MERC GT AROUND TWO TRACKS P3
ASH EXOTICS
July 23, 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
2008 CADILLAC STS,TIPTRONIC 4,6 V8
85000km, Charcoal grey, leather seats, bi xenon headlights, PDC, 18” Wheels, electric seats, boot spoiler, heated seats, bose sound system, mp3 player, mfs button start AU
R199 995
TO
Contact Ash on 083 786 3377 (PMBurg)
550 Church Street, Pietermaritzburg 3201 PO Box 8390, Cumberwood 3235
EDITOR: ALWYN VILJOEN 082 4589 332 ADVERTISING: AVIR THULSIRAM ON 084 278 3447
UKZN underdogs to speed up in Oz ALWYN VILJOEN THE biennial Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in south Australia will this year see the first entry from Africa. A team of 13 students and lecturers from the University of KwaZuluNatal (UKZN) School of Engineering will compete against 47 teams from 25 countries around the world. Coteam manager Kirsty Veale said the South African team will compete in the Challenger class, which she likened to the F1 of solar car racing. Masters student Matthew Woods said they will be using the same car that set a record in the national 2014 Sasol So lar Challenge and set distance records for the Olympia Class. Woods was one of the team who spent a frantic night fixing a burnt battery system in the 2014 race and
can look back with pride how their car, then called the Hul aminiKlwa, still proved fast enough to set two records. With a bit of luck, Woods said the new car should be good enough for a top 10 po sition, using a 2 kW Mitsuba hubwheel, 20 kg of small Pan asonic lithium batteries that they packed “just like Tesla does” and special solar car wheels from Schwalbe, pumped to eight bar. Coteam manager Dr Clint Bemont said the new solar car is 250 kg lighter than iKlwa, thanks to new aluminium sheets from Hulamin in Piet ermaritzburg, and thanked the aluminium giant for its vi sion to enter the World Solar Challenge. Hulamin group marketing communications manager Nomaswazi Kanyile said alu minium was both durable and light enough to meet any car’s needs, which is why it is used
in cars from Ford’s new F250 pickup to Tesla’s electric cars and of course, the Hulamin solar car. This year’s Bridgestone World Solar Challenge will be held in Australia from Octo ber 18 to 25. The teams will race 3 000 km across Austra lia, starting at Darwin and ending at Adelaide. Veale admits the UKZN team will be very much the underdogs Down Under, but she is confident they can place seventh in the world, despite having a team that is half the size and a budget that is up to 100 times smaller than those of the top 10 uni versity teams. “The car has already shown its speed, we’ve made it even lighter and we’ve kept part of the original team, all of which place us in a strong position to compete,” Veale said. • alwyn.viljoen@witness.co.za
Engineering students of the College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science at the University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN) officially launched the Hulamin Solar Car at the UKZN on July 15, 2015, in Durban. The solar car, the first entrant from, Africa will be taking part in the 2015 World Solar Challenge being held in Australia from October 18 to 25. PHOTO: RAJESH JANTILAL/UKZN
THE BAKKIE FOR THE BRAVE! ISUZU KB 3OO LX 4X2 DOUBLE CAB M/T *
R5 850 PM
No. of Instalments: 72 | Fixed Interest Rate: 7.17% | Retail Price: R456 200* | Deposit: 10% Final Payment/Balloon: R114 050 | Total Amount Repayable: R533 479
CONTACT OUR DEDICATED ISUZU SALES TEAM FOR TAILOR-MADE DEALS! Orie Pillay 084 915 8254
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GMSA Financial Services – A division of WesBank – A division of FirstRand Bank Ltd. An Authorised Financial Services & Credit Provider. NCRCP20. *On-the-road and registration fees excluded. Terms and conditions apply. Model/s shown may differ. Errors and omissions excepted. All offers subject to finance approval. Offers valid until 31 July 2015.
90034 ADMAKERS.COM
Monthly Service fee of R57 excluded from monthly payment. Initiation fee of R1 140 included.
