Wheels23Nov2017

November 23, 2017

Witness

WHEELS

Alfie Cox (right) gives son Bradley advice before the Roof. Bradley took second in the Silver category. MORE RACING ON PAGE 8.

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Minibuses with no drivers Paris and London are the latest world cities to announce urgent plans for driverless transport ALWYN VILJOEN DRIVERS who love to blip the throttle to seamlessly hook a lower gear before diving into a corner and twitching the rear tyr­ es out of the apex may want to stop reading right here.

For the grim news for all lovers of driving is that two world cities on both sides of the English channel are planning to do away with human drivers.

Agence France­Presse reports that British Finance Minister Philip Hammond announced £75 million (R1,3 billion) in fund­ ing for Artificial Intelligence and plans to put driverless cars on UK roads by 2021. Hammond an­ nounced regulation changes to allow Britain’s driverless car in­ dustry, which the government es­ timates will be worth £28 billion by 2035, to get cars on the road

within as little as three years, ac­ cording to extracts of the budget released by his office last Sunday.

“Some would say that is a bold move, but I believe we have to embrace these technologies if we want to see Britain leading the next industrial revolution,” he said in his budget speech on Wednesday.

The minister also announced £400 million for companies hop­ ing to roll out electric car charge points across the country.

With a focus on tech indus­ tries, the government is also planning to spend £75 million supporting companies develop­ ing AI and £160 million in devel­ oping 5G technology, which it believes will be necessary for the mass roll­out of driverless cars.

The news gets even worse for drivers across the channel. For while BMW and Mercedes­Benz

Good news for victims of reckless taxi drivers, bad news for keen drivers, this robot minibus needs no driver and will soon be the only traffic allowed in several cities. PHOTO: NEWSS already have concept cars with steering wheels that fold away to meet this demand for driverless

cars while allowing some leeway for keen drivers to take control on rare occasions, the French just

want you to take the bus.

These driverless buses are al­ ready proving popular in Helsin­ ki, Finland, which aims to go car­ free by 2025.

Paris officials have announced a test of a self­driving shuttle linking two train stations in the French capital. Two electric­pow­ er EZ10 minibuses, which can carry up to six seated passengers, were put into service on Monday and will be tested until early April between the Lyon and Austerlitz stations in Paris.

The GPS­guided vehicle is free and will be running seven days a week. “To respond to the pollu­ tion emergency in big urban zones it is urgent to innovate with new transportation systems that are more environmentally friend­ ly,” said Catherine Baratti­Elbaz, head of the local district where the test is taking place.

Jean­Louis Missika, a Paris deputy mayor in charge of inno­ vation, said self­driving vehicles “will change the urban landscape in a spectacular fashion” within the next 20 years.

Conceived by the French com­ pany Easymile, the EZ10 will also be tested between two main green spaces in southern Paris later this year.

The company said fleets of the small shuttles are already operat­ ing in several countries across the world, including the United States.

With a commercial speed of 15 km/h, the shuttle has been de­ signed for public transportation to cover short distances.

Equipped with a system de­ tecting objects, the EZ10 can ad­ just its trajectory to avoid obsta­ cles and does not need heavy in­ frastructure to be operated.

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Lafras Kruger and Buza Ngcelwane (centre) and the rest of the UD Trucks Southern African support team, with Kishi Nobuhiko, UD Trucks’ senior vice president of brand and product.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

SA’s UD truckers win big in Japan SOUTH African Lafras Kruger was named the best driver at the finals of UD Trucks’ Extra Mile Challenge fleet driver competi­ tion in Japan, while Buza Ngcel­ wane won the fuel efficiency cat­ egory.

Gert Swanepoel, managing director of UD Trucks South Af­ rica, said it is a fantastic achieve­ ment for any driver to clinch the top spot in this international competition, but what made Kruger’s achievement even more special is the fact that he has been a truck driver for only 10 months.

“Both Lafras and Buza cer­ tainly did South Africa proud, and is testament to the level of skills we have in the local trans­ port industry.”

Hailing from Somerset East in the Eastern Cape, Kruger works for RA Transport, a general freight transport company.

“I am simply overwhelmed by the fact that I have actually won the title,” said Kruger. “It took many hours of preparation and

the competition truly was a tough battle.

“Thanks to the support from my company’s management and UD Trucks’ staff, I made it to the top and all the sacrifices were so worth it!”

Ngcelwane, a driver for Dairy Farmers SA in Port Elizabeth, achieved the best fuel efficiency through careful planning and his extensive knowledge of the oper­ ation, performance and han­ dling of the Quon extra heavy truck.

“It was such an honour to par­ ticipate in the competition and to do so in Japan, the home of UD Trucks, was simply the cher­ ry on top,” said Ngcelwane.

“We learned and experienced so much, and the memories and knowledge gained will certainly last us a lifetime!”

UD Trucks’ Extra Mile Chal­ lenge driver competition is aimed at improving driving skills and reducing both costs and downtime and is based on three key elements; pre­inspec­

tion, fuel efficiency and safety, and drivability.

During the competition, driv­ ers participated in either the UD Quester or UD Quon product categories, and had to compete in a simulated transport delivery cycle.

“The Extra Mile Challenge is not just simply a driving compe­ tition, but it also provides a won­ derful opportunity for drivers to test and hone their skills, refine their strengths and simply go the extra mile,” said Kishi Nobuhiko, UD Trucks’ senior vice president of brand and product.

Swanepoel said through this competition, UD Trucks contin­ ues its aim to help enhance driver capability and reinforce confi­ dence in their own abilities, but also in the trucks they drive every day.

“The Extra Mile Challenge al­ so goes a long way in raising the standards within fleets, as well as creates awareness of the im­ portance of safe and efficient driving,” said Swanepoel. — WR.

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2

WitnessWheels MOTORING

November 23, 2017

AVOID THEFT WITH THESE EIGHT STEPS

Tipo likes the twisties

INSURANCE company Alex­ ander Forbes Insurance has urged owners of luxury ve­ hicles to ensure they are adequately insured after re­ ports of a spate of thefts by what are believed to be syndicates in Gauteng, KwaZulu­Natal and the Western Cape.

