A WEE IRISH PUB ON WHEELS P7
ASH CAR SALES
April 16, 2015
Dealers in Superfine Exotic and Sports Cars Tel: 033 345 1971, 033 342 4717 Fax: 033 342 2900 - www.ashcarsales.co.za
Witness
WHEELS
ADVERTISING: AVIR THULSIRAM ON 084 278 3447
2014 AUDI 2,0 TDi 130 kW SE
O
T AU
Multitronic S-Line, Sport Suspension, SE Pack, Spilt Rear Seat, Diesel, 1 Owner, 15000 km, Sunroof, Xenon plus Headlights, PDC, 19” Rotor Designs Wheels, Bal of Audi Motot Plan, Speedo Cruise, MFS, bal of motorplan Bank finance available
R399 995
Contact Ash on 083 786 3377 (PMBurg) 550 Church Street, Pietermaritzburg 3201 PO Box 8390, Cumberwood 3235
… NOW YOU’RE MOTORING
Shell joins city car project Durbanite Gordon Murray’s dream to make cities less congested receives another boost Durbanite Gordon Murray’s dream to make cities less congested receives another boost
The future of personal transport in cities, as viewed by Gordon Murray Design with the T.25 car in 2010 (left), and last year between GMD and Yamaha with the MOTIV.e (right). PHOTOS: SUPPLIED SHELL last week announced it have a reputation for engineer plans to support the launch a ing the ultracompact, efficient THE G2 PROMISE: world city car in November 2015, engines that will be needed for working with two automotive the proposed city car • A 114-Point Quality Check • Vehicle History Check • Full Service History • Various Finance Options • Verified Mileage • Ownership Peace of Mind greats, the South African Gordon Shell said in a statement the • Optional 2 Year/Unlimited km Warranty • Optional 2 Year Roadside Assistance Murray and Japan’s Osamu Goto. concept is intended to inspire This takes a step further the thinking about maximising dream of the Durbanbornand personal mobility while mini bred Professor Murray to present mising energy use, helping peo the world’s congested cities with ple get around the world’s ever wheels that are both effective and more congested cities where, by efficient. 2050, up to three quarters of the The three partners call their world’s estimated nine billion collaboration “Project M”, but people could be living. Shell said in a statement in will Vice president of lubricants not continue the work started be Top: Selda Gunsel, vice technology at Shell, Selda Gun tween Murray and Yamaha last president for lubricants sel said since working with the year, as the car “will be a ground technology at Shell. Gordon Murray Design team up, total rethink of the Gordon Below: Gordon Murray. on the T.25 car in 2010, Shell Murray Design T.25 car devel gave a lot of thought on how oped in 2010”. to deliver a car that will use as 2014 CHEVROLET AVEO 1.6 HATCH 2014 ISUZU KB 300 LX D/CAB 4X2, Following on the F1 Mclaren, little energy as possible. 13 157KM, A/C, P/S, MAG. WHEELS, MP3 PLAYER 0NLY DONE 25 212KM, 1 OWNER FROM NEW, Gordon Murray Design was es “We believe this Shell car will EXCELLENT CONDITION tablished in 2007 to develop an demonstrate how efficient a car * * innovative and disruptive manu can be when Shell works in har facturing technology trade mony with vehicle and engine marked iStream. makers during design and build, Gordon Murray Design’s first supplying fuels and lubricants milestone was the T.25 — a proof technical expertise. ofconcept for the futuristic vi The Shell car is not intended sion of urban mobility. When it for production, but to inspire made its debut in mid2010, the thinking about how the effi petrolpowered T.25 instantly re ciency and utility of a car with defined traditional weight, foot a relatively “simple” conven print, safety, usability and effi tional gasoline engine can be CLAIM YOUR VAT BACK ON THIS ONE! ONLY 1 WHITE IN STOCK ciency parameters using Gordon Murray Design’s maximised for city use around the globe and also patented iStream with its innovative use of Formu to prove the benefits of groundup engineering 2014 CHEVROLET SPARK 1.2 L 2013 ISUZU KB 250 LE E/CAB 99 00KM, COMPANY DEMO MODEL, A/C, P/S, 97 851KM, 1 OWNER FROM NEW, la 1 technology, simplified for cost for the everyday collaborations. FRONT E/W EXCELLENT CONDITION motorist. The three parties last collaborated in 1988 on The company prides itself in delivering com Ayrton Senna’s and Alain Prost’s Hondapow * * plete car programmes in a highly efficient and in ered, Shell fuelled race cars that won all but one novative way from concept, design, prototype and Grands Prix that season, a record that still development through to production ready prod stands. uct. Shell and Professor Gordon Murray go back Legendary engine specialist Osamu Goto is a way further; Shell sponsored the first car and en former director of Honda F1, R&D manager at Fer gine Professor Gordon Murray ever built, in rari F1 and member of the board at a Sauberowned South Africa, when he was just 19. company. Geo Technology is his brainchild and — Witness Reporter.
Follow the progress PROJECT M to build the next city car prototype was launched at the Americas round of Shell Eco marathon, a global series which challenges student teams to design, build and test ultraenergyeffi cient vehicles.
Shell Ecomarathon America was held in Detroit from April 912. The Shell car is scheduled to be unveiled in November 2015. Follow the development of the car through the website www.shell.com/Projectm.
R114 990
R359 990
R109 990
R209 990
GOOD CARS. BEST VALUE.
Shazeer 073 819 8679
Saleem 083 704 6968
Lungisani 071 450 8192
2 Peter Kerchhoff Street Tel: 033 345 2542
*On-the-Road and Registration Fees Excluded. Terms and Conditions Apply. Model/s shown may differ. Errors & Omissions Excepted.
86873 ADMAKERS.COM
Superb Specials this April!