2
WitnessWheels MOTORING
July 23, 2015
Pinnacle of desirability This 1938 MercedesBenz 540K Special Roadster by Nawrocki went to auction on Saturday and was expected to sell for between $1,2 million (R14 906 700) and $1,8 million at Auctions America. Only 25 Mercedes–Benz 540K Special Roadsters were made, and far fewer have survived to this day. The massive, handcrafted art deco sculpture was the absolute pinnacle of automotive desirability from the moment it was launched at the Paris Auto Salon in 1936. The motherofpearl instrument console still looks better than anything new out there today. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Tyres of the notsodistant future Tests have been completed for Hankook’s nonpneumatic tyre, and it passed with full marks SEOUL (Korea) — Hankook Tyre announced recently that it has successfully completed its ride and handling tests for its lat est nonpneumatic tyre (NPT) Hankook iFlex, which is made us ing ecofriendly materials. The iFlex is the latest example of Hankook Tyre’s continued technology leadership. The com pany’s ability to push the bound aries of driving capabilities is a direct result of its foundation in research and development. As the name suggests, NPTs do not require air pressure. Han kook Tyre has continued re searching new tyre technologies particularly for NPT since 2011. Crucially, the company has been working towards the develop ment of NPTs that achieve all of the practical benefits of conven tional airpressure tyres while si multaneously enhancing their highspeed tyre characteristics. The iFlex, which is the fifth NPT concept tyre that Hankook Tyre
has released, is the culmination of that effort. The company put the iFlex through a serious of rigorous tests designed to push the tyres
to their limits in five categories: durability, hardness, stability, sla lom (zigzag) and speed. In the speed test, the electric car equipped with iFlex tyres
reached 130 km/h. The impress ive results in all five categories demonstrated that the NPTs could match conventional tyres in terms of performance. At the
same time, these results are expected to help the company solidify its position as a global toptier tyre company and, give new momentum to its futureori ented R&D capabilities. Construction of the iFlex is centred on a new type of unima terial designed to maximise the tyre’s ecofriendly potential. From a manufacturing stand point, the material used during construction significantly en hances the energy efficiency. From a product standpoint, the material allows the iFlex to be re cycled with greater ease. Han kook Tyre then went one step fur ther, integrating new tyre con struction techniques to simplify the manufacturing process from eight stages to just four, thus fur ther reducing the company’s car bon footprint. “The Hankook iFlex’s ability to deliver the perfect highspeed driving performance is the result of Hankook Tyre’s longstanding
commitment to independently developing progressive, innova tive tyre technology. Aiming to strengthen our technological leadership in the global tyre mar ket, we will continue to develop cuttingedge ecofriendly and fu tureoriented tyres” said Seung Hwa Suh, vice chairperson and CEO of Hankook Tyre. Hankook Tyre now has a num ber of projects under way that are centred on futureoriented tyre products. For example, The Next Driving Lab, a campaign that started in 2013, is operated to let talented engineers and designers bring to life their wildest dreams for innovative driving experien ces. Likewise, Hankook Tyre col laborates every two years with worldrenowned design schools to host the Design Innovation project, which allows students to propose and study future tyre concepts designed at generating safer, more reliable and more ad vanced tyre performances.
Six checks before buying used IMPERIAL Auto has asked its network of preowned car dealers for their advice on buying a used car, and culled these six checks from their an swers. • Talk to experts: While there are many credible dealers out there, your best bet is to start with a preowned vehicle deal ership that is part of a fran chised dealer network. These organisations typically have stringent policies and proce dures in place to check the
quality of preowned vehicles, giving you the peace of mind that you are purchasing your dream car, and not taking on someone else’s castoff night mare. • Safety first: Each vehicle manufacturer has a standard preowned safety check list, and all preowned cars proc essed by franchised dealers are checked against these lists to make sure that they still com ply with all safety require ments. No doubt you’ll be
transporting your family or friends in your vehicle, and you’ll want to be sure that they, and you, will be safe. • Comply with the law: South African legislation requires that every preowned vehicle is subject to a roadworthy test before ownership is trans ferred. Aboveboard dealer ships will take care of this process for you, making sure that anything preventing the roadworthy certificate being issued is taken care of before
the sale is concluded. • Be prepared: Make yourself a checklist to work through when you’re looking at pre owned cars, no matter which dealership you’re working with. Questions should in clude: • When was the car first reg istered? • What is the mileage on the odometer? • What is the general condi tion of the car? • Has this car been in an acci
dent? • Has this car been resprayed? • Is it possible to extend the warranty or service plan on this car? • Does this car have a com plete and authentic service record? • Were services completed at an authorised dealership? • Can you test the car? Always test drive the car before you make your final decision. If you’re interested in a particu lar vehicle, chat to an Imperial
Auto concierge service staffer in your area to help you find that particular vehicle for test ing. • Consider your options: On line shopping has changed the way that we make purchases, and the same is true when it comes to shopping for cars. You will have so many more options to choose from if you look for a vehicle on any of the online vehicle sales web sites that service South Africa. — Supplied.
MOTORING WitnessWheels
July 23, 2015
3
Who is the toughest? The extreme offroad route and physical challenges will test the strength of all contestants
The contestants in the Ranger Odyssey, which starts in Windhoek today. PHOTO: QUICKPIC THREE KZNners will be com peting in this year’s Ranger Od yssey which starts today. Ginette Chubb from Pieter maritzburg and Durbanites Mo hammed Omarjee and Xoliswa Nontanda are among the 20 contenders who are hoping to win an Odyssey Ranger for a year, plus an equivalent in local cur rency of R5 000 worth of fuel per month, against 17 contest
ants from South Africa, Nigeria, the Ivory Coast, Angola and Mo zambique. The route includes extreme offroad driving through the mountainous Khuwarib region, experiencing the breathtaking Purros canyons, tackling the desolate Gainas Plains, visiting the Unesco heritage site at Palm wag, travelling through the aptly named Desolation Valley and
READERS CAN ALSO WIN ASIDE from the main Ranger Odyssey action, fans are able to follow and participate in the event themselves by enter ing the “Back Seat Driver” competition hosted on the Ranger Odyssey website (www.rangerodyssey.com). The competition runs to Au gust 4, and participants are required to register on the site, interact by viewing the content — including the daily blogs, photographs and videos — and book a test drive. Each inter action scores points, and the more times you visit the site the better the chances of win ning. There are a total of 16 priz es, a selection of which is
awarded and then refreshed after every three days based on the highest scores as listed on the Back Seat Driver leader board. Entrants can win only one of the interim prizes, which in clude: • four pairs of Oakley sunglass es valued at over R2 000 each; • a Garmin Virb Elite Action Camera (R5 000); and • 11 Garmin Nüvi GPS units (R1 600 each). All entrants qualify for the grand prize, which is a Garmin Montana GPS unit valued at R9 500, which will be awarded to the person who scores the highest points over the entire competition period.
traversing the steep 2 500me tre Brandberg by foot. While many of the challenges will be taken on behind the wheel of the Ford Ranger, the adven ture is a test of brains and brawn. Aside from testing each contest ant’s driving and vehiclerelated skills, they will have to prove that they are tough enough to be crowned the winner. The contestants will be as sessed by a panel of judges on their mental and physical endur ance, as well as a variety of other aspects such as communication skills, leadership abilities, camp craft and overall demeanour. In a new twist for this year’s event, the trip will end prema turely for the lowestscoring contestants, as two people will be eliminated from the competi tion at the end of day four (Sun day), and a further four will leave after day eight (July 30). The www.rangerodyssey.com website features a leader board that is updated daily. The rank ings for the highestplaced con testants will be placed randomly on the chart, adding a further el ement of intrigue to the compe tition. The winner of Ranger Od yssey will be revealed in Sandton on August 11. — Witness Reporter.