Gari Dombo, the MD of AFI, says vehicle owners should be more vigilant; they should also ensure they have comprehensive motor insurance.

“Most of us don’t think about how to prevent car theft until it is too late — but car theft is a reality,” Dombo said.

Dombo said criminals can find out when a service is due and poses as an em­ ployee of the dealer to col­ lect the vehicle.

Dombo advised to be safe, take your car to the service provider yourself.

That way you can prove the car was in their pos­ session.

Tips to reduce the chan­ ces of your vehicle being stolen: 1. Always lock your car’s doors — thieves are oppor­ tunistic.

2. To avoid loss through re­ mote­locking signal jam­ ming physically check that the driver’s door is locked before leaving the car.

3. Park in a secure, well­lit car park near security cam­ eras or a security guard.

4. Don’t leave your belong­ ings in plain sight. Use the car boot or better still, leave valuables at home.

5. Keep your spare key hid­ den and in a safe place at home.

6. Park your car with the gear shift enaged or in ‘park’, the parking brake up and wheels turned to point the front wheels towards the kerb to make it harder to tow away or on to a car­carrier.

7. Never leave an unattend­ ed car running.

8. Fit an alarm, anti­smash ’n grab film, and a tracking device. Have the vehicle’s identification number en­ graved on expensive parts to make it unattractive to car thieves and harder to sell. — Wheels24.

ALWYN VILJOEN rediscovers why the Italians mix flair and affordable best I AM the last person to listen to when it comes to style.

My personal car, after all, is a much abused Fiat Multipla, the car for which the world “fugly” was created. Which is why you can take or leave my opinion that the long overhang of the other­ wise handsome Fiat Tipo’s boot lid is a bit too much on the eye.

Similar styling is selling a lot of Toyota models, after all.

But I do know a thing or two about industrial design and can hold my own when it comes to bandying about terms like ergo­ nomic or the Bauhaus philoso­ phy of form that follows func­ tion.

Hence my praise for the Tipo as surprisingly lekker, and quite a practical family car, should count for something.

That boot lid, for example, opens to a full­size spare wheel.

This show me the same Fiat phi­ losophy that gave us the legend­ ary 128, and the quick little Uno still guides Fiat’s designers when it comes to making affordable cars for fast drivers.

I drove the Tipo sedan with Fi­ at’s turbo diesel 1.3 MultiJet II and the hatch with the Fire 1.4 16v petrol engine.

Neither engine will win any re­ spect in a straight drag race, de­ spite a slick five­speed gearbox.

It is rather on a twisty road that the Tipo’s firm suspension and effective brakes respond very pleasingly, as can be expected

The Fiat Tipo sedan offers all the pragmatic styling this Italian marque is known for. PHOTO: QUICKPIC from a sedan that has won the “Best Buy Car 2016” award, after being chosen by a jury of 26 Euro­ pean journalists.

Inside the Tipo, the steering wheel continues the practical de­ sign ethos.

The audio buttons are placed behind the spokes where your fingers can easily adjust the vol­ ume or change the channels.

The steering wheel also ad­ justs for reach and height, to ena­ ble tall or short people to get comfortable behind the pedals.

Driver and front­passenger air bags are standard, with side and

curtain air bags an option.

Other active safety features in­ clude tyre­pressure sensors, elec­ tronic stability control, brake as­ sist and hill­start assist.

The radio system is rather dat­ ed and not easy to link via Blue­ tooth, but phones can also link via USB or AUX ports that are handily placed in the central con­ sole. Rear­parking sensors and a rear­view camera are optional.

All Fiat Tipo models come with a standard three­year or 100 000 km warranty and ser­ vice plan, but both the sedan and hatch face stiff competition from

Kia and Hyundai, which offer a longer warranty at a lower price.

In this price range, the Haval H2, China’s new premium SUV, also offers a more modern interi­ or. (See overleaf) To my mind, however, the big­ gest competitor to the Tipo may come from a totally unexpected corner — the Fiat Fullback dou­ blecab.

Voted as SA’s best bakkie to buy in 2017 by Bakkie and Car, the base model Fullback does not offer as many bells and whistles as the Tipo, but for R232 900 it gives the Fiat afficianado a high­

riding double cab with a smooth 2.4 engine turbo diesel and all the stylish pragmatism Fiat is known for.

Fiat Tipo pricing Sedan 1.4l Pop R229 900 1.4l Easy R249 900 1.3l D Easy R274 900 1.6l Easy Auto R274 900 Hatchback 1.4l Pop R249 900 1.4l Easy R269 900 1.4l Lounge R289 900 1.6l Easy Auto R294 900 • alwyn.viljoen@witness.co.za

DataProphet wins Daimler award for local innovators EAST LONDON — Following a rigorous judging process by a panel that included high­profile representatives from Daimler AG, the three category winners and an overall winner were an­ nounced in the Mercedes­Benz South Africa Innovation Chal­ lenge which was held on Friday, November 10.

Nine finalists presented their innovative ideas at a final selec­ tion event in the MBSA East Lon­ don plant – the culmination of a unique partnership between MBSA, the LaunchLab and Start­ up Autobahn that began at the end of August.

DataProphet and Vizbility In­

sight won the the manufacturing category.

DataProphet comprises a group of machine learning spe­ cialists who provide AI/ML de­ velopment through corporate partnerships with the aim of de­ livering bleeding­edge machine solutions.

Vizbility Insight is an artificial intelligence company specialis­ ing in globally scaleable predic­ tive and prescriptive risk man­ agement software.

NumberBoost, a startup that builds machine learning and arti­ ficial intelligence applications, won the sales and marketing cat­ egory.

These category winners each receive R300 000 to pilot their idea for future use within MBSA. As the overall winner, Data­ Prophet will also travel to Europe next year to pitch the innovative idea in front of hundreds of auto­ motive decision makers at a big Startup Autobahn event in Ger­ many.

“I am highly impressed with the innovative solutions that were displayed at the MBSA In­ novation Challenge.