McCARTHY RENAULT PIETERMARITZBURG 9 Armitage Road • Tel: 033 341 7600 • www.renaultpmb.co.za
BOOK A SERVICE
VEHICLE ENQUIRY
BROCHURES
0% DEPOSIT 100% RENAULT SANDERO 66Kw TURBO EXPRESSION
FROM
DUSTER 1,5 4 x 4 Dci
R1 999 PM
FROM
R3 999 PM
CLIO 66Kw TURBO EXPRESSION
FROM
R2 999 PM
5
ALLFullTRADE-INS WELCOME – FINANCE AVAIALBLE service history • 101 point vehicle compliance check • Vehicle intergrity check • 2-year Renault assistance • 30-day guarantee On Road Fees Excluded • Terms and Conditions Apply • E%OE
MCCARTHY PRE-OWNED
YEAR WARRANTY 150 000 km
PIETERMARITZBURG 9 ARMITAGE ROAD PIETERMARITZBURG TEL: 033 341 7600 2015 Renault Duster 1.5DCi 4x4 7 000km, Full House, Sat/Nav, bal of Service Plan & Factory Warranty
2012 Nissan Livina 1.6 Acenta + X-Gear 44 000km, FSH, Full House
2011 Renault Stepway 1.6 Full House, 64 500km, FSH
2014 Renault Clio 4 900T Expression Demo - 10 000km, Full House, Sat/Nav, cruise control, smash & grab, bal of 5yr/150 000km Factory Warranty bal of Service Plan
R259 990
R124 990
R109 990
R174 990
2015 Renault Duster 1.6 Dynamique Delivery km, Full House, Sat/Nav, bal of Service Plan, bal of 5yr/150 000km Factory Warranty NEW LIST PRICE: R225 990 3 AVAILABLE CHOICE OF COLOURS
2013 Nissan Sentra 1.6 Auto 49 000km, FSH, bal of Service Plan & Factory Warranty, Full House
2011 Renault Scenic III 1.6 Expression 111 000km, FSH, Full House, Navigation
2014 Renault Megane II GT 2.0 Turbo (Demo) 15 000km, full house,leather, Sat Nav, Bluetooth, Bal of Service Plan and Factory Warranty
000 R15 SH CA K BAC
AUTO
000 R10 SH CA K BAC
R289 990
R209 990
R179 990
R109 990
2014 Renault Fluence 1.6 Expression (Demo) 11 000km, full house, bal of Service Plan and Factory Warranty
2014 Renault Megane III 1.6 Expression (Demo) 12 000km, Full house, Bal of Service Plan and Factory Warranty
2010 Toyota Fortuner 3.0D-4D Diesel Auto 110 000km, FSH, Full House, leather, t/bar
2014 Nissan Almera 1.6 32 000km FSH, bal of Factory Warranty, Full House
000 R10 SH CA K C A B
R179 990
R179 990
R269 990
AUTO
00 R5 0SH CA K C A B
R139 990
MOTORING WitnessWheels
April 16, 2015
3
A refined allrounder BRIAN BASSETT gets hip in the KIA Soul Manual 1.6 l petrol Start WHEN Kia launched their Soul in South Africa in 2009, motoring jour nalists thought the boxy crossover would appeal to fashionconscious buy ers. Back then we did not have crossovers in our market, which made the Soul stand out in a niche where most people were buying large, chunky SUVs. The second generation Soul has sev eral crossover competitors but among them it still stands out as the quirky choice. I am grateful to Peter Hylton, dealer principal of Kia Motors in Hoos en Haffajee Street, for allowing me a few days with this surprising car. Styling From a stylistic viewpoint the first Soul was brilliant and the new Soul contin ues the boxy layout, which is no bad thing, as boxy exteriors often allow inte rior innovation, witness the original Mini. The styling and enjoyable funky paintwork gives the exterior a distinc tion and sophistication. A tigernosed grill up front gives the car a businesslike appearance while at the back, the distinctive rear panel ap pears to float on the rear hatch. For better handling and interior space, the 17inch wheels are situated as far as possible on the corners, which endows the boxy car with a foursquare macho feel without detracting from its funky feel. Interior On opening the solidsounding driver’s door, I found to my delight that the fun kiness had been carried through to the interior. The seats are among the most com fortable I have experienced in a car and at the front are fully adjustable. The seat coverings are robust and fin ished throughout in yellow stitching. The ride height is enjoyable — rather like that of an SUV; and the high ceiling adds to the feeling of interior spacious
Inside the Kia Soul, even the gear knob offers such a tactile reward you will change gears just for the pleasure of handling it. Seen here is the SX model. PHOTO: WWW.THETRUTHABOUTCARS.COM ness. Luggage capacity is good at 248 li tres with the rear seats up and 1 096 li tres with the 60:40 rear seats folded down. The passengers also enjoy excel lent space. On Sunday afternoon four Fatpack members and I went to a long lunch at Rawdon’s, followed by a drive through the Midlands. It is difficult to believe that a car which has grown only some 20 mm in each direction can provide such a com fortable ride for five large old men, but the Soul continued to surprise. The package the Soul offers is im pressive. You do not have to add any thing. The car has all its essential con
trols easily visible in front of the driver, while in the centre console there is a touchscreen and aux, iPod, USB and radio controls, with effective aircondi tioning controls below. The gear knob is one of the most tac tile and enjoyable I have handled and at times I would change gears just for the pleasure of handling the lever. The threespoke leathercovered steering wheel operates functions like radio, Bluetooth and cruise control as well as setting the dash display. The entire interior speaks of quality and craftsmanship and the first genera tion proved its durability.
Safety and security The Kia Soul now has discs all round, as well as six driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags. There are seatbelts for all, active headrests and impactsensing door unlock, as well as ABS. Unfortu nately the Soul 1,6 Start does not have Hill Start Assist, Electronic Stability Control or Brake Assist, although these come standard on all other derivatives. The Soul does however have a 4star Eu ro NCAP rating making it a safe car for carting your family or collecting the kids from school. There is also the usual remote locking and alarm as well as child locks on the rear doors.