Pre-owned
2015 Audi A8 3.0 TDI quattro Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop, Go Function & Audi Front Pre-Sense, Solar Sun Roof, 19” Alloys, Demo, 12 000 km
R849 995 2014 Audi A8 3.0 TDI quattro
Matrix LED headlights, 20” Audi Exclusive Alloy Wheels, Heads Up Display, Night Vision with Pedestrian Detection, Park Assist with Autonomous Parking, Sun Roof, Comfort Seats, Demo, 45 000 km
Guess the ‘Wheels’ winners As it happens, the steamer is now parked on the right over the drawbridge at the fort. Wheels decided to award both readers a memo ry stick for being so much cleverer than the rest of us, who generally guessed the contrap tion to be some kind of a steam cannon. Instead of a Guess the Wheels, this week is a reminder that the 2015 #N3TCPhotoComp closes at month end. The toll operator offers large cash prizes in several categories, and the proximity of Wheels readers to the N3 and its surrounds enable us to enter this excellent competition. If you don’t trust your camera skills, do register for Ford’s competition above — you could be one of the lucky 16.
R699 995 Audi Centre Pietermaritzburg 9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg, 3201. Tel: 033 940 1382. www.audipietermaritzburg.co.za
BP Advertising
CONGRATULATIONS to Dave Rindell from Durban and Simon Haw from Hilton, who both recog nised immediately the wheeled contraption of Guess the Wheels #4 as being a clothes steam er in which clothes and uniforms were deloused during the Boer War. Haw proved himself an historian of note with his casual recognition of the 200yearold steamer, but Rindell showed he has the longest memory. When we asked him how on Earth he knew about the wheels, he replied: “I saw one on dis play to the left of the gate over the drawbridge at Fort Klapperkop in Pretoria. I was about 16 at the time. I am now 67.”
4
WitnessWheels MOTORING
July 23, 2015
Feel like after the first kiss KYLE VENKTESS explains why he is saving up for this GT THE MercedesAMG GT has been described as a work of art. True to that statement is the design and ego earned from driv ing such a vehicle. The misconception was that the GT was born out of other ve hicles like the SLS, and inspired by rivals, when it has been de signed with its own unique per sonality, engineered to become a classic on its own. The GT encompasses every aspiring sports car owners’ dream, with a sleek body, com fort in its interior and roaring en gine enough to keep any motor junkie dazzled for hours. Taking the GT on the Gerotek Oval track in Pretoria, I could drive this ma chine to my limits, which is well before that of the GT — some drivers peaked at 285 km/h. Racing the GT through around an oval offers a thrill time after time, 0 to 100 happening in just 3,8 seconds, 200km short ly thereafter. Back on the Zwartkops race track, drivers easily managed to improve race times when driving
the GT as opposed to previously on the AMG C63. The two vehi cles has similar output, but show how engineering of the body makes a significant difference to the performance of the vehicle. The GT handles corners like any race car would, but stepping back on the gas feeds immense power to settle the vehicle back on a straight, while allowing it to increase speed exponentially. While maintaining its legacy as one of the most memorable high performance vehicle, the twoseater however still has to earn its place in the hearts of driv ers. It’s is clear which rivals the GT is going after in the present mar ket, but the vehicle has enough power and exudes enough aura to make anyone call for 911 or scare off the fiercest Jaguar. Styled like a F1 car The cockpit of the GT features sporty styling, also on offer inte rior, colouring to match the exte rior of the vehicle. The interior of the vehicle
The MercedesAMG GT … enough power and exudes enough aura to make anyone call for 911 or scare off the fiercest Jaguar. PHOTO: QUICKPIC manages to strike the balance be tween letting the driver know they are in a sports car while maintaining the classic Mercedes signatures of elegance, class and luxury with hints and accents to excite the driver with each and every step into the vehicle. The front of the vehicle is ag
gressively style and reminiscent of a formula one car, with the grille and air filters offering enough ventilation for oxygen to reach the engine, situated closer to the cockpit of the vehicle. What might be the only de mise of the negative point of the vehicle, if even that, is the rear
of the vehicle, which issimilar to that of a Porsche 911 Turbo, only with more aggressive tail lights. To state the obvious, the Mer cedesAMG GT fits comfortable in two stages of a man’s life, either at an early age with no family or responsibilities or later, when the kids just left home. It is in no way
a family car, but will make any driver giggly like a teenage after their first kiss. That is exactly how I felt! Pricing The AMG GT starts off at R1,642,000 and the AMG GT S is priced at R1 981 000.