“South Africa has some seri­ ous talent,” said Markus Schäfer, member of the Divisional Board Mercedes­Benz Cars, Manufac­ turing and Supply Chain for

Daimler AG, MBSA’s parent company.

The Mercedes­Benz South Af­ rica Innovation Challenge target­ ed two streams. It asked interest­ ed students and professionals (as a first stream) and existing start­ ups (as a second stream) to pitch their innovative ideas to revolu­ tionise the automotive manufac­ turing and marketing and sales environment.

“From an MBSA perspective, this challenge is crucial in that it will assist us in increasing agility while developing internal capa­ bility that changes organisation­ al culture and the way we work.

Most importantly, these innova­

tive ideas will allow us to respond to changes and adapt to new mar­ ket challenges quicker. In this process, we can increase our pro­ ductivity,” said Andreas Engling, MBSA CEO and executive di­ rector: Manufacturing.

Philip Marais, CEO of the LaunchLab, said through this In­ novation Challenge, South Afri­ can startups can have a global im­ pact. “Financial support from MBSA and support from high­ profile representatives from Daimler and MBSA has really raised the profile of this event and helped to make it a great suc­ cess. Well done to the winners,” said Marais. — WR.

Augmented reality on the screen

Datsun Go ideal for security fleets

CONTINENTAL’S augmented reality head­up display will in future be fitted to all cars built by the Lincoln Motor Company.

As Lincoln is division of Ford Motor Company, this may show where Ford is heading too.

Head­up displays are increas­ ingly popular in cars, as drivers soon discover what looks like a gimmick is a very useful visual aid on the road, especially when the infomation links to road signs and speed limits.

Continental’s head­up dis­ play takes the classic heads up display on sale in SA a step fur­ ther with augmented reality.

Continental said in a state­ ment the new system uses digi­ tal micromirror device (DMD) technology to generate graphi­ cal elements in the same way as digital cinema projectors, re­

DATSUN South Africa will sup­ ply up to 70 Datsun GO Lux ve­ hicles to Smada Security Servi­ ces. The first vehicles were de­ ployed in Kwazulu Natal, with the rest to be delivered early in 2018.

While the largest deal to date in the Datsun stable, these will not be the first Datsun Go mod­ els to be used by a security com­ pany in Pietermaritzburg, Peter’s Security Centre has been running six of these afford­ able cars for several years on pa­ trols, with no mechanical issues.

Wheels is especially impressed by how well the cabins of these cheap little Japanese run­abouts have withstood the demands of being used 24/7 by the armed se­ curity officials of Peter’s Securi­ ty Centre.

Des Fenner, GM of Datsun

Continental’s new head­up display will feature in the next Continental cars. PHOTO: CONTINENTAL sulting in very sharp images.

“Our solution closes the gap between the classic head­up dis­ play and augmented reality head­up displays and provides

a better image with a larger dis­ play area,” said Dr. Frank Rabe, head of the Instrumentation and Driver HMI business unit at Continental. —WR.

Smada Security Services followed local example and bought 70 Datsun Go models for its officers. PHOTO: MOTOPRESS South Africa, said the lastest sale to a security company highlights Datsun’s affordable total cost of ownership and it will help drive savings to Smada.

“More and more major fleets

are moving towards the benefits of Datsun product and Smada has made the decision that high­ lights Datsun’s overall safety, re­ liability and affordability,” Fen­ ner said. — WR.

MOTORING WitnessWheels

November 23, 2017

3

No eish in the H2 Shay Kalik finds out why this brand is China’s best­selling SUV THE only thing that can be said against the Haval range is there are only a dozen dealers in SA as yet. These dealers used to be known as GWM, but have now been taken over by Haval, China’s top­selling SUV brand and GWM’s premium brand.

For the rest, this is a brand that really impresses all types of driv­ ers, of any size, my tiny self in­ cluded.

The H2 also turns heads where you point that handsome nose with the big Haval letters proud­ ly displayed up front.

I drove the smaller H2 in and around KZN’s capital while my colleagues tested the bigger H6 en route to the Wild Coast.

Selling for almost R250 000, (or R3 361 per month if you take up Haval’s current special offer with a balloon payment*) I find the H2 offers a lot of value for

the family when compared to the competition in this price range and size.

There are five seats with pre­ tensioner belts and the sport ute recently scored the top five stars in Australia’s new car safety as­ sessment programme.

Under the hood, a 1,5 petrol makes 105 kW and 202 Nm. I managed to do about 200 km on a quarter tank, doing the airport run with the family, which is close to the official 8,2 l/100 km — pretty reasonable for a car that weighs well over two tons with­ out my parents’ luggage.

As the picture shows, it is sumptuous inside, with keyless entry and start, an electric driver seat which allowed my five­foot frame to get really comfortable and a touch screen that quickly linked to my smart phone.

Around the corners the H2 is

like Goldilocks’ bed, not too hard or soft, while the 18­inch tyres don’t even notice uneven road surfaces.

I did not take the H2 on dirt, but my colleagues report the big­ ger H6 is as smooth as silk over corrugated Eastern Cape roads.

It is, however, while parked that these Havals really impress.

When you switch off the quiet engine, the side mirrors close au­ tomatically, but the radio and lights stay on for a while as you make your exit.

Then there is the puddle lamp that projects “Haval” in red capi­ tals on a metre long strip beside the vehicle.

Never mind the five­year or 100 000 km warranty, a five­ year or 60 000 km service plan and five­years/unlimited kilome­ tre roadside assistance, these red letters are what impressed every­

one the most. The H2 competes with the Suzuki Vitara, the Hon­ da HR­V, the Hyundai Creta and the Renault Captur, but for my money, all these dealers will have to offer a lot of discount to beat the H2’s value offer.

Haval last year sold over a mil­ lion cars in China and for good reason. This is a premium brand that is going places. * Balloon payments cost less per month, enabling salaried work­ ers to afford a car that would oth­ erwise be above their pay grade, but note, you only rent the car under these deals, and at the tend of the term, have to trade it in and continue renting a newer model, or pay the outstanding sum.

• When not opining on cars, Constable Shay Kalik keeps law and order as member of Maritz­ burg’s proud biking unit.

