September 6, 2018
Witness
FESTIVAL OF MOTORING
WHEELS
ALWYN VILJOEN
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Sporting makeovers Hyundai refreshes its top-selling Tucson and Creta sport utility utes to compete even harder ALWYN VILJOEN HYUNDAI has given its two top-selling sport utility vehicles in South Africa — the Tucson and Creta — new design features and new gearboxes, as well as two new models added to the Tucson range, which no longer has an all-wheeldrive, as too few people bought any. Seven Tucsons, three engines The new Tucson range in South Africa features seven derivatives, with a choice between three engines — a naturally aspirated two-litre petrol engine; a turbocharged 1,6-litre petrol engine; and a two-litre turbocharged diesel — and three specification levels. Pick of the bunch goes to the 130 kW, 265 Nm turbocharged petrol engine which is coupled with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT). From an engineering perspective a DCT uses less fuel and emits less CO2 but improving on the shifting quality of a traditional torque converter. Like its predecessor, the new Tuscon loves to go off the beaten track and it handles KZN’s rural tar and dirt roads with aplomb and with Stanley Anderson, the sales and operations director at Hyundai, fighting to keep prices on the fully imported vehicles low despite the rand tanking, the new Tucson looks set to improve on the 11% market share
Hyundai’s very popular Creta has an evolutionary new look that will not detract from used prices for the outgoing model — and as the dust on the wheels show, it is built to explore. PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN it has enjoyed in South Africa, against the 15% of this segment leader, the Toyota RAV4. Evolving Creta still good to explore The Creta’s facelift is evolutionary rather than radical, which helps to keep used values of the former model high. Under the hood, either a 1 591 cc petrol engine making 90kW and 150 Nm from 4 850 rpm, or a 1 582 cc diesel en-
gine making 94 kW and 260 Nm from 2 750 rpm. To date, the manual 1,6 petrol has been the most popular, selling 190 units on average, followed by the auto, then the diesel. The 1,6 manual and automatic Creta’s main rival is the Ford Ecosport, the only other medium-size SUV that sold more than 100 units on average over the last six months. The Creta and Ecosport are the two
top sellers in a fiercely competitive segment against at least 24 other mediumsize utes — ranging from the Nissan Juke at R303 300 to the Opel Mokka X 1.4T Cosmo AT at R397 557. Anderson listed the standard features which makes the Creta a very compelling offer, from rear park assist with camera, electric-folding side mirror, leather seats all round, keyless entry, an electronic rear-view mirror, an
eight-inch infotainment screen to control the infotainment system, six air bags and cruise control. The best selling point remains Hyundai’s seven-year or 200 000 km manufacturer warranty. This warranty breaks up into a five-year or 150 000 km warranty and an added two-year or 50 000 km additional warranty for powertrain, which allows people to sell their used car while still under warranty. The price also include a fiveyear or 90 000 km service plan and five years or 150 000 km roadside help. The Creta’s other strong selling point is its 190 mm road clearance and the vehicle’s durability. Only the Toyota Rush rides higher at 220 mm. The one optional extra is satnav, which Creta owners can have for R2 522. Anderson said Hyundai has paid on average only R9 in what the industry calls an average warranty burn rate on the 8 079 units sold since launch.
WHEELED EVENTS • November 9-10: The WFO Club has opened entries for Ramasgate. Billed as the hardest one-day enduro in Africa, the event takes place, hosted at the Chertsey farm, eight kilometres outside Matatiele. Cost is R750 per rider, including all logistics for the race and supper on Friday and Saturday nights. There will be camping facilities available at the start and finish which is the same for both days of racing with a tented village at R300 per tent. More on www.wfo racing.co.za. • October 14: national cross country at Terra Topia in Gauteng. • October 17: KZN racing cross country at Boston. More info on www.kznracing.co.za • October 27: Natal Motorcycle and Car Club hosts Reach for a Dream children at the first regional rally with both Motorsport South Africa and World of Motorsport racers. Contact Dean Redelinghuis for more at 083 657 1526. • November 2-3: SunCity400, which this year relocates to Kloof Recreation Club Glenharvie in Westonaria. • November 24 to 25: World Rallycross of South Africa at Killarney Raceway in Cape Town.