Sweden’s best is here
Sound Challenge semifinals
The multiaward winning Volvo XC90 arrives in SA next month, following its 2014 launch in Europe. Initially, the allwheeldrive D5 and T6 models will be sold, with the front wheel drive D4 and T5 RDesign arrriving towards yearend. The top end Twin Engine Geartronic AWD T8, which retails for over a R1 million, will arrive in SA during first half of next year. Pricing for current models start at R853k and R907k, which seems steep, until you count the 18 awards, which range from Best Car of the Year in Poland to Best Company Car (large SUVs) in Germany. PHOTO: QUICKPIC
The International Auto Sound Challenge Association (IASCA) will stage the National Semifinals at Sibaya Casino over the weekend. The beats start thumping at 10 am on both days in the Sibaya car park where there will be hundreds of vehicles from across the country for car enthusiasts to feast their eyes on. The event will feature Sound Off, Show ‘n Shine, Bass Boxing, Dyno and SQ competitions. Spectators enter free, but carowners pay R250 per car per category. More information on www.suninternational.com. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Nissan helps drive random acts of kindness with the ‘Good News Guy’ ROSSLYN — Known as the “Good News Guy” on CliffCen tral, Brent Lindeque has an eye for inspiring his fellow South Af ricans to make a difference in the lives of the needy and downtrod den. Brent’s story began in 2014 when he was nominated to down a drink in the popular social me dia game #Neknominations. He decided to turn the idea on its head and help a homeless beggar, turning the #Neknomination in to a random act of kindness nom ination #RAKnomination. The idea spread like wildfire
and soon Brent’s video of doing a kind act was past 780 000 views on YouTube and he found him self in front of cameras of a differ ent kind as TV stations from across the world broadcast his goodwill challenge. In much the same way as he turned the #Neknomination on its head, Brent has turned the un expected media attention into an ongoing social drive to help his fellow South Africans and people across the world. #Raknomina tions has morphed into #Chan geOneThing and now Random Acts of Kindness 2015 (#RAK15).
“For this year’s campaign I stepped up the challenge and will randomly help someone or a charitable organisation every single day for the month of July. In doing so I took up Nissan’s challenge to make my actions last well beyond #NissanMagic,” says Brent. The #RAK15 campaign has made waves across the globe, and participants include Gareth Cliff, the Super Bowl winning New England Patriots, Ryan Sea crest and even The Today Show. “I am very excited to be part of the #NissanMagic campaign as part of #RAK15. Nissan’s kind
offer to use its national network and fleet of vehicles is a perfect example of the spirit behind #RAK15 — using what you have to randomly help someone else. As with #RAKnominations, I am sure we will be surprised by the power of doing good,” says Brent. “To join the #RAK15 cam paign is easy,” reckons Brent. “Don’t wait to be nominated, just do a random act of kindness. Create a video of your act and nominate three people to do the same. Share the video using #RAK15 and repeat!” Besides inspiring his followers
on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and his Wordpress blog, Brent is also the founder and CEO of Chaos Theory, a brand activation and events agency that works with many of South Africa’s most loved brands. In addition to #NissanMagic, Nissan embarked on another ran dom act of kindness on Friday, 17 July to commemorate Mandela Day. In a blanket drive that has become a tradition for Nissan, taking place for the past nine years, the company matched the staff’s donations to gather 330 blankets, which it distributed to
three charities on Friday. As a fol low up to the 702 Sun Interna tional CEO Sleepout, for which Nissan raised R250 000 in sup port of The Girls and Boys Town Foundation, it donated 60 blan kets to the foundation in Magali esberg. The other organisations that received blankets were the Direlang Sechaba Community Organisation in GaRankuwa and House of Moiletswane in Winterveldt. — Supplied. • Follow the #NissanMagic cam paign on Twitter, Facebook, You tube and www.nissan.co.za.
WINTER DEALS
DUSTER
1,5 dCi DYNAMIQUE 4X2 & 4X4
R20 000
TRADE ASSIST
SANDERO EXPRESS
R122 250 Save R17 650
CAPTUR FROM
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R219 900 MEGAN GT
R329 900 Save R30 000
Yagan Padayachee 084 555 7456
Andries (Sbu) Hadebe 082 672 6618
Darryl Smith 078 120 6861
Hector Mkhwanazi 078 739 6392
Gerard Chetty 071 192 1609
*Terms and conditions apply. Repayments calculated on balloon of 35%, over 72 months, at 10,25% linked interest rate with )% deposit. Subject to bank approval. Excludes mandatory on-road charges and metallic paint. Vehicles depicted may differ to actual models. While stocks last. Above offers available for the month of June 2015. E&OE.
