September 12, 2019
THE WITNESS
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15
WHEELS
www.witness.co.za
Like a bunny chow
NEW MODELS
Mahindra’s budget crossover inspires owners to take a detour and use less fuel along the way ALWYN VILJOEN
Mahindra’s XUV300 is unique to behold, but comes packed with value, much like KZN’s signature dish, the bunny chow. The 1,5-litre diesel pulls like a train, and its frugal consumption will inspire owners to go on food safaris to establish for themselves whether Maritzburg’s Bombay Curry Den (est 1980) sells the tastiest bunnies. PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN
THE XUV300 is the first Mahindra I have driven that did not have the cabin bolted to a solid ladder frame designed to overcome anything India’s roads can put in its path. Instead, the cabin and the chassis are an all-in-one unit — what the trade calls a monocoque hull, and filled to the brim with all the buttons one expects — but rarely gets — in a car starting at a quarter of a million rands. These lesser-spotted buttons include an auto-dimming rearview mirror, wheel pressure monitors, parking sensors, a rear camera, satellite navigation, cruise control, a sunroof, push button start/ stop and dual-zone climate control. It’s roomy inside, despite the XUV300 being under 4 m long and 1,82 m wide. The rear seats fold flat in a 60/40 configuration. With the seats up, the boot is a relatively tight 249 litres (the competitors are over 300 litres), but this is still more than enough space for the weeks’ groceries. With the rear seats flat, the space enlarges to 600 litres. Under the hood is either a diesel or a petrol engine, both sending power to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. The 1,2-litre turbocharged makes 81 kW and 200 Nm, which is OK for city use, but my preference is for the 1,5-litre turbodiesel, which makes 86 kW and 300 Nm, the highest among its competitors.
Toyota has introduced the Land Cruiser 79 Namib for R893 600, prepacked with all the toys needed for dune riding, from a heavy-duty nudge bar and high-intensity LED spotlights up front, to an integrated towbar at the rear. Inside, the glovebox doubles as a coolbox and the seats are covered in embroidered canvas seat covers. A roof console contains rear-facing LED lights, a storage binnacle, driver and cabin LED lights, as well as a compartment for two-way radio. The suspension is upgraded and the bakkie rides on larger 265/75/R16 Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx tyres. The 4.5-litre turbodiesel makes 151 kW and 430 Nm from 1 200 rpm to 3200 rpm. Toyota reports 11,3 l/100 km. The Namib comes with all the standard Land Cruiser 79 D-Cab V8 luxuries and a three-year or 100 000 km warranty. Services plans are optional. PHOTO: MOTORPRESS
odd handbrake turn, but pliant enough not to pulp your kidneys on a long drive. ABS-controlled disc brakes all round stop the 1 404 kg car in short order and seven airbags provide reassurance for those who like being surrounded by explosive devices that are as likely to injure one as prevent injury. (At Wheels, we prefer roll cages to airbags). The Cheetah-inspired lines of the XUV range turn the heads of even non-
LIKING THE BENDS Like its bigger XUV500 sibling, the XUV300 can be thrown about with verve, with a suspension that is hard enough to soak up speed bumps and the
Land Rover has launched the new Defender, which will be sold in 128 global markets including South Africa. No prices are available yet for what Landy calls four “personalities” in two body styles, but the new Defender will arrive at dealers with a long list of options and accessories with which customers can personalise their Defender into ‘their ultimate 4x4 companion’. PHOTO: MOTORPRESS
Suzuki added a more luxuriously specced GLX to the seven-seater 1,5 Ertiga range, with the manual selling for R267 900 and the automatic for R282 900. The GLX can be recognised by the LED lights, fog lamps, reverse parking camera and 15-inch alloy wheels outside, while the interior gets wood trim, height-adjustable driver’s seat and new centre console box that doubles as a central armrest, and a new seven-inch touch-screen infotainment system. The price includes Suzuki’s promotional five-year or 200 000 km warranty and a four-year or 60 000 km service plan. PHOTO: MOTORPRESS
petrol heads, and I for one doff my cap at Mahindra for daring to design vehicles that look different. The XUV300 comes in two levels of trim, the W6 and W8. Both models have a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that is intuitive to operate. One aux and two USB ports allow plugging in or charging assorted digital devices. The system also links with Apple and Android. There is also a voice control,
which either does not understand, or hears something totally different. This is par for the course at the moment, with BMW, Ford and Merc’s voice recognition systems all still learning how to interact with humans. While they do, that “voice” button is best left alone if you don’t want to end up yelling at the dashboard. That was the first niggle. The second was the cloud of diesel
smoke belched out in a cold start. This is not the fault of the 1,5 turbo diesel, but the lack of a reminder to let the glow plugs warm up for about 15 seconds, and then let the engine idle for another 30 seconds. PULLS LIKE A TRAIN In India, where drivers buy cars for their fuel economy above all else, and where well over 30 000 XUV300 models have now been sold, drivers report about 17 km/l from the petrol engine and 20 km/l from the diesel. The petrol consumption is on par with the main competitor in South Africa, the Ford EcoSport 1,5. The EcoSport diesel gets over 20 km/l, but it can do so because it makes less power than the XUV300. And that is the real surprise from this middle child in the XUV range — that little 1,5 pulls like a train. Were I to compare the value offering of the XUV300 to food, it would have to be a bunny chow — strange to behold, but full of juices and flavour once bitten into. XUV300 DIESEL COMPETITORS The best-selling Ford Ecosport 1,5 TDCi Ambiente is over 51 k cheaper, but makes 95 fewer Newtons, while the Renault Duster dCi Tech Road is R31 k cheaper, and 90 Newtons weaker. XUV300 PRICING XUV300 1,2 petrol W6 R249 999 XUV300 1,5 diesel W6 R274 999 XUV300 1,2 petrol W8 R304 999 XUV300 1,5 diesel W8 R324 999 A five-year or 150 000 km warranty and a five-year of 90 000 km service plan are included in the price. Service intervals are every 15 000 km.