BOU STAYS ON TOP HONDA rider Toni Bou won his 12th consecutive FIM Trial World Championship in Great Britain on September 2. “I started this season with injuries, but I managed to overcome them. I thank the team, our sponsors, and all of my fans,” the world’s best rock hopper said.
“If there is one brand in South Africa that’s truly going places, it’s Suzuki,” Jacobson said. “Suzuki has become synonymous with value-for-money, quality cars. This is reflecting in growing sales figures — Suzuki set an all-time record in July 2018, registering 1 237 new vehicles. Motorists can visit www.true price.co.za and request a free vehicle evaluation in a matter of minutes. Evaluations are based on data that is gathered at vehicle auctions. — WR.
The Toyota Aygo is the entry level car that best holds its value at South African auctions, and sells on average for only 25% less than new. PHOTO: MOTORPRESS position, just behind its Kia sibling, is the Hyundai i10. The Toyota Etios occupies the num-
ber four spot, achieving 65% of original list price. The Suzuki Celerio clocks in at the fifth spot at 64%.
Entry-level auction prices vs new: 1. Toyota Aygo 75% 2. Kia Picanto 68% 3. Hyundai i10 66% 4. Toyota Etios 65% 5. Suzuki Celerio 64% 6. VW Polo Vivo 64% 7. VW Take Up 59% 8. Datsun Go 58% 9. Honda Brio 55%
Work to start on Volvo’s new workshop in Pinetown ALWYN VILJOEN THE new vice president of Volvo Group Southern Africa, Marcus Hörberg, confirmed to Wheels that work will start next month to open a R146 million truck, bus and trailer workshop in Pinetown by next year. “The future looks bright, and we are planning for it. I am happy to announce that we will be opening a new Durban Truck Centre in 2019, with an investment in a new state of the art dealership to better service our customers in the region,” he said. Like the nearby MAN truck assembly plant, Volvo plans to cover the 30 000 m² factory’s roof in solar panels to subsidise the plant’s electricity needs, while rain water will be harvested and recycled in the wash bays. Hörberg has 20 years of experience in customer finance, business development, strategy and country management for Volvo Group in emerging markets and was vice president of Volvo Peru and Region North for the past five years before his posting to South Africa on July 1. Speaking to the media at the Volvo Trucks stand at the Festival of Motoring, the only industry supported national automotive show which is taking place at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, Johannesburg, he said Vovlo management and staff have laid a good foundation to build on, as the group’s top-
Valentia Hobbs, director of marketing and communication at Volvo Group SA.
Marcus Hörberg, vice president of Volvo Group Southern Africa. PHOTOS: ALWYN VILJOEN
ranking in customer satisfaction indexes show. “We have retained our number one overall position in customer satisfaction for a consecutive third quarter which is no small feat but, rather a reflection of all the hard work from our collective staff,” said Hörberg. According to the latest Scott Byers report, Volvo Trucks has regained its number one position in sales, maintained first position in parts and second in service delivery for the second
quarter of 2018, which means that the company has maintained first position overall. Hörberg said high demand for the FH series, specifically the Volvo FH440 6x4 Truck Tractor continues. Last year, this strong truck was the number one heavy-duty truck in South Africa, according to Naamsa sales. Hörberg said of the 130 countries in which Volvo operates — ranging from Russia’s extreme winters to Peru’s extreme altitude at 5 500 metres above
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The new Suzuki Jimny has these guys to thank for this small 4x4’s legendary status in SA. From left are Ryno Cloete, Monty Montgomery, Eric Lawrenson and Vic Randle, all ‘elders’ in the local Jimny club, which was founded in 2008 and now boasts some 2 600 members.
