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THE WITNESS
JULY 18, 2019
WHEELS
www.witness.co.za
MODEL UPGRADES THE Duster TechRoad is the latest addition to the new Duster range to arrive at Renault dealers. The TechRoad displays the same strong DNA and enhanced genetics as the rest of the Duster range, but has 17” Diamond Cut wheels with bespoke badging and red strips on the side doors and red detailing inside. The 4x2 TechRoad sells for R293 900, while the EDC lists for R327 900, both with a five-year or 150 000 km mechanical warranty and a three-year or 45 000 km service plan. PHOTO: QUICKPIC OPEL has extended the warranty on the Grandland X to five years or 150 000 km and gave the winner of the 2018 2WD SUV OffRoad award a mid-life spec update with 18” alloy wheels, front fog lamps, rear privacy glass and aluminium roof rails as Standard. A plus package adds a panoramic sunroof, satnav 900 IntelliLink infotainment system and leather seats. Prices for the three model start at R441 870 and top out at R565 000. PHOTO: QUICKPIC KIA has added a two-year or 30 000 km service plan to the Picanto range, which already sells with an unlimited kilometre fiveyear warranty. The service plan covers oil, fuel and air filters, lubricants, engine oil, spark plugs, coolant, the sump plug gasket, brake and clutch fluid, transmission fluid, differential fluid, as well as the standard workshop consumables but not normal wear and tear items. A finalist in the 2018 South African Car of the Year competition and consistent presence in the top 10 best-selling cars in South Africa, the 1,0-litre Picanto sells from R158 995, with the 1,0litre automatic very popular at R172 995. PHOTO: MOTORPRESS
MOST POWERFUL PRODUCTION CAR
BRITISH carmaker Lotus, which these days belongs to Chinese auto-making giant Geely, has displaced the all-electric Rimac CTwo as the world’s most powerful production car with the 2000 horsepower hybrid Evija. Now, with good old empiric horsepower telling one very little about the size or fitness of an engine’s muscles, those horses translate to 1491,4 kW and 1,700 Nm in metric, meaning it will shred its Pirelli Trofeo R rubber (riding on 20-inch and 21-inch magnesium rims) faster than even an AMG65 does. A massive 70 kWh battery pack designed by Williams Advanced Engineering supplies the power for a 400 km ride at sedate speeds, or just seven minutes for a drag race. And Lotus sells a 350 kW fast charger that will recharge the battery to 80% in 12 minutes. Lotus has not yet raced it, but predicts reaching 0-100 km/h under three seconds. Top speed is limited to about 230 km/h. Only 130 Evijas will be built, each selling for £1,7 million, or well over R29 million before taxes.
A smooth new look ALWYN VILJOEN predicts the Mazda3 will appeal to the boy racer in every responsible citizen THE most frequently asked question we get is: “What is the best car to buy?” Without knowing what roads and loads the vehicle will drive and carry, my stock answer is always: “The one you can buy cash, which your neighbour can fix, using generic parts”. For many years, the car that ticked all three these boxes was the Mazda 323. It was a cheap and cheerful hatch, with an engine that went on and on and handling that could keep up — and sometimes even pass — the City Golfs and Toyota Conquests of the day. The seventh generation Mazda 3 that was launched on Tuesday builds on the 323’s foundation, but these days you can say goodbye to “cheap and cheerful” and hello to “premium” when kicking the tyres of a Mazda. For as Craig Roberts, managing director of Mazda Southern Africa, explains, the aim is to take on the Golf and Audi A3, and to compete against these brilliant cars doesn’t come cheap. Already a museum piece The all-new Mazda3 has captured the “Red Dot: Best of the Best” prize at the 2019 Red Dot product design awards. Criteria for selection include innovation, functionality, ergonomics and longevity. The international jury selected fewer than 100 products for the “Best of the Best” prize from the more than 5 500 entries received from 55 countries. The award, which was made on July 8 at the 2019 Red Dot award ceremony in Essen’s Aalto Theatre, Germany, means the new Mazda3 will join the “Design on Stage” exhibition of awardwinning products at the Red Dot Design Museum in Essen. Claudia Walters head of marketing and communications at Mazda SA, said the award shows Mazda’s designs are on the right path in its goal to make objects of universal desire that foster a deep engagement with their owners. “I think the seventh generation Mazda3 is the best yet,” she said.
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
WE OFFER DELIVERIES INTO DURBAN AND SURROUNDING AREAS ON ALL ENGINE AND GEARBOX PURCHASES.