The Haval H2 is a handsome vehicle offering a sumptuous interior and a sound drivetrain. PHOTOS: HAVAL

RANGE ROVER EVOQUE

MORE OF YOUR WORLD. LESS OF YOUR CAPITAL.

With Shay Kalik for scale, one can see the Jeep Renegade only looks small, but is actually a big car that stands higher than the Cherokee.

PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN

Cute design, big space WHEN Jeep launched the Renegade in 2015, CEO and MD of Chrysler and Jeep in South Africa stressed this was not just a Fiat 500 in blue collar clothing.

While built in Italy on a platform shared with the Fiat 500, Jeep’s engi­ neers designed the smallest car to ex­ tend Jeep’s brand domination in the city. Hence even the 4x2 version has 17 cm of road clearance, making it a high rider over potholes.

Apart from the ride height, Wheels’ team of testers were most impressed with the design that man­ aged to make a large car look so small.

Yet inside, the Renegade’s back bench comfortably seats three peo­ ple and the 351­litre boot fits all the luggage they want to take to King

Shaka airport. The tiny 1,4 mill under the hood can struggle a bit with a full load, this car does weigh in at 1 320 kg when empty after all, but with a normal compliment of pas­ sengers, it will reward the driver around a curvy road with a planted suspension, especially with the op­ tional 18­inch Granite Chrys wheels.

Eight models are on sale, three of which are all­wheel drive. The sweet spot goes to the 1.4L T 4x4 Limited, which retails for just over half a “me­ tre” (that’s kasi for a million, don’t you know?) and Jeep assures while Dodge is leaving SA, the Jeep brand will continue to be sold and serviced.

The dealer in Maritzburg is also ready to do trade­ins for dads looking for a cute but big family car.

OWN THE ADVENTURE WITH R75 000 TRADE ASSISTANCE* Range Rover Evoque is as capable as it is beautiful. As a true Range Rover in compact form, it’s built to make the most of your world. And with R75 000 to tailor your deal, you can own the city, own the jungle and own the Evoque.

Buy the Range Rover Evoque at the Own the Adventure event from the 24th to the 26th of November, and you’ll get R75 000 to use as a deposit, to pay off your existing lease or to add some optional extras.

There’s never been a better time to own a Range Rover Evoque.

Alfa’s first sport ute The Stelvio is Alfa Romeo’s first SUV, selling for R810k for the Super model and R946k for the First Edition.

A 2.0­litre twin scroll turbo petrol sends 206kW and 400Nm to all four wheels via an eight­speed automatic gearbox and a carbon propshaft, which helps to cut the weight down to 1 660 kg. By all accounts, it handles well.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC

Land Rover Pietermaritzburg 9 Armitage Road, Bird Sanctuary 033 897 8860 pietermaritzburg.landrover.co.za

*Ts and Cs apply.

4

WitnessWheels MOTORING

November 23, 2017

Packed with luxury Crossland X offers latest European technology and German engineering KEY Group in Pietermaritz­ burg is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Crossland X, Opel’s latest offering to com­ pete in the crossover seg­ ment.

The Crossland X is a large competitor in the typically small crossover segment, measuring just over 4,2 me­ tres long. Wheel sizes vary from 15­ to 17­inch depending on the model, which will cruise smoothly over dirt or tarred roads.

Four models in three trim grades, with a manual or au­ tomatic gearbox and two choices in three­cylinder pet­ rol engines are on offer at ag­ gressive prices.

All models are packed with luxury. Even the base model, which sells for R265k, comes equipped with cruise control and a speed limiter, hill start assist, LED daytime running lights, six air bags, auto­on headlights and traffic sign recognition. A choice of intui­

Even the base model of Opel’s Crossland X is packed with modern luxuries, like cruise control and traffic sign recognition. PHOTO: QUICKPIC tive 7­ or 8­inch touch screens mirror one’s smartphone — whether it be Apple or An­ droid, while ergonomic seats hug their occupants

Under the hood, the entry level all­aluminium 1.2­litre three­cylinder makes 60kW and 118Nm from a low 2 750 rpm, which allows excellent

fuel consumption of over 20 km per litre.

Adding a turbo pushes the power to 81 kW and 205 Nm, but trims the consumption to

19 km/l. All models are sold with fully­comprehensive 5­year/ 120 000 km warranty and roadside assistance pro­ gramme, a 5­year/unlimited mileage anti­corrosion war­ ranty and a 3­year/ 60 000 km service plan. Service intervals are 15 000 km or 12 months for all derivatives.

Rowade Rajah, sales man­ ager at Key Group Pieterma­ ritzburg said Opel offers cli­ ents the best in German engi­ neering and the latest in European automotive tech­ nology at prices the other German brands cannot match, and invited prospec­ tive clients to arrange a test drive.

He added Key Group has a hard­earned reputation for offering the best trade­ins in the business. — WR. Crossland X prices Base R265 000 Enjoy R305 000 Cosmo R345 000 Cosmo Auto R360 000

People vote for VW and Merc in used car survey VOLKSWAGEN and Mer­ cedes were the big winners in the first Gumtree Pre­Owned Car Awards.

The awards recognised the best pre­owned vehicles on the market across 10 catego­ ries, based on buyers’ criteria and TransUnion sales figures.

With the pre­owned mar­ ket being double that of new vehicles in South Africa, Gumtree’s head of automo­ tive Jeff Osborne says these inaugural awards are “a long­ overdue recognition of brands which best hold their

value, deliver reliable per­ formance and carry reasona­ ble maintenance costs”.

The expert panel of judges, comprising motor writers and mechanics, assessed 2015 models in 10 different catego­ ries and there was also a Peo­ ple’s Choice winner, voted by Gumtree users, in each.

Volkswagen won three judges’ awards and Mercedes­ Benz took two, but there were also notable wins for Toyota Rav­4, Ford Ranger, Kia Pican­ to, Mazda CX3 and the BMW M4. — WR.

