and the K3 in South Korea. is now in its third generation and Kia said in a statement it packs even more sophisticated design and desirable features “that transforms one of Kia's bestselling vehicles into something more than a compact car meant for getting people from one point to another”. A new powertrain uses Kia’s first IVT, set to deliver an estimated 6,7 litres/100km, which is over 14km/l. Vice president of product plan ning at Kia, Orth Hedrick, said the Cerato is one of Kia’s topselling models and added the latest model is even more attractive to drivers seeking a compact sedan that can ac commodate their versatile lifestyle.” He said a reworked suspension ge ometry provides a quick and nimble behindthewheel feel and evolution ary improvements were made to throttle and brake feel performance, yielding a smoother initial response at tipin and a shorter stopping dis tance than the previous model. Efficient powertrain Kia’s proven 2.0litre Nu fourcylin der engine (110 kW and 179 Nm)
paired with either a sixspeed manual or Kia’s allnew Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT). One of the main criticisms of these transmis sions is their “rubberband” feel. To address the issue, Kia’s engi neers built the IVT with adaptive style shift logic with a chaintype belt instead of push belt, a first in the compact class. Comfortable Cabin With 428 litres on offer, cargo room is among the largest in the seg ment and generous enough to ac commodate gear for a group of friends on a road trip or a growing family managing a busy schedule. In its U.S. specification, the Cerato comes standard with an eightinch colour touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay that’s inte grated neatly on the dash and within the driver’s line of sight. A 320Watt sound system, devel oped with Harman Kardon, is op tional. Driver aids include Blind Spot Collision Warning (BCW) and Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), the all new Cerato is available with Forward CollisionAvoidance Assist (FCA) and Smart Cruise Control (SCC). Smart Cruise Control is designed to maintain a preset distance between the Cerato and the vehicle in front and can slow the vehicle slows with traffic in certain circumstances. — Wheels Reporter.
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Sold as the K3 in South Korea, the new Kia Cerato will be heading to South Africa to go on sale late in the year. PHOTO: KIA
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Some prefer to listen to their heads, others their hearts. With the New Range Rover Velar, you have the luxury of listening to both. Your head tells you, it’s a Land Rover with legendary go anywhere capability. Then take a look at the stunning exterior silhouette, the perfect waistline with flush deployable door handles and burnished copper details. Now listen. That’s the sound of your heart racing. Land Rover Pietermartizburg 9 Armitage Road, Bird Sanctuary 033 897 8860 pietermartizburg.landrover.co.za
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WitnessWheels MOTORING RACING
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January 18, 2018
Dakar 2018 snapshots
Giniel de Villiers during a practise session for the Dakar, which ends on Saturday. PHOTO: TWITTER
A Yamaha mechanic works on the quad raced by Marcelo Medeiros. PHOTO: FLORENT GOODEN DPPI
Peugeot’s Daniel Elana (left) and Sebastien Loeb after a big fall. PHOTOS: ERIC VARGIOLU DPPI
The Dakar dreams of Toyota drivers Reina Alicia and Pelayo Dante, both from Argentina, went up smoke.
KTM rider Minelli Gabrieli gets a bit of help at Stage 1. PHOTO: FRANCOIS FLAMAND DPPI
Netherlands truck racers Ton Genugten, Bardnard Der Kindren and Peter Willemsen. PHOTO: AURELIEN VIALATTE
Victory in Marrakesh
LIQUI MOLY PARTNERS HUSQVARNA
Late move from Rosenqvist sees Mahindra top the team log in Formula E
HUSQVARNA Motorcycles South Africa has confirmed a new multiyear partner ship with Liqui Moly as its technical and oils partner in both the Pepson Plastics Husqvarna Racing Enduro and Cross Country team as well as the Husqvarna Rac ing motocross team. Husqvarna Motorcycles South Africa brand manager Fred Fensham said both companies “have serious ambitions with both our race team and dealer net work and added the part nership will help push the boundaries of Enduro, Ex treme Enduro, Cross Country and Motocross.” — WR.