MCCARTHY PRE-OWNED
PIETERMARITZBURG 9 ARMITAGE ROAD PIETERMARITZBURG TEL: 033 341 7600
SIZZLING HOT DEALS THIS JULY
2015 Renault Clio IV 900T Dynamique Delivery Mileage, Balance of Service Plan & Factory Warranty Full House NEW LIST PRICE R219 999
SAVE 0 R20 00 WAS R279 990
OUR PRICE R199 990 2015 Renault Clio IV 900T Expression Delivery Mileage, Balance of Service Plan & Factory Warranty Full House, Sat/Nav
R269 990
2011 Mitsubishi lancer 2.0 GLS, 51 000 km, Full House
2015 Renault Clio IV 900T Dynamique 5 000km, balance of Service Plan & Factory Warranty, Full House, Sat/Nav
R79 990
R194 990
R189 990
R169 990
2015 Renault Megane 1.6 Dynamique, 5 000 km, Full House, Sat/Nav
2014 Renault Clio 4 Dynamique, 28 000 km, Full House, Sat/Nav
2011 Renault Scenic III 1.6 Expression 111 000 km, FSH, Full House, Navigation
2012 Merc C 200 BE Avantgarde Auto 51 000 km, Balance of6Yr/120 000 km Motor Plan, Sat/Nav, Sunroof, Full House
WAS R109 990
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2014 Renault Megane III 1.6 Expression (Demo) 22 000km, Full house, Bal. of Service Plan and Factory Warranty
WAS R179 990
R159 990
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2011 Renault Stepway 1.6, 66 000 km, Full House, Leather
2014 Polo 1.4 Trendline Hatch 30 000km, Full House, Mags
2015 Renault Duster 1.6 Dynamique, 33 000 km, Full House, Sat/Nav
2009 Toyota Fortuner 3.0 D4D Auto 76 500km, FSH, Full House, Leather
R99 990
R149 990
R99 990
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2015 Renault Captur 1.2 Turbo Auto 4 000 km, bal of Service Plan & Factory Warranty, Full House, Sat/Nav, Leather
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2015 Renault Megane 1.6 Dynamique, 5 000 km, Full House, Sat/Nav
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R239 990 2010 Toyota Corolla 1.6 Auto 72 000km, FSH, Full House
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R149 990 2015 Renault Duster 1.5 Diesel 4x4 Delivery Mileage, Full House, Sat Nav
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NEW LIST PRICE R269 990
OUR PRICE R254 990
SAVE 0 R15 00
ISHAAD RAHIMAN 084 274 7867 (SALES MANAGER) ishaad@mcmotor.co.za • Nicholas Mduli 082 977 0058 • Ruzaid Mahomed 073 786 1368 • Neil Pandaram 072 650 7108
McCARTHY RENAULT PIETERMARITZBURG 9 Armitage Road • Tel: 033 341 7600 • www.renaultpmb.co.za
Reach for Barons Pietermaritzburg and bring Volkswagen within your grasp. By Pieter from Maritzburg
known as ‘The Bespoke Volkswagen Dealers’ because they tailor deals that suit your budget and needs. This Dealership makes it their goal to bring Volkswagen within your grasp. All you have to do is reach out to Barons Pietermaritzburg, who offer the best Volkswagen sales, and after-sales, service for anyone
Robert Downing once said: “A man’s reach should exceed his grasp.” Suggesting that to achieve anything worthwhile one should attempt to attain that which appears beyond his means. You might easily think that owning a New Volkswagen is one of those elusive goals. With all that “Quality and reliability of Das Auto Engineering” talk you keep hearing, and how BlueMotion Technology is leading the way in fuel efficiency and economy, it all has to come at an exorbitant price, right?
living between Durban and the Drakensburg. 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.
Well, not really. Not if Barons Pietermaritzburg has anything to do with it. Barons Pietermaritzburg is
Live confident. Drive confident.
0% Deposit deal.
vice plan
ntyn e pla vicrra serwa mm 0 00 0k0k 1200 ar//90 year 53ye
ser 3 year / 45 000km
Polo Vivo 1.4 55kW Conceptline Polo 66kW TSI Comfortline from R1,933* per month. from R2,979* per month. The Polo Vivo 1.4 55kW Conceptline standard features include:
Model
Vehicle Price
Polo Vivo 1.4 55kW Conceptline
R145,700
-
Monthly No. of Instalments Instalments
R1,933*
The Polo 66kW TSI Comfortline standard features include: - Dual front and side airbags - Leather multi-function steering wheel - Electronic stability control (ESP) - Electric windows, front and rear - ABS with brake assistant - Multi Collision Braking System - Hill-hold Assist - Electric mirrors
Height and reach adjustable steering column Digital clock and trip recorder 3 cup holders (1 in front; 2 in rear console) Body colour bumpers Interest Rate Linked / Variable
Deposit
Balloon Payment
Total Cost Incl fees & VAT
Model
Vehicle Price
7.99%*
5% (R7,285)
36% (R52,452)
R191,629
Polo 66kW TSI Comfortline
R225,900
72
Visit us on www.baronsvw.co.za
e&oe
Adventure calls.
Maintenance Plan
-
Front, side and curtain Airbags Electronic Park Brake with Auto-hold High-Beam Control “Light Assist”
Vehicle Price
Tiguan 2.0 TDI 4x2 Trend & Fun
R362,500
Balloon Payment
Total Cost Incl fees & VAT
9.75%*
11% (R24,849)
36% (R81,324)
R295,777
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 Polo 66kW TSI Comfortline model in standard specifications. Information subject to change without prior notification. All finance offers are subject to credit approval from Volkswagen Financial Services. Instalment excludes optional extras and delivery, but includes initiation and monthly administration fee of R57. Volkswagen Financial Services - a division of Volkswagen Financial Services South Africa (Pty) Ltd.250 An Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP6635. Terms and Conditions apply. All the above is subject to price increase and valid until 31 July 2015.
5 year / 90 000km
Monthly No. of Instalments Instalments
R4,850*
72
during the months of July or August 2015 and receive
16” Portland alloy wheels 6-speed manual Start-stop with Brake Energy Recuperation
Interest Rate Linked / Variable
7.43%*
Deposit
Balloon Payment
Total Cost Incl fees & VAT
5% 30% (R18,125) (R108,750)
R457,926
worth of accessories, free.
Visit us on www.baronsvwpmb.co.za
Pietermaritzburg
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Visit us on www.baronsvwpmb.co.za
An optional cost of R2150 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.25%. Note: Offers calculated on the Tiguan 2.0 TDI 4x2 Trend & Fun in standard specifications. Instalment excludes optional extras and delivery, but includes 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 31 July 2015.