StreetScooters make clean deliveries
Nothing sells like nostalgia
DEUTSCHE Post subsidiary StreetScooter presented the 10 000th vehicle to DHL in Cologne last week. These modern versions of the electric milk floats of yore have now clocked over 100 million kilometres in Germany, delivering the mail with low-noise and saving some 36 000 tonnes of CO2 a year. The emission-free e-fleet is complemented by 12 000 e-bikes and e-trikes. Deutsche Post DHL Group has also installed about 13 500 charging stations at its depots and delivery bases. Since several StreetScooters have to be charged simultaneously overnight at many depots, StreetScooter has developed an intelligent, IT-managed charging management system that optimally uses the available power in the grid. StreetScooter also offers its entire range of expertise regarding charging infrastructure to third-party customers. The service is completely designed with the customer’s needs in
A NEW online bidding app for classic cars in the UK is setting new benchmarks of transparency, accessibility and security the classic car auction market. Called The Market, the classic car selling app pays last month sold 24 out of 27 listed, raising over R7,5 million. Several of the cars sold for well over their pre-sale estimates, with a 1937 Rover P2 20hp Sports Saloon and period correct 1959 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk1 among the highlight lots. Tristan Judge, director at The Market said the app has a sales rate of over 85% of the vehicles listed for free on the site, reaffirming the power and popularity of a convenient, online only format. Judge said the online platform have to date sold over 400 classic cars, returning 95% of the sales prices to the sellers, with prices range from £20 000 to £100 000. Sellers pay five percent commission on the sales price with no listing fee, nor do buyers pay any fees.
A few of the 10 000 all-electric StreetScooters delivering the mail in Germany. mind — from the wall-box that is used to charge individual vehicles to comprehensive fleet solutions. The e-mobility vehicles forms the basis of the Deutsche Post DHL Group aim to reduce all logistics-re-
lated emissions to zero by 2050. As part of this effort, the Group plans to transfer up to 70% of its own collections and deliveries to clean solutions like bicycles or electric vehicles. — WR.
A 1937 Rover P2 20hp Sports Saloon sold for over R399 000 on auction in Britain. Headlining August’s sales was a multi-award winning 1937 Rover P2 20hp Sports Saloon that sold for £22 000 (over R399 000). The period correct 1959 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk 1 went for £36 575. A museum-quality 1991 BMW 850i Auto with 57 000 miles on the odo sold for £19 500. — WR.
Made-in-Maritzburg bakkies on brink of second title The lines of the 1996 Polo Classic still look as timeless today as it did 23 years ago. PHOTO: VW
VW ROLLS OUT 200 000th POLO UITENHAGE – Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) reached a historical milestone on September 6, when the 200 000th unit of the current Volkswagen Polo rolled off the production line at the Uitenhage plant. “This milestone could not have been achieved without the dedication of our employees,” said Thomas Schaefer, Volkswagen Group South Africa Chairman and MD. The Polo is South Africa’s top selling passenger car (the Toyota Hilux is SA’s top selling vehicle) and both the hatch and sedan models have been manufacturing at the VW plan in PE since 1996, when workers built the Polo Classic. The latest model Polo started local production in 2018. Of the 200 000 new Polos that have been manufactured, 153 582 units were exported and 46 418 were produced for the local market. The new Polo is exported to all right-hand markets worldwide, with the Uitenhage plant also supplementing production on lefthand-drive Polos for European markets. This milestone comes in the same month that VWSA was named Exporter of the Year by Exporters Eastern Cape for the third time. — WR.