Power and handling The Kia Soul 1,6 Start is powered by a fourcylinder, naturallyaspirated, transversely mounted engine putting out 91 kW/152 Nm. The 0100 km run gets done in about 12 seconds and top speed is a claimed 180 km/h. In town the car drives smoothly and is composed and sensitive. Parking is easy and the interior, with its many stor age places, is ideally suited for family transport. On the highway the Soul is quite pep py and offers one of the most comforta ble and enjoyable rides I have experi enced. With five large adults on board you need to use the gears a little more but, given the smooth clickin changes, this is a pleasure. The car also performs well on the no torious Midlands Droads. I had the Soul for the weekend and drove out see a private art collection in the Curry’s Post area. Coming back aft er dark I was impressed by the quality of the headlights and the way the car handled on what was quite a bad road with potholes left by recent rains. There really is no substitute for quali ty and refinement and all this will give you around 9,5 l/100 km in the com bined cycle, depending on driving style and terrain. Costs and the competition The Kia Soul Manual 1,6 Start petrol comes in at about R245 000 and the auto at R257 000. The twolitre entry will cost you about R280 000 and the 1,6 Diesel R305 000. The car comes with a fiveyear or 150 000 km warranty and a fouryear or 90 000 km service plan as well as un limited threeyear roadside assistance. Also have a look at the Nissan Juke, Mini Countryman and Fiat 500L; all cars that offer a similar flair in design, but not, note, price tags.
4
WitnessWheels MOTORING
April 16, 2015
Bolero bigger and better India’s toughest bakkie just got tougher in South Africa, to carry a heavier payload cheaper MAHINDRA South Africa has extend ed its highly successful range of Bolero pickups with the launch of the Bolero Maxitruck Plus. “The addition of the Maxitruck Plus to our Bolero pickup range confirms Mahindra’s commitment to providing South African buyers with authentic, robust and functional vehicles that are tough, reliable and affordable,” said Ashok Thakur, CEO of Mahindra SA. “With its large load box, extended wheelbase and high payload, the Maxit ruck Plus is set to become the work horse bakkie of choice for many South African small and medium enterprises. “In addition, the affordable pricing and low fuel consumption significantly reduce overall operating costs, while Mahindra’s reputation for reliability promises a long service life,” Thakur added. He said in a statement the Maxitruck Plus uses an extended wheelbase of 3 150 mm to combine a large load box with an economical, torquefocused turbodiesel engine to achieve an excep tional payload while achieving high fuel efficiency. At the same time, the affordable price tag allows a reduced acquisition cost, while benefiting the overall cost of own ership. The load bin measures 2,5 me tres long by 1,54 m wide, to offer 1,13 cu bic metres cargo space. To handle the 1 150 kg payload, the bakkie features rig
Mahindra’s proven Bolero just got better, with a bigger load bin to carry 1,1 tons and an improved turning circle. PHOTO: QUICKPIC id axles front and rear with progressive leaf spring suspension and hydraulic dampers. A 170 mm ground clearance ensures that the Maxitruck easily copes
with rough terrain, despite being rear wheel drive only. Mahindra’s M2DICR proven 2,5litre turbodiesel powers the bakkie. This unit
was designed for India’s heavy loads and has done millions of kilometres in the hot and high operating conditions typical of the high altitudes in Gauteng.
The turbodiesel engine makes 195 Nm between 1 400 rpm and 2 200 rpm. A fivespeed manual gearbox pro vides a good spread of ratios to make the most of the engine’s output. Despite its impressive payload, the Maxitruck Plus achieves an impressive average fuel consumption figure of 7 li tres/100 km in the combined cycle. The new Mahindra pickup runs on 15inch steel wheels shod with 195/80 R15 tyres. The added flexibility of the taller tyre profile benefits both load car rying capacity and overall ride comfort. Steering is done with a hydraulic power steering and the turning circle has been reduced to 11 metres. An improved braking system features front disc brakes combined with rear drums. The interior features stylish cloth up holstery, a twotone instrument panel and an auxiliary power point, allowing smartphones to be charged on the move. The finishes and materials reflect the Maxitruck’s tough character, promising longterm durability. A transponder immobiliser is stan dard, providing theft deterrence and adding peace of mind. The new Mahindra Bolero Maxitruck Plus is offered at a recommended retail price of R127 995 and is supported by a twoyear/50 000 km warranty. Servi ces are at 10 000 km intervals.
Golf sportsvan can wiggle wiggle with it
At less than R110k, SA’s commuters will like the new FAW F2. PHOTO: QUICKPIC
Extras part of the parcel FAW Auto has added a limited edition to its very affordable base model V2 hatchback which was launched in SA at the Johannesburg International Motor Show in October 2013. The V2 was then the most afforda ble 1,3 car in the market at a retail price of R99 995, said the general manager of FAW Auto cars and light commer cials in SA, Pedro Pereira. The new F2 is called the # Like and continues to offer value for money at
R109 995, which includes 15inch al loy wheels, Bluetooth, i GO8 satellite navigation with touchscreen func tionality, as well as a DVD/MP3/CD player for the audio system which also has upgraded fiveinch Sony speakers. It also carries a threeyear or 100 000 km warranty and threeyear or 45 000km service plan, together with oneyear roadside assistance and the peace of mind that FAW Auto is backed by the Imperial Group. — WR.
Looming on the outskirts Hyundai’s minibus was launched last September at the Hanover Motor Show and local fleet as well as taxi operators are now keen for news on the arrival of this van in South Africa to extend the brand’s footprint. PHOTO: QUICKPIC
VOLKSWAGEN is adding a new model to its venerable and topselling Golf range in the Golf SV — or Sportsvan as it is known in Europe. At just over 4,3 metres long, the SV is based on the same MQB platform as the Golf 7, but its is 83 mm longer than the Golf hatchback. It is also wider (8 mm) with a more headroom thanks to a higher roof. That greater interior space provides for greater flexibility. The rear seats (a 40:60 split bench) can slide forwards and backwards by up to 180 mm, to in crease either passenger or luggage space as required. The boot swallows 500 li tres with the rear seat up (which is 120 litres more than the standard Golf) and with the rear seats folded down it can load 1 520 litres in volume, but note, not in mass. Like the Golf hatchback, the Golf SV comes with a raft of standard and op tional passive and active safety systems. These include a standard ESC with XDS, automatic postcollision braking system which automatically brakes the
vehicle after a collision to reduce kinetic energy significantly and thus minimise the chance or severity of a second im pact, and a PreCrash system which, on detecting the possibility of an accident, pretensions seatbelts and closes the windows and sunroof, leaving just a small gap, to ensure the best possible protection from the airbags. Other elec tronic aids include Driver Alert System and optional high beam light assist. Powering the SV is a range of petrol and diesel engines mated to the group’s five, six or sevenspeed transmissions. The petrol engines incorporate Stop/ Start and battery regeneration systems. The petrol engines are turbocharged 1,2 litre with 81 kW and 1,4 litre with 92 kW. The diesel engine on offer will be the 2,0litre 81 kW. In South Africa, five models of the SV will be sold, in either Trendline or Comfortline cladding. The Trendline standard feature in cludes SD card reader and CD player with fiveinch colour touchscreen; a front centre armrest; dual rear ISOFIX
fittings; seven airbags including one for the driver’s knees; an automatic post collision braking system; flat tyre indi cator, multifunction leather steering wheel, front and rear electric windows, 15inch Lyon alloy wheel with full alloy spare wheel, black roof rails and manual air conditioning. The Comfortline adds front fog lights; a rain sensor; electrically adjusta ble and heated side mirrors and silver roof rails. The Golf SV is fully imported from Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg factory in Ger many. — Supplied. Prices 1,2 TSI Trendline (81 kW) 6speed R292 500 1,4 TSI Comfortline (92 kW) 6speed R325 200 1,4 TSI Comfortline (92 kW) 7speed DSG R340 700 2,0 TDI Comfortline (81 kW) 5speed R343 700 2.0 TDI Comfortline (81 kW) 6speed DSG R359 200.