Budget cars under R110 k 2015 Kia Picanto 1.0LS People’s Choice: 2015 Kia Picanto 1.0LS Light Hatchback under R140 k 2015 VW Polo Vivo GP 1.4 Con­ ceptline People’s Choice: 2015 VW Polo Vivo GP 1.4 Conceptline Medium Hatchback under R260 k 2015 VW Golf 7 1.4TSI Trendline People’s Choice: 2015 VW Golf 7 1.4TSI Trendline Performance Hatchbacks

VW Golf 7 2.0TSI R DSG People’s Choice: Mercedes­ Benz A45 AMG 4­Matic Crossovers from R200 k to R300 k 2015 Mazda CX3 2.0 Individual People’s Choice: 2015 Mazda CX3 2.0 Individual Luxury Sedan under R475 k 2015 Mercedes­Benz C220 Bluetec People’s Choice: 2015 Audi A5 Sportback 2.0TFSI Premium Performance Sports Cars BMW M4 M­DCT

People’s Choice: Mercedes­ Benz AMG C63 S SUV under R325 k 2015 Toyota RAV­4 2.0 GX People’s Choice: 2015 Toyota Fortuner 2.5D­4D Luxury SUV under R700 k 2015 Mercedes­Benz GLC 250D People’s Choice: 2015 Audi Q7 3.0TDI V6 Quattro Double Cab Bakkies 4x2 2015 Ford Ranger 3.2 TDCI XLT P/U D/C 4x2 People’s Choice: 2015 Ford Ranger 3.2 TDCI XLT P/U D/C 4x2.

REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR EUROPEAN VEHICLES

www.europarts-sa.co.za

NEED SPARES? CALL EUROPARTS Attention: Holiday Go-ers Europarts offers: Brakes/Cooling system/Sensors & Switches/Clutch/Suspension & Shocks for All popular vehicles.

We carry a wide range of stocks suitable for Mercedes, BMW, Audi, VW & Opel and most popular vehicles.

Tel: 033 342 3000 • 25 Claybourne Street, Pietermaritzburg

Alarm/ Immobilizers • Anti Hijack • Central locking • Gear locks • Vehicle tracking • Sanji’s proprietary detection technology • Simple 2-wire fitment into any vehicle • Protect the valuables in your vehicle No insurance payout for unforced entry • Audible Alert tones Warns you of remote jamming incidents • Very affordable • Battery Back-up option

We offer friendly service and sound advice that will keep customers on the road this festive season.

Tel: 033 342 0669 Cell: 071 429 6760 146 Greyling Street, Pietermaritzburg Email: eurotec@telkomsa.net

a siphephe VEHICLE TEST STATION 16 ACKERMAN ST. TEL: 033 345 3335 www.avtspmb.co.za • Cell: 079 502 4344

Is your vehicle roadworthy?

“School holidays are a few weeks away and our roads are going to be getting busier.

Having unroadworthy vehicles on our roads at this time is a recipe for disaster,” said Pieter Niemand, director of the Motor Industry Workshop Association (Miwa).

Niemand said it is a legal requirement in South Africa that all cars must be in a roadworthy condition.

“Taxis and busses must undergo a road­ worthy test every year and a roadworthy certificate must be presented before a new car can be registered.”

The fact that roadworthy certificates are only presented for cars on change of owner­ ship means that for many drivers, roadwor­ thiness might not be top of mind.

“Periodic roadworthy testing is not compulsory in South Africa. However, driv­ ing a car that is not roadworthy is not only risky on the roads, it’s also risky when it comes to your finances.

“Most car insurance claims will not be paid out if it is found that the vehicle in­ volved in the accident was not in a roadwor­ thy condition,” advises Niemand.

“In fact, keeping your car roadworthy will save you money in the long­term be­ cause your car will operate more efficiently and you could possibly avoid costly repairs that are a result of negligence.”

Niemand reminded the onus is on the motorist to ensure their vehicle is safe to drive so it’s important to regularly service and maintain the vehicle and request a full safety inspection from qualified mechanics and technicians.

Regular maintenance will ensure that the shock absorbers are in good condition and the braking system is working properly.

The local tyre franchises all provide free checks on tyres, brakes and suspension and Niemand recommends that motorists take their vehicles for a quick check to spot maintenance issues in time.

He said there are several checks motor­ ists can and should do regularly, even with­ out the assistance of a mechanic. “Check all the lights, from the number plate, indica­ tors, stop and tail lights, to the head lights,” said Niemand.

The windscreen links directly to the vehi­ cle’s safety technologies, such as ABS and air bags, and must not be cracked.

The windscreen wipers are especially im­ portant, for wipers that leave streaks on a windscreen effectively render the glass opaque while driving at night. Remove leaves and twigs from the wipers before driving, as these damage the rubber, and have old blades replaced at a reputable parts shop.

“Also regularly check your vehicle’s flu­ ids to ensure there are no leaks … and while we don’t want you to abuse your hooter, you have to make sure it’s in good working order.” — Supplied.

“Periodic roadworthy testing is not compulsory in South Africa. However, driving a car that is not roadworthy is not only risky on the roads, it’s also risky when it comes to your finances.”

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FORD BACKS ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGNS Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa, in conjunc­ tion with the Automobile Association (AA) and other valued partners, launched off a multi­faceted road safety awareness and edu­ cation campaign aimed at addressing South Africa’s high number of road acci­ dents, injuries and fatalities.

“Road safety is an impor­ tant topic that affects ev­ eryone in South Africa, which has the unenviable distinction of having among the highest number of road accidents and fatalities in the world,” said Dr Casper Kruger, managing director of Ford Motor Company Sub­ Saharan Africa Region.

“This is due to a variety of issues such as inade­ quate driver training, non­ compliance with the use of essential safety devices such as seatbelts and child car seats, as well as a large number of unroadworthy vehicles and unlicensed driv­ ers. We also have a tragic record when it comes to pedestrian safety.

“With around 15 000 people dying on our roads each year, we all have an important role to play in re­ ducing this number and making South Africa’s roads much safer,” Kruger added.

Ford is actively involved in driver training through its Driving Skills for Life pro­ gramme, which is a free comprehensive course that equips licensed motorists with a greater understand­ ing of responsible and safe driving techniques.