Under the hood At the heart Mazda’s premium offer is something called SkyActive, the name Mazda gave its new generation naturally-aspirated petrol engines that act more like diesel in that the fuel is compressed at a 14.0:1 ratio. This is ratio is quite an achievement. Diesel engines do not have sparkplugs, but ignite the fuel through pressure, typically operating between 15:1 to 20:1 compression ratios to do so. Petrol engines typically compress between 8:1 to 1:1. This is why diesels are more frugal and offer more torque — or bigger muscles — than petrol engines, which are thirstier thanks to their higher revolutions. Mazda says the higher compression of their SkyActive engine make it more like a diesel, delivering 15% increases in fuel efficiency and torque, with improved everyday driving at low- to midengine speeds. While on the topic of low speeds, I finally relate civilly to Mazda’s stop
start system, which in the sixth generation takes just a little too long to react for my boy-racing tastes. The previous generation Mazda 3 has a 1,6 (77kW/144Nm) and 2-litre (121 kW/210 Nm), but the latest iteration improves on this with a smaller 1.5-litre making 88 kW and 153 Nm. The new 2,0-litre is tweaked to produce 121 kW and 213 Nm. The 1,5-litre is available with either a manual and auto box, while the 2,0 comes only with an automatic. This power goes to the front wheels, which produced surprisingly little understeer when I made the 16-inch tyres squeal a bit around the odd corner. In the Highveld’s thin air, the 1,5 lacks urgency for those who never stopped being boy racers, but down at Midlands altitudes it will feel peppy enough. In overseas markets with high snowfalls, Mazda also sells an all-wheel drive model, but product manager Tebogo Sekobe told Wheels this is not coming to Mzansi, mostly because of price.
Under the roof Inside, the layout, cladding and seats are all top notch and on par with the German competition Mazda have set their sights on. Mazda typically appeals to a more sedate driver, thanks to the brand’s reputation for reliable engines and good second-hand values, but I would urge them to get radical and splash out on the optional Bose amplifier and 12speaker sound system. Sekobe, who admits to being a bit pedantic about sound in the car, said while the normal sound system is more than adequate, the 12 speakers, two of which are under the A-pillar instead of in the door, is on another level entirely — what Bose calls being surrounded by “liquid bass”. Connectivity on the 8.8-inch widescreen display is easy with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto® as standard, just plug in a cable. To use the now dated Bluetooth connection instead, you have to park the car.
Reworked supersonic car aims to set a new record in October to do high-speed tests at Hakskeenpan in the Northern Cape. At its last speed tests, the Bloodhound reached 337 km/h at Cornwall Airport Newquay in Octo-
ber 2017. During the upcoming test on the reworked car, the team hope to more than double this speed to hit 800 km/h in a dress rehearsal for the proper record attempt. Data
from hundreds of sensors will be analysed to understand how the Bloodhound behaves at high speeds. The current land speed record is 1 227,985 km/h. — WR.
Isuzu helps Gift of the Givers do search and rescue PORT ELIZABETH — When Isuzu Motors South Africa says there’s work to do, they mean it. The company handed over three Isuzu D-MAX bakkies to the humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers. Known as South Africa’s hardest working bakkies, the vehicles set off to the community of Rocklands outside Port Elizabeth to deliver goods on their first day on the job. While two of the bakkies will be used daily for various disaster relief and humanitarian aid work across South Africa, the other bakkie will be dedicated exclusively to search and rescue purposes. Gift of the Givers director of strategic planning Badr Kazi said the three bakkies will enrich the organisation’s efficiency in responding to disaster and humanitarian aid situations. “We are very grateful for the partnership we share with Isuzu Motors South Africa, as a key player in making a difference in the lives of so many South Africans. “The bakkies will allow us to have a bigger footprint across South Africa. It will also enable us to be more mobile and stationed closer to known disaster areas,” said Kazi. Gift of the Givers gives unconditional humanitarian support across
Ali Sablay, (left), Gift of the Givers Western and Eastern Cape project manager, helps unload food parcels with Vuyiseka Nyembezi (right), Isuzu Motors South Africa Internal Communication. Behind them are Gift of the Givers volunteers Trudy Nel (middle) and Lizette Ferreira. PHOTO: QUICKPIC
geographical boundaries and is currently involved in several operations -— including providing animal feed in drought-stricken areas of the Eastern, Northern and Western Cape. The organisation is also still working tirelessly in Makhanda (Grahamstown), where it has been delivering fresh borehole water with the help
of two Isuzu water tank trucks to communities living in the outlying areas of the town since earlier this year. The Isuzu water tankers play a strategic role in getting clean water from new boreholes drilled by Gift of the Givers, to the residents whose taps ran dry due to a water crisis in the town.
Isuzu Motors South Africa corporate communications manager Gishma Johnson said the support to Gift of the Givers forms part of the company’s strategic corporate social responsibility objectives, which ensure that its vehicles provide critical logistics support during crisis situations. — WR.