Every day is “Everyday People’s Day,”at Barons Pietermaritzburg By Pieter from Maritzburg Volkswagen Dealers.” Yup, at Barons Pietermaritzburg, every day is Everyday People’s Day. So go along and celebrate yourself with an affordable deal on a brand new Volkswagen.
Conveniently nestled between Durban and the Drakensburg, Barons Pietermaritzburg is home to the quality and reliability of Das Auto Engineering and the fuel efficiency and economy of BlueMotion Technology – the two uniquely Volkswagen innovations that make it the best every day car for everyday people.
Barons VW Pietermaritzburg can be found at 9 Armitage Road. They are committed to bringing you quality cars and excellent service at the best possible prices ALL year round! To start hunting for your dream vehicle, visit www.baronsvwpmb.co.za. And to book a test drive or service call (033) 845 3100. Open Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm, and Saturdays 8am – 1pm.
Yes, you can find Volkswagen dealers elsewhere, but none as committed to, or as passionate about, Volkswagen and making it attainable for the everyday people of Natal, through tailored deals that suit their budget and needs. In fact, everyday folk like to call them “The Bespoke
Driven to succeed.
Often copied. Never equalled.
Image depicted is only a representation.
Image depicted is only a representation.
Golf GTI DSG Performance Pack from R5,856* per month
New Polo GTI 1.8 TSI DSG from R4,299* per month.
In addition to the current GTI DSG, Performance Pack additional features:
The New Polo GTI 1.8 TSI DSG standard features include: Turbo charged ASR (Anti-spin regulator) Maximum speed 237km/h Multi collision brake system ABS (Anti-lock brake system) EBD (Electronic brake-force distribution)
New Polo GTI 1.8 TSI DSG
R326,400
R4,299*
72
9.5%*
Deposit
Balloon Payment
10% 35% (R32,640) (R114,240)
Model
Total Cost Incl fees & VAT
Golf GTI DSG Performance Pack
-
Red painted brake callipers with “GTI” branding Adaptive Chassis Control (DCC)
Interest Rate Monthly No. of Vehicle Price Instalments Linked / Instalments Variable
R447,800
R5,856*
72
9.5%*
Deposit
Balloon Payment
10% 35% (R44,780) (R156,730)
For only R20,000 extra you get this vehicle with so much more than a GTI DSG. An optional cost of R900 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.25%. Note: Offers calculated on the Golf GTI DSG Performance Pack in standard specifications. Excludes optional extras. Instalment includes delivery, initiation and monthly administration fee of R57. Subject to bank approval. Information subject to change without prior notification. All finance offers are subject to credit approval from Volkswagen Financial Services. Volkswagen Financial Services South Africa Proprietary Limited trading as Volkswagen Financial Services an Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP6635. Terms and Conditions apply. All the above is subject to price increase and valid until 30 April 2015.
Polo Vivo
2012 2013 2014 2015 2015 2015 Polo
2011 2013 2014 2014 2014 2015 2015 2015 Golf
2011 2012 2015 2015 Amarok
2012 2014
Other VW
2012 2014 2014 2014 2014 2015
Other
2008 2010 2011 2012 2013
• • • • •
e&oe
Visit us on www.baronsvwpmb.co.za
An optional cost of R900 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.25%. Note: Offers calculated on the New Polo GTI 1.8 TSI DSG in standard specifications. Excludes optional extras. Instalment includes delivery, initiation and monthly administration fee of R57. Subject to bank approval. Information subject to change without prior notification. All finance offers are subject to credit approval from Volkswagen Financial Services. Volkswagen Financial Services South Africa Proprietary Limited trading as Volkswagen Financial Services an Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP6635. Terms and Conditions apply. All the above is subject to price increase and valid until 30 April 2015.
Mileage certified Full Service history 7-day exchange plan Vehicle Customization 24 Hr roadside assistance
It’s not just a car. It’s a Golf.
80-point mechanical check 2-year / unlimited km warranty* Vehicle History Integrity Check Balance of VW Automation Plan Professional Vehicle Reconditioning
Polo Vivo Sedan 1.4 Trendline Polo Vivo Sedan 1.4 Trendline Tiptronic Polo Vivo GP 1.4 Trendline 5 Door Polo Vivo GP 1.6 Comfortline Polo Vivo GP 1.6 Comfortline 5 Door Polo Vivo Sedan 1.6 Comfortline
White Silver Red Silver White White
R121 900 R132 900 R149 900 R159 900 R159 900 R152 900
31 000 44 000 9 000 1 500 1 000 4 000
km km km km km km
Polo 1.6 Comfortline Polo 1.4 Trendline 5 Door Polo GTI DSG Polo 1.4 Trendline Polo Sedan 1.6 Comfortline Polo 1.2 TSI Comfortline Polo 1.2 TSI Highline Polo 1.2 TSI Trendline
Red White Silver Silver White Silver Red White
R149 900 R152 900 R279 900 R152 900 R184 900 R229 000 R239 000 R185 900
62 000 25 000 9 500 16 000 21 000 1 000 3 000 900
km km km km km km km km
Golf 6 GTI 2.0 TSI Golf GTI DSG Golf 7 2.0 TDI Highline DSG Golf 7 1.4 TSI Comfortline DSG
Grey White White Silver
R259 900 R279 900 R319 900 R319 900
90 000 66 000 23 000 3 500
km km km km
Amarok Single Cab 2.0 BiTDI Amarok Double Cab DSG 132kW
Silver Silver
R199 000 R429 000
120 000 km 9 500 km
Jetta 2.0 TDI Passat 2.0 TDI DSG VW Transporter Single Cab TDI Kombi 2.0 TDI 21st Century Beetle 1.2 TSI Touareg 3.0 TDI BlueMotion Tiptronic
White White White Silver White White
R229 000 R329 900 R249 900 R359 000 R249 900 R839 000
81 000 15 000 7 000 22 000 8 000 2 000
km km km km km km
Opel Corsa Lite Sport Audi A3 1.8 TFSI Sportback Ford Bantam 1.4 TDCi Hyundai i20 1.4 Audi Q5 2.0 TDI Quatro
Grey Blue Grey White Silver
R59 900 R169 900 R114 900 R119 000 R335 000
94 000 88 000 70 000 31 000 78 000
km km km km km
Image depicted is only a representation.