This includes recognising hazards, vehicle handling, as well as speed and space management. It also ad­ dresses the critical areas of distracted driving, such as using cellphones when be­ hind the wheel, and im­ paired driving when under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Ford has also embarked on a high­profile national road safety campaign aimed at pedestrians, which group last year made up 38% of SA’s road fatalities.

The national programme, known as #ISeeYou, is fo­ cused on pedestrian visibili­ ty, and this is being linked to Ford’s Driving Skills for Life programme.

As part of the initial phase of the campaign, 14 000 sashes were distrib­ uted to pedestrians through activations across the coun­ try.

This includes the partici­ pation of 28 schools, along with 20 Ford dealers. — WR,

WitnessWheels MOTORING

November 23, 2017

Battle of the MPVs JANINE VAN DER POST explores the three family cars that make moms rock CAPE TOWN — Safety fea­ tures, high ground clearance, a huge boot and loads of elbow space... these are some of the most impor­ tant boxes I like to have

ticked when it comes to a family car.

You’ll definitely want to have at least a couple of these features when it haul­ ing your family (and their

kit around). Looks are pretty important too, so is fuel consumption and enough vooma to get you where you need to be.

The last thing you’d want

with a car full of screaming children is to be going no­ where slowly, so sufficient power are great for moms and dads.

Whether its performing a

school run or going on holi­ day with your family, Wheels24’s Janine Van der Post looks at 3 MPV’s that make for good “moms tax­ is”.

The Peugeot 2008 has an innovative interior lighting system.

PHOTO: QUIKCPIC

The Mahindra TUV300 offers real value for money.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED Peugeot 2008, from R284 900 PEUGEOT’S next­gen 2008, launched earlier in 2017, is a beau­ tiful car and the French automak­ er always shows its pride in its products with premium materi­ als and high levels of equipment.

The 2008 had great finishes with double stitching, soft­touch plastics and comfortable leather seats. Not to mention it smells as fresh as Spring flowers... al­ ways a boon when you’re hauling your children and their friends ripe from a sport match.

Mazda CX­5 from R382 700 IF Mazda has not been a topic of discussion around the braai these days, the CX­5 is a sure steer the conversation towards the Japanese automaker’s great products.

The latest offering from the Japanese brand is helping the au­ tomaker get back on track and take the fight to its rivals. So much so that a few owners of pre­ mium­brand products have asked me about trading their cur­ rent vehicles for the new SUV. And with its stylish new looks, who can blame them?

The refreshed changes might seem discreet on the upgraded model, but it makes a huge differ­ ence in terms of design.

The headlights and tail lights have been redesigned as well as the front of the car, including the grille. These changes, however minor, give the SUV a more as­ sertive look than before.

It also drives a lot better than before thanks to its torque vec­ toring system. Mazda has also made some changes to the sus­ pension so the steering com­ mands are more responsive, thus enabling a much more enjoyable

It glides like dream on any sur­ face, is extremely roomy and pretty economical too. It comes packed with safety features, Iso­ fix fittings and genuinely feels solid on the road.

Peugeot is still pretty much underrated in South Africa while their products keep getting bet­ ter. Definitely worth an option to keep in mind from the more pop­ ular go­to choices.

The new 2008 comes with black and chromed headlights, 3D LED rear lights in a distinctive three­claw design which helps

the car’s visual presence on the road from all angles.

There’s also the new vertical front grille and Peugeot’s new ‘horizontal bonnet’. It’s large spoiler, assertive wheel arches, scuff plates and roof bars give the car a rugged look, but in a very snazzy way. Inside, there’s an in­ novative interior lighting system with LED instrument dial sur­ round, LED track – laser cut headlining or a panoramic glass roof with light guides.

This model also comes in a beautiful new shade of red.

Mahindra TUV300 from R229 995 WHAT? A cheap Indian car makes the list? Yes it does.

I still can’t believe just how much I enjoyed this car, and the fact that it left a lasting impres­ sion says a lot too.

The Indian automaker has def­ initely taken its customers con­ cerns to heart and has improved by leaps and bounds in terms of design, functionality and created a better product for it.

Mahindra has some work to do with regards to quality but they have come a long way and it shows in cars such as its TUV300.

The Mahindra TUV300 is spa­ cious not only in front but pro­ vides ample legroom for the rear passengers too. The middle­seat

occupant has no reason to fight for elbow or knee room.

I love that the extra two seats in the rear can be folded up along the side providing extra space for luggage or shopping bags.

Even if the two rear seats are in use, there’s still ample space to load a few things without mak­ ing it uncomfortable for the oc­ cupants.

Next is the fact that it’s so fru­ gal; Mahindra claims an average fuel consumption of 5.4­li­ tres/100km from the 1.5­litre en­ gine. I’d like to say they were thumb­sucking those figures but during my stint with the vehicle, I matched the claimed figure.

Yes, it might try too hard to be a premium vehicle but for ev­ erything else it’s a pretty much a good, affordable choice!

Volvo cars for Uber

The CX5 competes against German rivals, but offers a lot more for a lot less. PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN drive.

The 2.2­litre model offers a much better drive than the lower­ specced 2.0­litre and the engine also seems to be better matched to the automated gearbox.

This turbo­diesel hardly sounds like an industrial machine and the loud rattling, common with diesel units, is almost non­ existent. Yes, it’s still a struggle to find the perfect gear first time round but the automated box is a vast improvement than before and you learn to live with it.

Besides, with Cape Town be­

ing rated at the most congested city in the country, any automatic gearbox is a blessing.

It offers a solid drive too when you do reach the open road and it handles spritely driving well and comes with enough standard features to make it quite compe­ tive against the usual, more pop­ ular rivals.

The CX 5 is definitely a car to consider if you’re looking for something smaller in the SUV segment that is more affordable than high­end premium price­ tags. — Wheels24.

VOLVO Cars has signed a framework agreement with ride sharing company Uber to supply tens of thousands of autonomous driving com­ patible base vehicles be­ tween 2019 and 2021.

The non­exclusive agree­ ment enhances the strategic partnership between Volvo Cars and Uber announced in August 2016 and also marks a new chapter in the con­ vergence of car makers and Silicon Valley­based technol­ ogy companies.