Barons
service plan
Purchase any new Amarok Double Cab from Barons Pietermaritzburg
The Tiguan 2.0 TDI 4x2 Trend & Fun standard features include: Cruise Control Electronic Stability Programme (ESP)
Model
72
Deposit
Tough gets you across rivers and over mountains.
Tiguan 2.0 TDI 4x2 Trend & Fun from R4,850* per month. -
R2,979*
Interest Rate Linked / Variable
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 Polo Vivo 1.4 55kW Conceptline model in standard specifications. Installment excludes optional extras and delivery fee, but includes 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 31 July 2015.
5 year / 60 000km
Monthly No. of Instalments Instalments
e&oe
55kW @ 5,000rpm Fuel-injected 5-speed manual Air conditioning Driver and passenger air bags Power steering
An optional cost of R1600 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.25%. Note: Offers calculated on any new Amarok Double Cab models in standard specifications. 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 31 August 2015.
9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg, 3201 • Tel: 033 845 3100
Visit us on www.baronsvwpmb.co.za and find us on facebook.com/BaronsPietermaritzburg
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*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. New Sales Consultants
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8
WitnessWheels MOTORING
July 23, 2015
All about the booty The kids say its ‘aurisome’, but ALWYN VILJOEN has quibbles with the quirky Toyota Auris Rx WHEN former Witness motor ing editor Dave Fall first laid eyes on the Auris earlier this year, his reaction was: “My goodness, if first impressions count, then the generation 2 Auris is one hell of a goodlooker, especially from the front.” My first impression, unfortu nately, was from the rear. Not that the Auris has a bad ass. But there are a lot of lines and curves going on back there. Clearly the Auris then, is designed for people who can appreciate Miss Karda shian’s oiled shape, of whom there are about 160 a month, ac cording to sales of this hatch. Toyota is quite proud of how the Auris is faring in a market where dads desperately need boot space and perhaps a modi cum of good looks. “The Auris is a relevant model despite a limited engine reper toire and a plethora of competi tors. There are currently 17 hatch ranges — from breadandbutter to premium — all trying to woo the same customer. Auris achieves a 10% share of the Csegment hatch market which equates to an average of 160 units per month,” read the website. Drivetrains and handling As before, the new Auris is availa ble with three powertrains: • a 1,3 petrol making 73 kW at 6 000 rpm and 128 Nm of torque at 3 800 rpm; • 1,6 petrol making 97 kW at 6 400 rpm and 160 Nm of torque at 4 400 rpm; and • a 1,8 Hybrid making 100 kW and 142 Nm. (The hybrid gets a makeover in September). A sixspeed manual or CVT
mirror, by the way, is huge and does get in the way when you are peering about for addresses.
The Auris has what Toyota calls ‘decidedly piquant exterior styling’. It is not for the shy or wannago fast driver. PHOTO: QUICKPIC sends power to the front wheels. On an upanddown run to the Reef from Maritzburg, the best I got was 6,7 km/l, even after crawling along in the pea soup mist that makes the N3 so dan gerous this time of the year. By comparison, my ageing 1,9 turbo diesel gave 4,2 l/100 km with the same conditions and load. Overtaking from 80 to 100 takes 10 seconds on the Highveld. The 1,6 is not an engine you want to go dicing with, in other words. But this is a car with a big boot
for families in city traffic, not for racing. It is happiest on city streets too. Glenn Crompton, vicepresi dent of marketing, enthused about the “sharp and responsive ride in the Auris” and he would be right. There is a lot of feedback from the small 16inch wheels and the power steering is well weighted for legal speeds. The suspension is also tuned for legal speeds — perhaps a bit firm over the potholes, smooth on the highway.
Cladding The new Auris comes in four as cending spec levels: X, Xi, XS and XR. Prices start at close to a quar ter of a million for the 1,3 X, which is good only on the coast; and quickly go up to R361 800 for the diesel. I had the topoftherange Rx model on test, which comes with all the knobs. When Fall reported after the launch in January, Bluetooth was not standard across the range. It is now, which shows Toyota lis
tens to its buyers. Not that I got to test this fea ture. After bragging how Toyo ta’s Bluetooth system links in three clicks to my smartphone in various models, I could not get the multimedia system in the new Auris to pair with my Sony. Additional niceties include a rear parking camera, six speakers, front sport seats, leather uphol stery, cruise control, front seat warmers, auto lights, pushbut ton ignition and electrochro matic rearview mirror. That
Prices and competition The Auris has two selling points, that 360litre boot and what To yota calls “decidedly piquant ex terior styling”. At a braai, the kids loved the curvy boot so much, they literally set up house in it. They said the Auris is auri some, and who can argue with that? Other bigbooty contend ers include the Nissan Almera, which has much blander design, but a 490litre boot, as well as Toyota’s budgetbuy, the made inProspecton Quest. This oldershape Corolla also comes with the new Corolla 1,6 engine, but sells from R183 900. For those looking for boot space at the best price, the two Almera models win hand down, both at well under R200k. For the converted Toyota fans who just want the reassurance of a dealer in every dorp, the Quest ticks all boxes. But for the couple who are already planning their next tattoos using the kids names, the Auris has the right in yourface styling. The new Auris has a threeyear or 100 000 km warranty and a fiveyear or 90 000 km service plan. All models have the 24 hour ToyotaCare. Auris prices Auris 1.3 X R223 700 Auris 1.6 Xi R249 100 Auris 1.6 XS R259 800 Auris 1.6 XR R287 700 Auris XR CVT R301 700 Auris 1.8 Hybrid R661 800.