New Golf 1.2 TSI Trendline Sports Van from R3,865* per month The New Golf 1.2 TSI Trendline Sports Van standard features include: -
New Golf 1.2 TSI Trendline Sports Van
Visit us on www.baronsvwpmb.co.za and find us on facebook.com/BaronsPietermaritzburg
Barons Pietermaritzburg
-
Air bags: Driver and passenger Leather multifunction steering wheel Front and rear electric windows Electric and heated side mirrors Black roof rails Front centre armrest
Interest Rate Monthly No. of Vehicle Price Instalments Linked / Instalments Variable
R292,500
R3,865*
72
9.5%*
Deposit
Balloon Payment
10% 35% (R29,250) (R102,375)
Total Cost Incl fees & VAT
R380,640
Visit us on www.baronsvwpmb.co.za
e&oe
Mastercars Sales Consultants After hours: Laurie: 082 783 8040 • Rajen: 072 228 9834 Sanjay: 083 639 0989 • Barry: 072 235 4244 • Phumlani: 073 017 1294
15” Lyon alloy wheel with full alloy spare wheel Decorative dashboard & door side trim inserts Dark Silver Silk-Mat ESP (Electronic Stability Programme) with Brake Assist and EDL Multi-collision brake system Model
*The advised price exclude the 2 year Mastercars Warranty. The Mastercars Warranty is available as an option and is a contract between the customer, an insurer and administrator. This extended Warranty is not available for all Amarok and Light Commercial Vehicle models. Terms & conditions apply. While stocks last.
9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg, 3201 • Tel: 033 845 3100
R578,365
R423,801
Visit us on www.baronsvwpmb.co.za
• • • • •
Total Cost Incl fees & VAT
An optional cost of R900 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.25%. Note: Offers calculated on the New Golf 1.2 TSI Trendline Sports Van in standard specifications. Excludes optional extras. Instalment includes delivery, initiation and monthly administration fee of R57. Subject to bank approval. Information subject to change without prior notification. All finance offers are subject to credit approval from Volkswagen Financial Services. Volkswagen Financial Services South Africa Proprietary Limited trading as Volkswagen Financial Services an Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP6635. Terms and Conditions apply. All the above is subject to price increase and valid until 30 April 2015.
New Sales Consultants
Alison Wiltshire – Sales Manager 082 783 8855 • John Brown – 082 645 4396 Merglin Rama – 083 382 4589 • Menzi Ngubane – 073 534 8545 Bahle Bhengu – 082 337 5825 • Erica Neff – 082 858 7749 Thando Gumede – 078 969 8072 • Keshnee Pillay – 073 372 1452
BP Advertising
Model
Increased power (+7kW) Front limited-slip differential lock Bigger front disc brakes
e&oe
Interest Rate Monthly No. of Vehicle Price Instalments Linked / Instalments Variable
-
6
WitnessWheels MOTORING
April 16, 2015
Honda’s Bulldog is a concept bike built with lashings of common sense that could yet see it become the twowheeled truck of Asia. PHOTO: SUPPLIED These custom specials are based on the K1600 GTL. PHOTOS: STEPHEN CLEMENGER/GIZMAG.COM
Meet the Bulldog MIKE HANLON HONDA displayed its Bulldog concept at the 42nd Tokyo Motorcycle Show in Japan last week. The Bulldog concept is sensible in that it shares the same engine, frame and swingarm as the other topselling CB500 models; it will go twice as far on a litre of fuel and when it tips over, the rider won’t need help to get it upright again. If this bike does appear outside Ja pan, it will almost certainly be with the 471 cc liquidcooled paralleltwin motor used in the CB500 range. It makes a lot of sense as a workhorse for the masses, let alone an adventure tourer capable of going long distances in dealersparse environments. Honda’s PGMF1 fuel injection sys tem is deeply loved in Asia, where its fuel economy is the stuff of not just legends, but word of mouth grassroots market ing. In Japan, meanwhile, legislation for
ces the use of Honda’s 400 cc twincylin der powerplant, and this is the engine currently used in the concept bike. Because the Bulldog is built with liber al lashings of common sense, it may yet become a cult machine for those with a practical, sensible bent or with a limited budget. The common sense bits Instead of a big shiny enamelpainted tank and lots of bits waiting to be dam aged the first time the bike topples over in a carpark or an asphalt road (where the vast majority of adventure bikes spend the vast, vast majority of their time), the Bulldog has replaceable panels on the tank, and crash bars covering the engine and headlights. The crash bars are standard fare for ad venturer bikes but tank panels on a small capacity bike are a first. They’re not really tank panels on one side, but the lid to a storage box in the left side of the tank
(see image above). Just the same, replaceable tank panels might make the cost of ownership more affordable, not to mention a convenient anchor point for a range of ingenious at tachments just waiting to be invented. The Bulldog’s purpose is emblazoned in large lettering on the muffler guard which reads “tough dog for your trip” and presumably Honda has built the bike with the Asian touring marketplace in mind. While the Bulldog was developed as a touring bike, I suspect its biggest po tential marketplace might not be so much in the field of leisure motorcycles, but as a practical workhorse capable of carrying far more than its maker had ever planned — the rear carrier, mounting points on the sides of the fuel tank and headlight carrier rack will make it an ideal pinch hitter for many tasks across Asia where the scooter is doing double duty as the family car. — Gizmag.com.