Pricing Prices for the three Creta models start at R339 900 for the 1.6 Executive (manual) and top out at R399 900 for the Creta 1.6 Executive Turbodiesel automatic. The seven models of the Tuscon start at R399 900 for the 2.0 Premium MT and top out at R569 900 for the R2.0 Elite 8AT2 DSL. • alwyn.viljoen@witness.co.za
Aygo, Picanto and i10 hold their resale values best ONE of the single-most important considerations when purchasing a car is resale value. This is massively significant when it comes to calculating the cost of ownership. Now, for the first time, True Price has revealed which entry-level cars hold their value. The statistics are based on actual prices achieved on auction. According to Darryl Jacobson, managing director of True Price, the Toyota Aygo rules the resale value roost. “It is achieving 75% of original list price on auction, making it the clear leader in resale values. This almost certainly is thanks to Toyota’s reputation for building reliable vehicles,” he points out. Number two goes to the Kia Picanto — at 68%. “Kia is a brand that has grown in reputation and stature — both globally and here in South Africa. In third place — at 66% is yet another Korean product. “Occupying third
LAST weekend’s Festival of Motoring at Kyalami in Johannesburg saw several new models launched, which underscored the confidence industry players expressed during a conference on the future of the car trade in Africa, held by National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa). The third instalment of the annual event also saw racing, a 4x4 village, displays of 50 modern super cars, as well as official championship rounds for the Sasol GTC Championship and Investchem Formula 1600 Series. The longest queue over the threeday event, however, was in front of Pits 1-7, where Mercedes-Benz offered hot laps in the AMG GT range of performance cars — the AMG GTC, AMG GTR and the AMG GTS — with the AMG Driving Academy team.
Outside on the 4x4 track, Haval’s big Prado competitor, the H9, drew as much attention as the new V6 Merc bakkie — the X350d. Nadia Trimmel, vice-president of Mercedes-Benz Vans southern Africa, said the flagship bakkie develops 190 kW and a peak torque of 550 Nm, and is sure to change the bakkie landscape in SA. Mercedes-Benz Vans also showed the Mercedes-Benz V-Class, which Wheels lists as the vehicle that does it all for the family man. As Trimmel said: “The V-Class combines exemplary functionality with high-class appeal, comfort, efficient driving enjoyment and safety. “This makes the Mercedes-Benz among MPVs the perfect vehicle for anyone who appreciates boundless space but does not want to sacrifice style, comfort and opulence on wheels,” she said in a statement.
sea level — South Africa is the 20th largest market. Director of Volvo truck sales Malcolm Gush said local fleet operators are increasingly ordering the latest active safety features that Volvo introduced as an option to its trucks last year as part of a R6,5 million investment into its Durban SKD Manufacturing. Gush said the extra cost of the Volvo Active Safety package is offset by the first big crash the driver avoided thanks to the active braking or pedestrian avoidance systems, which is why the optional package is so popular with fleet operators who monitor their driver statistics. Gush said Volvo next aims to use less diesel to lower emissions and in southern Africa this means LNG. Volvo LNG, or liquified natural gas, can be cheaply sourced from Mozambique. Volvo already uses Euro 6-compliant heavy-duty trucks running on liquefied natural gas, or biogas, in Europe. Gush said these trucks have the same performance, driveability and fuel consumption as Volvo’s diesel-powered models. Valentia Hobbs, director of marketing, communication and corporate affairs, said Volvo Trucks will continue its apprenticeship programmes, and plans are in the pipeline to qualify more women as truck drivers, while traffic safety initiatives continue through Volvo’s “Stop Wave” augmented reality experience at schools.
The author dressed up nicely for a chance to drive dirty in the big new Haval H9, which the premium Chinese SUV specialist is aiming squarely at drivers of large 4x4s, like the Pajero, Prado and Pathfinder.
Audi showed the new Q8, which goes on sale in SA next year, stating that thee Q8 brings together the best of both worlds — the elegance of a four-door luxury coupé and the practical versatility of a large SUV.
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Volkswagen aims to create intra-African trade VOLKSWAGEN last week announced plans to assemble cars in Ghana and Nigeria. Head of Volkswagen sub-Saharan region, Thomas Schaefer signed the agreement on behalf of Volkswagen with the Nigeria’s minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Okey Enelamah. This comes a day after the signing of the MoU in Ghana in the presence of
Chancellor Angela Merkel and vice president of Ghana Mahamudu Bawumia, whereby Volkswagen committed to set up a vehicle assembly and conduct a detailed feasibility study for the development of an integrated mobility solution in Ghana. In the MoU, Volkswagen undertakes to implement a phased approach in relation
to the assembly of vehicles, initially from assembly kits with the long-term view of establishing Nigeria as an automotive hub on the West Coast of Africa. “Africa’s time is now and with good alignment between the African countries with automotive aspirations we can create intra-African trade and a win-win situation for all,” concluded Schaefer. WR
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