“The automotive industry is being disrupted by tech­ nology and Volvo Cars chooses to be an active part of that disruption,” said Håkan Samuelsson, presi­ dent and chief executive.

“Our aim is to be the sup­ plier of choice for AD ride­ sharing service providers globally.”

Volvo Cars’ engineers have worked closely togeth­ er with engineers from Uber to develop the XC90 premi­ um SUVs that are to be supplied to Uber. The base vehicles incorporate all nec­ essary safety, redundancy and core autonomous driv­ ing technologies that are re­ quired for Uber to add its own self­driving technology.

Jeff Miller, head of Auto Alliances at Uber said the agreement takes another step towards the plan of mass produced self­driving vehicles at scale.

— Wheels Reporter.

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ELECTRIC MOTORING WitnessWheels

November 23, 2017

7

Big plans for evees Volkswagen and Toyota power up their plans for China and India production of electric vehicles before July next year, with sales starting in the second half of 2018.

Toyota and Suzuki Toyota Motor Corporation (To­ yota) and Suzuki Motor Corpo­ ration will co­operate to make cars for the Indian market.

The two companies have con­ cluded a memorandum of under­ standing (MOU) on moving for­ ward in considering a co­opera­ tive structure for introducing electric vehicles (EVs) in the In­ dian market in around 2020.

Bloomberg reports the agree­ ment stems from the two compa­ nies having concluded on Febru­

ary 6 this year a MOU on begin­ ning considerations for a business partnership, after which they began discussing, among other topics, the dissemination of vehicle electrification technol­ ogies in India.

Specifically, Suzuki is to pro­ duce EVs for the Indian market and will supply some to Toyota, while Toyota is to provide techni­ cal support.

Additionally, Toyota and Suz­ uki intend to conduct a compre­ hensive study of activities for the widespread acceptance and pop­ ular use of EVs in India.

Such activities encompass the establishment of charging sta­ tions, human resources develop­

ment that includes training for after­service technicians em­ ployed throughout sales net­ works, and systems for the appro­ priate treatment of end­of­life batteries.

Suzuki has already announced that it intends to construct a lith­ ium­ion battery plant on the grounds of its recently opened automobile plant in the Indian state of Gujarat.

As envisioned by the agree­ ment, in addition to lithium­ion batteries, electric motors and other major components would be locally procured for the pro­ duction of EVs in India, helping the Indian government fulfill its “Make in India” initiative, even

The electrified Suzuki Swift is not a full electric car, but a hybrid that uses a petrol engine to extend its range.

PHOTO: SUZUKI in the field of EVs. Especially the electric cars planned for India may yet spill over to South Africa, where the average distances typically driv­ en by city drivers will easily be met by the current range of most battery packs.

Other companies already planning electric vehicles with Chinese companies are Daimler, Toyota, Ford, the Renault­Nissan alliance, GM and BMW. These companies also all have joint ventures in China to pro­ duce electric vehicles. — WR.

O&M CAPE TOWN 3759/E

VOLKSWAGEN and Toyota have announced plans to speed up their programmes to make electric vehicles to keep pace with government demands for zero emission cars in China and India.

Bloomberg reports that Volks­ wagen has announced it will in­ vest $12 billion (over R168 tril­ lion) during the next seven years with its Chinese joint venture partner JAC (Anhui Jianghuai Automobile).

Volkswagen China head Jo­ chem Heizmann informed re­ porters in Guangzhou on No­ vember 9 that with their partner they will develop and produce 40 models for the Chinese market.

The joint venture will start

Tesla’s electric truck, which Elon Musk says has a range of 800 km on a charge, and a recharge time of 30 minutes using Tesla’s ‘Super Mega Charger’.

PHOTO: REUTERS

ORDERS FOR TESLA’S ELECTRIC RIG WALMART Stores Inc and big truck fleet operator J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc have confirmed they will order Tesla Inc’s electric semi trucks, boosting the Silicon Valley automak­ er’s effort to expand its reach beyond luxury cars and solar energy systems.

Walmart plans to order a total of 15 Tesla trucks, five for the United States and 10 for Canada.

“We believe we can learn how this technology performs within our sup­ ply chain, as well as how it could help us meet some of our long­term sus­ tainability goals, such as lowering emissions,” the retailer said in a state­ ment.

Separately, J.B. Hunt was the first major U.S. trucking company to an­ nounce an order for Tesla’s new “Semi” electric trucks, saying it had reserved multiple vehicles for use on the U.S. West Coast.

Hunt did not say how many of the vehicles it would reserve. Tesla un­

veiled the Semi on Thursday without specifying prices.

Hunt’s statement followed a rejec­ tion of the new vehicles on Thursday

by Old Dominion Freight Line Inc, the United States’ fourth­largest less­than­truckload carrier.

“Other carriers have been skepti­ cal about the heavy­duty tractor ap­ plicability to their models, given questions regarding torque, total hauling capacity, and recharging in­ frastructure,” said Benjamin Hart­ ford, a sector analyst with brokerage Baird.

In a showy launch on Thursday, Tesla chief Elon Musk said the truck could go up to 800 km at maximum weight at highway speed, and re­ charge in half an hour.

Admitting diesel trucks do twice this distance, Musk said the much lower running cost of electric trucks will make them economically viable for fleet operators. — Reuters.

Don’t you love it when history repeats itself? The A3 and A4 Sedan offer returns.

Tesla’s ‘hardcore smackdown’ Elon Musk launched what he called the fastest electric production car ‘to give a hardcore smackdown to gas cars’. The Tesla Roadster has a range of over 1 000 km from a 200 kWh battery pack that powers three electric motors, one driving the front wheels and two driving the rear, with all­wheel drive and torque vector steering.

Musk said it goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 4,2 seconds, and does the quarter­mile in 8,9 seconds.

The Tesla Roadster will cost $250 000, with production to start in 2020. PHOTO: TESLA

We’re bringing an offer for the future back from the past. 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.

Financial Services

WitnessWheels MOTORING RACING

8

Alfredo Gomez ended fifth while his sister, Sandra Gomez, became the second woman to finish the Roof.