Adam Jam delivers thrills in spades, and that’s just in the parking lot ALWYN VILJOEN
Inside, the storage areas have been designed around the mod ern driver’s need to store remote controls, smartphones and char gers, and I could find a little nook and cranny to store them all.
WHEN I had the Opel Adam su per mini parked on the driveway, the neighbour called, asking to have a look. (The name, by the way, remembers Adam Opel, who founded the company in 1862). My neighbour is a granny with a penchant for speed, she is look ing for a small car that could also fit a baby seat and thought the Adam would fit the bill admira bly. After cooing over the little hearts embroidered in the floor matts and revelling in the turbo’s power up Maritizburg’s steep hills, it was with real regret that she opined a twodoor super mini is perhaps not the best shape to fit baby seats in. Style it your way Apart from the embroidered hearts, the Adam boasts what Opel calls “a multitude of per sonalisation options”, starting with a colourcoded key fob. Opel brand manager at Gener al Motors South Africa, Christo pher Cradock, said the Adam is the first of our “new Germans”; a vehicle which embodies Opel’s heritage of precision German engineered, desirable cars with attractive design and the latest technology. “Adam takes things a step further by appealing to the modern buyer who wants to stand out in a crowd with a highly customisable and affordable package,” Cradock said.
Style it your way: The Adam deservedly spearheads Opel’s drive to win a new generation’s hearts. PHOTO: QUICKPIC Three Adam models are on of fer: the entrylevel Adam, the Ad am Jam and the rangetopping Adam Glam. Each of these model lines offer a comprehensive choice of facto ryfitted customisation options, dealerfitted accessories and a wide selection of exciting exteri or paint colours. The Adam comes in eight body colours, and the names say it all: Purple Fiction, I’ll Be Black, Let It Blue, The Greyfather, James Blonde, Saturday White Fever, Silverwalker and Red ’n
Roll. I was more impressed with the comprehensive offering of standard safety equipment, info tainment and convenience fea tures usually reserved for more premiumpriced vehicles. I put them all to the test with a business trip that turned into a road trip en route to Port Shep stone. The only fault I could find is that the automatic wipers could switch on a little earlier, but the windscreen is treated with water phobic stuff so that the droplets blew off before the sensor could
sense the wetness. It shunts and handles Up the N2 hills, the onelitre tur bocharged ecoFLEX threecylin der engine kept the speed at a steady 118 km/h on cruise control, despite the 200 plus kilogram weight of the two blokes inside. Nothing I experienced in the entrylevel Adam the naturally aspirated 1,4litre Ecotec four cylinder unit prepared me for such sterling performance. Both the Jam and Glam mod els have this sweet little mill that power output is a generous 85 kW
between 5 000 and 6 000 rpm, with torque of 170 Nm available between 1 800 and 4 500 rpm, with a sixspeed manual sending power to the front. The ride is gokart precise, but with this comes a jarring hard ness at low speed in the city. While in need of tight turns, the Opel’s City Mode Steering al lows the twomode electric pow er steering to react with in creased power assistance when the driver engages the system, making parking in tight spots a breeze.
For the geeks Young drivers — at whom the Adam is aimed — will fall in love with Opel’s IntelliLink infotain ment system linked seamlessly to several phones through a seven inch highdefinition touch screen display, offering photo and video playback. Old ballies like me will like the Adam’s individual tyre pressure monitoring with tyre load indica tors because the lowered roofline at the rear narrows visibility. All drivers will enjoy the Ad vanced Park Assist 2 system, which comes standard in the Jam and Glam models. It parks the Adam in both parallel and per pendicular parking spaces, the driver only needing to manage speed and braking, and the selec tion of reverse and first gear. All models come with a fiveyear or 120 000 km vehicle warranty, a fiveyear, unlimited mileage anticorrosion warranty, and a threeyear or 60 000 km service plan, linked to service in tervals of 15 000 km. Adam pricing • 1.4 R191 800 • Jam 1.0T ecoFLEX R212 000 • Glam 1.0T ecoFLEX R235 300
MOTORING WitnessWheels
July 23, 2015
9
CHECK FOR TYRE AGEING
Explore the city BRIAN BASSETT discovers Maritzburg’s best views in a Mazda CX5 The Mazda CX5 is a softroader, but still perfectly able to traverse the rough dirt roads above the city. PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN MAZDA has been in South Afri ca for many years, but in the shadow of Ford. Many South Af ricans have thought of Mazda as a Ford with a different badge and slowly the brand has diminished in prominence. Mazda South Af rica has now launched a come back on the South African mar ket as a premium brand which targets that end of the market looking for distinctive products with good resale value, but is re luctant to pay German prices. The distinctive Mazda range includes the CX5, a compact SUV which will challenge others in a fastgrowing South African market segment and my thanks to Faizal Hoosen, New Vehicle Sales Manager at Barloworld Mazda in Pietermaritzburg for allowing me a few days to famil iarize myself with the vehicle. Styling The CX5 is designed by well known Japanese designer Masa shi Nakayama and is a world car for Mazda being produced in places as far apart Malaysia and Russia. It has an athletic and distinc tive design and is never hard to find in a shopping center car park. The front end has swept back headlight modules, flank ing a centrallyplaced fivebar shield grill, with Mazda badge; as well as an integrated bumper with lower air intakes flanked by fog lamps. Predatory is too forceful a word for the front end, but there is certainly a feeling of aggression, which adds to the overall nononsense design in tent. The sides have sweeping lines and contours which give character to the vehicle, while the rear is largely occupied by the fold up door, which makes loading easy and dominated in design terms by the large tail light clusters. The two exhaust pies, inte grated into the rear bumper and flanked by brake lights add a sporty feel to rear of the car. The colourcoded side mirrors are electrically operated and for those of us who have had mirrors scratched in car parks while we