LICHTENBURG will host the penultimate round of the extremely competitive South African Cross Country Series (SACCS) on September 13 and 14 after farmers around Harrismith warned exceptionally dry conditions created a high fire risk. There has been a common thread running through the Class T championship this season, as Lance Woolridge and Ward Huxtable have been untouchable in the Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM) built and run Ford Ranger (T34). The two Maritzburg-based racers are on the brink of a second consecutive title this year. A finish in the points in either of the two closing rounds will hand them the Class T crown. “We’ve had an amazing year so far, with Lance and Ward performing faultlessly throughout the season,” said NWM team principal Neil Woolridge. “The hard work that has been put into developing the Ranger this season has certainly paid off, and it reflects the long hours and dedication of the team as a whole. “It’s a pity that we won’t be racing in Harrismith, as it is much closer to our home base and our many supporters from KwaZulu-Natal who normally come to the race, but the change in venue is completely understandable following an exceptionally dry winter,” Woolridge added. “The sport relies on the support
Kieber Cincea and Neil Woolridge. PHOTO: QUICKPIC
of local farmers for us to race on their land, and the potential of a fire would be devastating for their livelihoods. “Lichtenburg is a good choice as a replacement venue, and we did when we last raced there in 2017, finishing on the podium with two of our cars. Hopefully, Lance and Ward will maintain their impressive run of victories and wrap up the championship with a race to go.” Marcos Baumgart and Kleber Cincea will once again be competing in the second Ford Ranger (T20), fresh from finishing fourth at the arduous Rally dos Sertões in Brazil. Almost the entire South African NWM crew were in Brazil to service seven vehicles, and the V8-powered
Rangers that they built at the team’s workshop in Pietermaritzburg dominated this year’s Sertões, which was considered the longest and toughest in the 26-year history of the rally. The race spanned eight days, and covered nearly 3 000 km of competitive racing and an additional 3 000 km of liaison en route to the finish on September 1 on the beaches of Aquiraz. Three of the made-in-Maritzburg bakkies competed in T1 Codasur (formerly known as T1 FIA) for full FIA IRS-specification entries, and four in the less expensive T1 Brazil category for solid rear axle vehicles. Lucas Moraes and Kaique Bentivoglio won the T1 class in their X Rally Team/MEM Motorsport bakkie, which
is near-identical to the championship-winning Class T Rangers the NWM team runs in South Africa’s highly competitive cross country series. Marcos’ brother, Cristian Baumgart, along with co-driver Beco Andreotti finished second, with the overall victory going to Lucas Moraes and Kaique Bentivoglio — an unprecedented fourth win on this event for the NWM Ranger. “This was our sixth year at Rally dos Sertões and was by far the most difficult to date, yet our vehicles proved exceptionally reliable and fast, as the results show. “Claiming a fourth Sertões win on the trot is simply amazing, and is a tribute to the outstanding work of our entire NWM team in designing and continually developing the cross country Ranger to ensure that it remains competitive and capable of winning landmark races such as this,” Woolridge said. He added the NWM team are eager for another good outing in the Lichtenburg 400 tomorrow and Saturday.
WE HAVE A LARGE VARIETY OF ENGINES AND GEARBOXES TO CHOOSE FROM
MANY PERFORMANCE ENGINES AVAILABLE
QUALITY USED LOW MILEAGE ENGINES, GEARBOXES & PARTS
Lexus Spares 1UZ-FE - Full Gasket set - Water Pumps - Cam Belts - Flywheel - Plug Lead set - Coils - Fan Belts - Starters - Dizzy Caps - Airflow Meters - Engine Mountings - Gearbox Mountings - Cam Belt Pulleys - Alternators
Other Engine Spares - Cylinder Heards for most makes of LDV’s - Replacement Turbos for most makes of LDV’s - Bell Housing Big/ Small - Gearboxes - Diffs
ENGINES, GEARBOXES, HEADS, TURBOS, DIFFS, LEXUS SPARES We have in-house Workshop for Engine Exchange and Fitments
• Fans can follow the action and track the position of the crews throughout the race using the RallySafe app, which can be downloaded free of charge for iOS and Android devices. — WR.
WE OFFER DELIVERIES INTO DURBAN AND SURROUNDING AREAS ON ALL ENGINE AND GEARBOX PURCHASES.
Best coverage yet of a South African rally ONLINE video magazine Kuluma TV’s report on the second Zane Rencken national rally, held last month in Dalton, will air for a week on Ignition TV. This promises to be the best coverage yet of a local rally, due in part to stunt flying by helicopter pilot Dean Riley of South Coast Aerial Spraying, and in part to foot-flat racing from all racers, like
Dean Redelinghuys and Amon Meyiwa, who stepped up from the regional level to win the national open 2 class — despite hitting a stump on one stage.
IGNITION TV SCHEDULE September 28: 7.30 am and 5.30 pm September 29: 1.30 am and 1.30 pm September 30: 3.30 pm October 1: 7.30 am October 2: 11.30 am October 3: 7.30 pm October 4: 11.30 pm — Wheels Reporter.
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