November 23, 2017

Unseasonal snow delayed the start of the time trials in this year’s Roof.

Wade Young after winning his third Roof of Africa last weekend. PHOTOS: INSTAGRAM

Snow doesn’t dampen Roof Three KZN riders top podium as Young clinches his third win with Teasdale in second place ALWYN VILJOEN UNSEASONAL snow in Novem­ ber slowed down the 50th Motul Roof of Africa riders, but the mother of hard enduros picked up speed as the race progressed to the finish, where Wade Young (Sherco Liqui Moly Racing), rode to his third victory.

KZN’s Travis Teasdale (Broth­ er Leader Tread KTM) finished second, ahead of title defender superstar Graham Jarvis (Rock­ star Energy Husqvarna).

Young told Roof of Africa me­ dia: “Travis and I bonded during

this race, he kept me honest.”

Teasdale said: “I’m happy to be on the podium. It was never over till the end. Wade is one of the best riders in the world.”

South Coast rider Blake Gut­ zeit (Bibvest bLU cRU Yamaha Racing) chased Jarvis all the way, but the pair separated up the infa­ mous Soldiers Pass.

Gutzeit flew the flag high by riding in to a superb fourth place.

“It’s an honour to ride with a rid­ er of that calibre”, he said of his duel with the legendary Jarvis.

“He is the best in the world and gapped me on the last hill, where

it mattered”.

Gutzeit felt the course fa­ voured the speed of the South Af­ ricans.

Jarvis said it would of course have been great to finish with a back­to­back victory, but his Husqvarna got him on the podi­ um and that was what counted.

“Thanks for all the African hospi­ tality and to the team for all the effort. I’ll be back.”

Racing into fifth was Alfredo Gomez, who clearly found his mojo, and scorched the course.

Their race was made a bit eas­ ier by the absense of Brett Swane­

poel, who ended in hospital with a fractured sternum after he crashed out in the time trial sec­ tion of the race.

Among the women, the first woman ever to complete the course, SA’s Kirsten Landman (Brother Leader trader KTM) finished the Gold class in 06:19:09, just over an hour be­ hind Afredo’s sister, Sandra Go­ mez (Pepson Plastics Husqvar­ na), 05:21:38. “I become the sec­ ond woman in history to conquer the Gold Class of the Mother of Hard Enduros Roof of Africa,” Gomes said after a race­long

Duminy second in title race after final win BALLITO kart racer Daniel Duminy ended his race year in style when he won the final round of the Northern Re­ gions Senior Rok champion­ ship at Vereeniging’s Laser­ fiche Raceway to pinch second in the title race on Saturday.

Duminy, who balanced karting with Polo Cup main circuit duties this season, has big race plans going forward, but he thoroughly enjoyed the final race of his 2017 season.

“Saturday was very good,” Daniel said. “Well done to Josh Dias for taking the title and to Oliver Gunner for a tough challenge throughout the year, but I am happy with

Daniel Duminy leading the pack.

PHOTO: PAUL BEDFORD/MOTORSPORTMEDIA second in the championship after all the trouble we had through the season — it was

pretty tough at times.

“Maybe I’ll be back in a kart next year, but I have some big

things planned which will be released on New Year’s Day, but most important is that my off­season training starts on Monday morning bright and early to get ready for the new season next year.

“I have a few people to thank — firstly my karting gu­ ru Ricky Perdigao, as well as Etienne Roos and the whole RKT race team for the excep­ tional hard work. But the big­ gest thank you is to my parents — dad and mom thank you for everything, this would not be possible without you both and also special thanks to all my friends and family and sup­ porters,” he said. — WR.

VW chase a last win for season THE Volkswagen Motorsport squad will want to repeat their winning performance from ear­ lier this month when their GTC race cars hit the tarmac for the last time in 2017 this com­ ing weekend at Pretoria’s Zwartkops Raceway to contest the final round of the Sasol GTC Series.

The squad will once again include the two dominant Golf GTi’s of Keagan Masters and Mandla Mdakane. The latter added his name to the record books when he won a race earlier this season, but the GTC2 category will be remem­ bered for what can only be de­ scribed as a perfect year for Masters. The youngster led the

fight to defeat Landman.

“Thanks to my South African team and to everyone who made it possible for me to realise this dream — we did it!”

In the Bronze class, less than three minutes separated Liza Ackermann (04:50:02) and Re­ becca James (04:47:37). Dubai­ based Sune Schaffler closed off the Bronze class in 05:42:11.

Tread KTM) 10:52:34 3. Graham Jarvis (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna)11:04:06

Final placings Gold 1. Wade Young (Sherco Liqui Moly Racing) 10:41:28 2. Travis Teasdale (Brother Leader

Bronze 1. Brett Geary (KTM) 9:2:22 2. Brett Boyes (KTM) 9:24:52 3. Grant Burton Durham (Mech­ spec Racing) 9:32:18

Silver 1. Heinrich Zellhuber (Alfie Cox Mo­ tul KTM Racing) 11:28:02 2. Bradley Cox (Alfie Cox Motul KTM Racing) 11:49:36 3. Wilhelm Schonfeldt (BCR Arrow Yamaha) 12:1:00

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Thalha Moosajee (left) and Raais Asmal, the top two drivers competing in VW’s 2017 Driver Search, will share a car in the 3­Hour Endurance Race at Zwartkops on Saturday. One of them will win a full factory­drive with Volkswagen Motorsport in the Engen Volkswagen Cup, joining the 2016 winner Jonathan Mogotsi.

PHOTO: MOTORPRESS way in terms of pole positions, fastest laps and race wins, a performance which ultimately won him the coveted title.

The winner of the two top finalists of VW’s 2017 Driver Search will also be announced at Zwartkops.

Last week, Thalha Moosajee

and Raais Asmal competed in the last leg of the Driver Search competition in Port Eliz­ abeth’s Aldo Scribante Race­ track on Saturday. They will share a car, alongside Jonathan Mogotsi in the 3­Hour Endur­ ance Race at the last race meeting of the year. — WR.

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