VW opens three more Literacy Centres 13 BETASTRAAL RICHARDS BAY ALTON TEL: 035 789 0464 / 035 789 0754 CELL: 084 357 1082 CRAIGH CELL: 062 633 4755 NTUTHUKO SALES@EASTCOASTENGINES.CO.ZA
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Two Teutonic competitors Prices for the 12 Mazda3 models (half hatches and half sedans) start at R357 000 for the 1,5 Active Manual sedan, with the entry level hatch costing R2 k more. The range tops out at R474 000 for the 2,0L Astina Auto hatch. The 1,4-litre Golf and Audi A3 that Roberts see as worthy competitors are in this ballpark, with the Golf 1,4 TSI Comfortline listing for R394 600 and the A3 Sportback 35TFSI for R469 000. The Golf makes less power (92 kW and 200 Nm) while the A3 churns out more (110 kW and 250 Nm), but around corners there will be very little difference in these numbers. The Mazda3 has a 3-year unlimited kilometre service plan and warranty. The Golf’s warranty is three years or 120 000 km while the A3’s is only one year or unlimited kilometres. These are the numbers that may yet clinch the deal for the Mazda3.
Ford and VW to work with Argo A1
ENTREPRENEUR Ian Warhurst has rescued the moribund Bloodhound supersonic car project from bankruptcy and the newly named Bloodhound LSR will arrive in South Africa
WE HAVE A LARGE VARIETY OF ENGINES AND GEARBOXES TO CHOOSE FROM
Product manager Tebogo Sekobe (left) is proud of the many engineering improvements the seventh generation Mazda 3 (top) has added to the legacy of the now classic Mazda 323 (right).
Future used value Car dealers are also well aware that what sell new cars are used cars’ prices and what keeps used prices high are the trade-in prices dealers’ offer to clients. Dealers can only offer good trade-in prices if they have good turnovers and here Mazda is growing every year. The 2018 dealer throughput is on average 278 units a month, which is why Mazda retained its position as the fourth highest ranked South African motor brand in overall dealer satisfaction at the 2019 National Automobile Dealers’ Association (NADA) Dealer Satisfaction Index, held in July. Roberts told Wheels there are no plans to increase the 52 dealers selling the brand in southern Africa, despite daily calls from car dealers who want to get on board. And instead of building “palatial facilities with expensive refreshments”, Roberts say Mazda dealers will continue focusing on forging strong bonds with customers by doing the basics right.
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UITENHAGE — Reaffirming its commitment to eradicating illiteracy at primary school level, Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) opened three new Literacy Centres at schools across KwaNobuhle in Uitenhage. The centres aim to ensure functional literacy for some 3 300 pupils under the age of 10 years. VWSA has invested
R2 million to date in these centres, to fund the building of the centres and the books needed in daily operations. Thomas Schaefer, Volkswagen Group South Africa chairman and MD, said research by Dr Nic Spaull found that more than 60% of South African children cannot read for meaning by the end of Grade 3. As a caring and re-
sponsible corporate citizen that always puts its people first, VWSA decided to establish a programme that will ensure that all pupils in Uitenhage are functionally literate by the time they reach Grade 3. To support this goal, Old Mutual has also donated books to the value of R180 000 to date for the five centres. — Wheels Reporter.
FORD Motor Company and Volkswagen AG announced that they are expanding their global alliance to include electric vehicles, and will collaborate with Argo AI to introduce autonomous vehicle technology in the U.S. and Europe, thereby positioning both companies to better serve customers while improving their competitiveness and cost and capital efficiencies. Volkswagen CEO Dr Herbert Diess, Ford president and CEO Jim Hackett and Argo AI CEO Bryan Salesky announced that Volkswagen is joining Ford in investing in Argo AI, the autonomous vehicle technology platform company. Working together with Ford and Volkswagen, Argo AI’s self-driving system (SDS) is the first with commercial deployment plans for Europe and the U.S.. In addition, being able to tap into both automakers’ global reach, Argo AI’s platform has the largest geographic deployment potential of any autonomous driving technology to date. Volkswagen and Ford will independently integrate Argo AI’s SDS into purpose-built vehicles to support the distinct people and goods movement initiatives of both companies. Argo AI’s focus remains on delivering a SAE level four-capable SDS to be applied for ride sharing and goods delivery services in dense urban areas. Company leaders also announced Ford will become the first additional automaker to use Volkswagen’s dedicated electric vehicle architecture and Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB) to deliver a high-volume zero-emission vehicle in Europe starting in 2023. Ford expects to deliver more than 600 000 European vehicles using the MEB architecture over six years, with a second all-new Ford model for European customers under discussion. This supports Ford’s European strategy, which involves continuing to play on its strengths, including commercial vehicles, compelling crossovers and imported iconic vehicles such as the Mustang and Explorer. Volkswagen started developing its MEB architecture in 2016, investing approximately $7 billion in this platform. The car maker is planning to use this platform to build approximately 15 million cars for the Volkswagen Group alone in the next decade. For Ford, using Volkswagen’s MEB architecture is part of its more than $11,5 billion investment in electric vehicles worldwide, and it supports Ford’s commitment to offer its European customers a broad range of electric vehicles while meeting its sustainability commitments. — WR.