MAHINDRA leads the team standings in the new Formula E race format, thanks to a late move from driver Felix Rosenqvist on Renault driver Sebastien Buemi to clinch his second consecutive win of the season. Rosenqvist, who was fortunate to complete the distance after a battery change between qualify ing and the race, stuck behind the slipstream of the Renault e.dams driver and made a lunge up the inside of Turn 7 to take the lead at Marrakesh. From there, Rosenqvist didn’t look back and held on for victory at the same venue where he lost out on the win in only his second ever Formula E race. It’s the first time Rosenqvist has stood at the top of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship standings, four points clear of DS Virgin Racing’s Sam Bird who came home in third place. Buemi, who only managed to score a solitary point in the open ing two rounds in Hong Kong, showed a return to form starting from the front of the grid from
One of the highperfomance, allelectric race cars run by Mahindra in Formula E racing. PHOTO: MAHINDRA Julius Baer pole position. The Swiss champion made a clean getaway and led through the pit stop phase, but ultimately lost out to Rosenqvist. However, it wasn’t such plain sailing for Buemi as his prepara tions were hampered by an issue with the water pump. The Renault e.dams engineers had to invert the order of his cars to ensure they could fix the prob lem and get him out in time. It was a similar story for Bird, who remained behind the rear wing of Buemi in the opening
Born on a racetrack Toyota’s newly revealed GR Super Sport Concept is composed of mostly the same main parts as the TS050 Hybrid race car that competes in the World Endurance Championship. Beneath the beautifully flowing and original form are a 2,4 litre V6 twin turbocharger making 735 kW and a Toyota Hybrid SystemRacing (THSR) powertrain, which have been honed through actual racing. With its highefficiency EV system and leanburn engine, this nextgeneration super sports car is set to deliver both ultimate power and environmental performance. PHOTO: TOYOTA
laps, but gave up the position to Rosenqvist after a recurring tech nical issue caused him to slow down. Despite relinquishing the place, Bird took the chequered flag in third place to continue his strong start to the season. Another name carrying over form from Hong Kong was sea son one champion Nelson Piquet Jr, who equalled his bestplaced finish of the current campaign in fourth for Panasonic Jaguar Rac ing and scored the extra point for Visa fastest lap. The Brazilian
gained a place in the mandatory car swap, coming out ahead of José Maria Lopez making his For mula E return with the DRAG ON outfit. Lopez — who’s familiar with the Marrakesh surroundings having raced here in other cate gories — put on an impressive performance from the second row of the grid to collect eight points in sixthplace behind JeanEric Vergne for Techeetah. Rosenqvist’s teammate Nick Heidfeld scythed his way through the pack to finish seventh after
hitting the wall during qualify ing. Formula E debutant Tom Blomqvist claimed points in his firstever race for Andretti in eighth. It wasn’t a day to remember for Nico Prost. The Frenchman and three time EPrix winner was pitched into a spin by Andre Lotterer sending him to the back of the field, and later picked up a 20 second postrace penalty for speeding under Full Course Yel low — leaving Alex Lynn and Daniel Abt to round out the top 10 positions. — WR. Driver standings Felix Rosenqvist .........................54 Sam Bird........................................50 JeanEric Vergne..........................43 Nelson Piquet Jr ........................25 Edoardo Mortara..........................24 Team standings Mahindra Racing..........................75 DS Virgin Racing..........................58 TECHEETAH...................................43 Panasonic Jaguar Racing.........40 Venturi Formula E Team.........30
NEXT XCOUNTRY RACES IN KZN • January 28 — Startline ElandExpress at Elandspruit Farm, New Hanover. • January 20 — Powasol EnduroX Super Digger En duroX • January 28 — KZN Rac ing XCountry Startline Eland Express • February 17 — WFO Hard Enduro in Mid Illovo. (More on www.wforacing. co.za,) • February 24 — Powasol Extreme Enduro at Lake Eland. • March 3 — The National Cross Country at Eshowe, national and regionals.
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