CanAm showed its Spyder F3 and RT.
Ducati’s Urban Enduro.
Best of Tokyo Bike Show STEPHEN CLEMENGER
Plans are on track for Zero May sales ALWYN VILJOEN CAYENNE Group has confirmed that plans to start selling the Zero Electric motorcycles next month are on track. The group will introduce three mod els — the DS Dual Sport, the S Street Fighter and the highperformance SR model. The DS Dual Sport and S Street mod els will be packaged at R1 950 per month over 72 months, with a three year guaranteed buy back, a fiveyear or 160 000 km warranty and a free service plan. Cayenne Group coowner and sales director Craig Langton said the Zero bikes bought on Cayenne’s pack age will be cheaper to own and run than the cost of a monthly fuel bill for a car or a medium to large motorcycle. “A Zero starts saving the owner money
The electric Zero RS in action. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
on fuel and maintenance from day one. In fact, over the life of their motorcycle, many Zero owners actually save more
than they would have if they had pur chased a comparable internal combus tion model,” said Langton in a statement.
For more information on Witness Wheels advertising Contact Avir on 084 278 3447 or Avir@witness.co.za
THIS year’s 42nd Tokyo Motorcycle Show saw the big Japanese four of Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawa saki with an array of production and concept models on display. Gizmag joined the crowds at To kyo Big Sight to check out the scores of cafe racers, cruisers, trikes, scoot ers and superbikes on show. For the five million or so motorcy clists who roam Japan, the Tokyo Motorcycle Show is very much an event to see and be seen at. The crowds were a welcome sight for the many manufacturers at this year’s show as motorcycle sales in Japan have slowed recently, drop ping 0,6% last year compared with 2013 (416 723 units, down from 419 398 units). The majority of these sales are in the under 50 cc category, but sales of bikes over 125 cc are on the rise. This could in part be due to the growing trend of middleaged “re turn riders” looking to revisit their misspent youth of the sixties and seventies on suitably retrostyled machines — a trend reflected in the many retrostyled machines on the show floor. In terms of motorcycle produc tion within Japan, the big four produced almost 600 000 motor cycles in 2014 (Yamaha 222 297, Suzuki 150 985, Honda 142 388 and Kawasaki 80 532) and all took their wares to Tokyo, along with a wide assortment of international and boutique producers.
Honda had the biggest presence on the floor with its chunky Bulldog Concept grabbing plenty of atten tion. On the Yamaha stand, produc tion machines took centre stage. Unfortunately, its recent concepts were not there. Perhaps we’ll get a chance to see them in the flesh at the Tokyo Motor Show later this year. What was new was the 950 cc Bolt Café racer, along with a racing version of the same machine, the Bolt C. The buzz around the Suzuki stand was the news of its return to racing MotoGP as the Suzuki Ecstar team. The GSR 250 F and a facelifted GSX 1300R Hayabusa were also on show. On the Kawasaki stand, the main focus was on its Ninja range, with the Ninja H2 and Ninja H2R occupy ing centre stage. The best of the rest included KTM, which marque used the Tokyo Motorcycle Show to debut its new compact sports bikes — the Duke 250 and the RC 250. On the BMW stand, two very in teresting custom creations drew the crowd — the Juggernaut and Ken’s Factory Special. Both of these machines used the mechanics of the K 1600GTL and were created to cel ebrate the straight six. Two concept bikes from Zuun Kumamoto at the Junk Art Studio also deserve mention — Kazama and the Big Bike. These machines don’t run, but made a serious im pact on visitors arriving at the show.
MOTORING WitnessWheels
April 16, 2015
7
SA’s only Fiat e500 No slouch between the lights, this hatch uses no petrol whatsover ALWYN VILJOEN At Wheels we love trikes, even more if the threewheeler is a boat to boot, like this Salamander from the Philippines. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Like a trike to water BEN COXWORTH IF there are two things that the Philippi nes has a lot of, it’s motorised trikes and small floodprone villages. That’s why Filipino startup H2O Technologies has developed the Sala mander. It’s a threewheeler that can be driven on the road like a normal vehicle most of the time, but that can also take to the water when floods occur. There are two versions of the vehicle — a petrol/hydrogen model, and one that’s fully electric. The first version, called the HydrOPlus, has a 200cc en gine that runs on regular petrol. Should hydrogen be available, how ever, it also has a fuel blending system that lets it run on a combination of pet rol and hydrogen. This should both cut down on emissions, and give it consid erably better mileage. The electric mod el is instead driven by a 3,000 W 48volt motor, that is in turn powered by four 90Ah geltype batteries. There’s no word on range or charging time, or on mileage for the petrol version. A maximum land speed of 80 km/h (50 mph) is possible in the HydrOPLus — the electric is a little slower — with both models managing 6 knots (11 km/h or 7 mph) on the water. Both versions can also carry six passengers on land (including the driver), and four when in boat mode. In the water a rearmounted marine grade propeller propels the trike, run by the same motor that turns the wheels when on the road. Simply pulling a lever lets the driver switch between modes. Although H2O would ultimately like to distribute Salamanders worldwide, the company is working towards selling them in barangays (villages) for now, and has launched a Kickstarter cam paign to help finance that goal. The esti mated price range is 295 000 to 495 000 Philippine pesos (about R80 300 to R133 536). — Gizmag.com.
INCHANGA LANDY BEST IN WORLD THE Land Rover Global Conformance and Training Team has recognised Land Rover Experience (LRE) Inchanga as the best in the world — the most prized accolade for all LRE centres. Andrew Brown, owner of the LRE In changa franchise, and Cheyn Murton, lead instructor at Inchanga, were pre sented with the award during the recent Land Rover TREK — an annual gather ing where LRE teams from across the world are pitted against one another to test their offroad experience, camara derie and skills. Andrew and Cheyn placed fourth overall, among teams from the UK, North America, Russia, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, and China. This marks the second time that a South African LRE team have been awarded top honours by Land Rover in the UK. In 2012, LRE Kyalami was also also recognised as the best LRE centre in the world. — WR.
CAPE TOWN — He does not play in the same league as Elon Musk of Tesla fame, but Antony English of Krugers dorp is another man with a vision when it comes to electric vehicles. English’s company, Freedom Won, has converted the world’s first Land Rover Defender to run on batteries only and his allelectric Jeep Cherokee has raced up Sani Pass and across Hak skeenpan. English has now also converted a Fi at 500 to run on amps and drove this e500 in carefully planned stages of 400 km a day from Krugersdorp to Cape Town, where its 77yearold own er awaited. The bank of lithionion batteries in the Fiat 500 is good for 200 km, and can be recharged in a few hours. English explained his vision with Freedom Won is to introduce afforda ble and effective electric conversions to South Africa, combining the latest reasonably priced components with Freedom’s advanced system design. The owner of the electric 500, a re tired doctor, bought the shell of the cute Fiat for about R100k, and then had Freedom Won convert it to be fully electric for another quarter of a million rand. English said an average conversion varied between R250 000 and R350 000, excluding VAT and a donor vehicle. The final cost is dependent on the range, power requirements and type of vehicle selected for the conver sion. In lieu of explaining the ampere hours from the batteries and the enor mous torque the electric motor exerts on the front axle, we asked a former 500 owner and race car builder Daniel Malan to waylay the e500 at his Man kind studio in Cape Town and then drive it like he stole it. Malan said while the heavier e500 would not hold a candle to his Fiat 500 Abarth edition, the little electric car was no slouch between the traffic lights either. “Its acceleration compares very favourably with the likes of the lively Chevrolet Spark. Even with three peo ple on board and all those batteries in the back we managed a 0 to 100 run in roughly 16 seconds,” he said.
South Africa’s first and so far only allelectric Fiat 500 was recently driven from Krugersdorp to Cape Town, where Wheels correspondent Daniel Malan drove it like he stole it. PHOTOS: DANIEL MALAN
The electric motor of the electric Fiat sits in the usual spot under the hood, providing instant torque to the front wheels for lively performance. Malan, who has also specced and marketed the twoseater touring cars built by Tony Marton in Prospecton, cautioned the extra weight of the bat teries means the standard brakes are no longer efficient at high speeds. “The brakes however work fine to bring the electric 500 to a stop while driving at Cape Town’s typical bump ertobumper speeds,” he added. English said he believes more elec tric vehicles can drive on SA’s roads
The boot is packed with batteries to give the e500 a range of about 200 km.
without big investments in mass pro duction plans or heavy reliance on gov ernment subsidies as was the case with the abortive Joule car. “Freedom Won is currently capable of converting most vehicles to electric power with electric motors available up to a maximum continuous power of 80 kW.” English said electric cars are not on ly exciting for the everyday commuter in terms of fuel savings, which for taxis are up to 80%, but provide excellent
opportunities for niche market pene tration, including: • Electric game viewing vehicles with silent and smooth operation and pow erful 4x4 ability; • Mine light vehicles in pit mines as well as underground operations; • Airport vehicles, for general delivery and apron services; and • Farming vehicles, from general pur pose 4x4 runabout to specialised sprayers.
From old caravan to Irish pub HERE’S a side of the small living move ment we’ll happily raise a glass to. The Shebeen is a tiny bar on wheels that travels around Ireland catering to par ties and weddings. Completed in Sep tember 2014, the towable structure measures just 4,2 x 2,1 m (14 x 7 ft), and aims to recreate the atmosphere of an authentic Irish pub. The Shebeen was constructed from the shell of a dilapidated 30yearold caravan, and took 60 days of work to turn into an authenticlooking pub. It certainly looks the part, down to original memorabilia sourced at antique fairs and auctions, and oak and pine wood that has been distressed and stained to lend an aged appearance. In all, the project cost around €20 000. The moveable pub comes well stocked and includes glasses, alcohol, mixers, and everything else you’d need for a good time, including a fullyfunc tional bar, seating for up to 10 people, a cooler and electric stove, a sound sys tem, and LED lighting. Once on location, it takes around an hour to set up and if no mains electricity hookup is available, a generator can be provided.
Top: The interior of the little mobile shebeen can fit 10 people, but then there is standing room only.
Company boss John Walsh told Gizmag that the pub is based on the shell of a dilapidated 30yearold caravan. PHOTOS: GIZMAG.COM Company boss John Walsh rents out his Shebeen at €750 a day. His firm will also build you your own
similarlyproportioned tiny bar from €29 950 (R384 000), plus taxes. He said, while it may look like they are lean
ing on the bar, they are in fact already working on the next model, which sports a thatched roof. — Gizmag.com.
8
WitnessWheels MOTORING
April 16, 2015
Quarter milers at Dezzi Drifters are braced for news on Mason’s Mill in KZN’s capital as the South Coast puts foot ALWYN VILJOEN BIG news from Port Shepstone is that a fully certified quartermile drag strip will open at the Dezzi Raceway in June. This comes as Pietermartizburg’s council prepares to make the old bus depot at Mason’s Mill the city’s official motor racing venue today. Once the old depot becomes the headquarters of racing in KZN’s capital, the motor racing fraternity will clean up the grounds and extend the track for quartermile racers and even rallying. While the old bus depot has the ad vantage of being close to the fans in Edendale, it is not as scenic nor as wide as Dezzi Raceway, where 13 metres of tar overlooking the Indian Ocean will allow for tandem racing and single run shootouts. The first drag event, endorsed and managed by Motorsport South Africa (MSA), is scheduled to take place on June 27 and 28. The opening follows the announce ment of a new KZN drag representative for Motorsport South Africa, Darren Lewis. “This drag strip is instrumental in promoting a positive reputation for the sport in the province, as well as curbing illegal drag racing. There has been a big demand for a local track and we’re pleased to now have a permanent facility,” said Lewis. Drag race events at the Dezzi Raceway will be handicapped according to their capabilities, races will be conducted in class categories and a championship format will be used to determine win ners. Dezzi Raceway owner Des Gutzeit said “Motorsport in KZN has a big fol
JP Bredenhann cocks a wheel in his 1972 Mini in the first Historic Tour. PHOTO: SPORTPICS.CO.ZA PMB’s Quentin Willis had two historic class wins on the day in his Ford Escort. Jade Morgan from Johannesburg gives her hubby, Ian, some lastminute advice before he heads out in his MercedesBenz 280E to compete in the first Historic Tour at the Dezzi Raceway in Oslo Beach. PHOTOS: COLIN WINDELL lowing, especially drag racing. We are proud to provide this facility for the community, as well as safe and profes sionally managed events.” The new drag strip forms part of a larger race facility at the Dezzi Raceway comprising of two drift tracks, a full cir cuit track, three pits, viewing decks and banks, marshalling towers, hospitality zones, a timing office, a briefing room, as well as showers and toilets. A large
entertainment facility is currently un der construction. “We anticipate a big influx of visitors to the area for these events, and we have built the facilities to ensure fans experi ence an unforgettable day at the races” said Gutzeit. Dezzi’s hosted the first historic tour over the weekend. Motoring and trans port journalist extraordinaire Colin Windell was on hand for The Witness.
PHOTO: COLIN WINDELL The Historic Tour made a little KZN history with the first full raceday at the Dezzi Raceway in Oslo Beach. He reported the initial chase in the Endurance was between the Tiga of Di no Scribante and the Jaguarpowered Juno of eventual winners Duncan and Graham Vos. Colin Ellison in the Chevron B19 fin ished a fine second in the onehour En durance Race as the Alfa Romeo team
also had a successful debut, with John McLachlan scoring top honours in Afri can Endurance Series Index of Perform ance result while PMB’s Quentin Willis had two class wins on the day in his Ford Escort. For more information on drifting at Dezzi, email dragracing@corner57.com or find and follow the drag racing and event activity on Twitter: @KZNDragRacing.
Porsche gives Audi a race to the finish in six hours at Silverstone AUDI Sport managed a dream start of the 2015 motorsport year, beating off Porche and Toyota in the season opener of the FIA World Endurance Champi onship (WEC) at Silverstone. The Audi R18 etron quattro of Mar cel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer took victory after a thrilling sixhour race in which the lead kept changing and was fiercely contested. Toyota Racing opened its 2015 World Endurance Championship account with third and fourth places in a hotly contested Six Hours of Silverstone on Sunday. The 2014 World Champions faced tougher competition than in last year’s race, where they raced to a onetwo vic tory, but with both cars making the top four the scene is set for an exciting sea son ahead. The No1 TS040 Hybrid of Anthony Davidson (GB), Sébastien Buemi (CH) and Kazuki Nakajima (J) was in conten tion for a race win throughout, but was ultimately placed third behind the win ning Audi. The No 2 car of Alex Wurz (A), Stéphane Sarrazin (F) and Mike Conway (GB) put in a similarly battling performance to finish fourth, adding to a satisfying points haul for the team. The Porsche flashed home just over 4,61 seconds later, followed by the two Toyotas and another eTron in fifth place, following two unscheduled pit stops. The drivers fought a threeway battle with numerous overtaking manoeuvres and doortodoor fighting for positions from almost start to finish. “Congratulations to Marcel, André and Ben, who delivered fantastic motor sport for six hours today,” said head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. “This victory is a dream start of the sea
Fans will not have to wait long for the next appearance of the Audi R18 etron quattro. In just three weeks from now (May 2) round two of the FIA World Endurance Championship will be held at SpaFran corchamps (B). For Audi, the race on the famous cir cuit in the Ardennes marks a “dress re hearsal” for the season’s pinnacle event, the Le Mans 24 Hours. To prepare for Le Mans, Audi Sport Team Joest will be fielding the third hy brid sports car, designated as number “9”, that will be driven by Filipe Albu querque (P), Marco Bonanomi (I) and René Rast (D). — WR.
The Audi R18 etron quattro of Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer took victory after a thrilling sixhour race at Silverstone last Sunday. PHOTO: SUPPLIED son and a great reward for the whole squad for the hard work last winter. At the same time, this success motivates us even more for the great challenges awaiting us the next few weeks. The weekend at Silverstone has also shown that we could be facing what may be the most thrilling and fiercely contested WEC season ever.”
Not all vorsprung At the beginning, events in the race did not seem to augur well for car number “7”. As the correct gear could not imme diately be engaged, Benoît Tréluyer, who had started from position five, lost a lot of ground and had to battle his way forwards again through half of the
field on the first laps. After twoandahalf hours, André Lotterer took over driving duties from Marcel Fässler and 30 minutes later, the lead in the race. “A perfect day for Audi and for our team,” said Lotterer. “We were under pressure from the first to the last lap and could not afford to slip. We managed to do this and the team did everything right at the pit stops and with the perfect strategy. Now, we’re going to take this momen tum with us to Spa and to Le Mans.” The gripping duel between Marcel Fässler and Porsche driver Neel Jani across many laps in which the two Swiss overtook each other several times per
lap, was particularly impressive. For the number “8” sister car, a top result seemed to be within reach as well. But two repair stops in which the rear bodywork had to be replaced following contact with a rival and the fixings of the front hood subsequently had to be fastened, cost Lucas di Grassi, Loïc Du val and Oliver Jarvis about seven min utes and, as a result, all chances of clinching a podium place. After starting from the second row, the BrazilianFrenchBritish trio had to settle for fifth place. “We have positive impressions: a thrilling race and the first victory for our new R18 etron quattro — this whets our appetite for the WEC season.”
Silverstone Race results 1 Fässler/Lotterer/Tréluyer (Audi R18 etron quattro) 201 laps 2 Dumas/Jani/Lieb (Porsche) +4.160s 3 Davidson/Buemi/Nakajima (Toyo ta) +14.816s 4 Conway/Sarrazin/Wurz (Toyota) 1 lap 5 di Grassi/Duval/Jarvis (Audi R18 etron quattro) 4 laps 6 Rusinov/Canal/Bird (LigierNissan) 16 laps 7 Yacaman/Derani/Gonzalez (Ligier Nissan) 17 laps 8 Dalziel/Sharp/Heinemeier Hans son (HPDHonda) 18 laps 9 Leventis/ Watts/Ka CV JOINT ne (Dome SPECIALISTS Nissan) 23 laps for CV joints, ball joints, 10 Bruni/ tie rod ends, wheel bearings. Vilander 339 GREYLING STREET (Ferrari) 29 laps. Pmb. 033 342 9174/75