shop, the fact that the mirrors can be folded back towards the vehicle is a real plus. The CX5 is a vehicle with grace, poise and character and will speak to the good taste of its owner. Interior The CX5’s interior I found well designed, welcoming, well put together and spacious. Quality finishes, comfortable seats covered in soft leather, an electrically –adjustable driver’s seat and a leatherwrapped, ful lyadjustable, multifunction steering wheel characterize the interior. The climate control knobs and buttons are simple and easy to use. The main feature of the central stack is the seveninch touch screen which controls the Bose 9speaker radio/CD/Aux jack/USB port/Bluetooth and Satnav systems, some of which are also controlled from the steering wheel. The wheel also controls elements like the trip computer and cruise control and its information button is partic ularly useful. The instrument panel is de signed for driver comfort and driving safety. The gauges are di rectly in front of the driver and can be viewed without looking away from the road. The leathercovered hand brake and gear lever are also a pleasure to operate and the stop/ start button is easily reached. The rear seat space is excel lent and the CX5 takes 5 adults in great comfort. The 4 adults who rode with on Saturday afternoon included two portly gentlemen, who in formed me that they had never been more comfortable at the rear of a vehicle and the dual zone climate control system they found reaches passengers at the rear almost instantaneously. For the family holiday the boot offers 403liters of space with the rear seats in place, but with these folded down in 40:20:40 split the flat surface exposed can easily take 4 sets of golf clubs and several umbrellas.
Safety and security The CX5 is a 5star Euro N/CAP vehicle. So your family is as safe as possible in this car. It has all the safety features you need for safe driving. Six driver, passen ger curtain and side airbags, ABS with EBD, Dynamic Stability Control, Hill Launch Assist, a very useful Lane Keep Assist for those of us inclined to stray out of our lane on highways. There are also parking sensors and my own favouritethe re versing camera. The list goes on to include some 22 separate safe ty items including central lock ing and an onboard alarm sys tem. Performance and handling The 2,5litre inline, fourcylin der 16valve petrol engine in the CX5 delivers 141 kW of power and 256 Nm of torque. Fuel consumption is around 8,5 l/100 km in the combined cy cle, but, as with all SUV’s, this rises quite quickly in off road driving. 0 to 100 km/h comes up in around 9,5 seconds and top speed is close to 200 km/h. In town and on tar Mazda’s electricallyboosted steering has just the right weighting and good, oncenter feel which makes driving a pleasure. The high ride, excellent visi bility and various parking toys already mentioned make the CX5 a safe and pleasurable mom’s taxi, while the Satnav and the peppy engine make for great times on holiday. On Sunday morning the Wit ness Motoring Editor, Alwyn Viljoen and I took the CX5 off road onto the forestry trails be tween Clarendon and Lin Park High School on Zwartkops Road. The car performed excellently and confirmed once again in my mind that what is required in an SUV is height and adequate pow er rather than 4X4 capability. Price and competition The CX5 comes in six models, starting with a 2,0 Active at R320 000, 2.2DE AWD Akera costs R466 000 and 2.5 Individ
ual I drove retails for R410 000. All models come with a three year unlimited km warranty, ser vice plan and roadside assist
ance. Also have a look at Honda CRV,Toyota Rav4, Nissan Qashqai and VW Tiguan.
MOST people rely on a tyre’s tread depth to determine its condition. Les Mc Master, Chairman of the Motor Industry Workshop Associ ation (MIWA), points out that the rubber compounds in a tyre dete riorate over time, regardless of the condition of the tread. “An old tyre can be just as haz ardous as a tyre with worn tread,” he said. He warned all tyres — even spare tyres that have never been used — also age, especially those stored under a vehicle. He dismissed some manufac turers assurance that their tyres can last for 10 years. “It’s impossible to judge how long a tyre will last since factors such as heat, storage and condi tions of use reduce the life of a tyre.” Mc Master points out that sun light, heat and especially coastal conditions are known for weath ering rubber. Mc Master encourages car own ers to avoid buying used tyres and to check the date on all new tyres purchased. “Just because a tyre looks new doesn’t mean it wasn’t manufac tured years ago and has been left standing in a shop, aging while it waits.” “The safety hazards of driving on an old tyre should not be under estimated,” says Mc Master. “Speak to your local workshop mechanic about the age and con dition of your tyres. “Don’t leave it until an accident happens,” he warns. — Supplied.
MAZDA CX5
THE ULTIMATE SUV • 3 year unlimited warranty • 3 year umlimited service plan • Voice active navigation • Rear view camera • Sunroof • Blind spot monitoring • Keyless stop/start Faizal Hoosen • Sales Manager • Cell: 082 777 6796 Wonderful Dlamini • New Car Sales Consultant • 076 328 6044 Siyabonga Vunandlala • New Car Sales Consultant • Cell: 073 480 1427 Chatterton Road, Pietermaritzburg
Tel: 033 392 4444
www.mazdapietermaritzburg.co.za
10
WitnessWheels MOTORING
Bikes help big car company improve
July 23, 2015
GET YOUR KTM BIKE CHECKED
Ford implements plan for a rewarding experience for drivers RIDERS of the Super Duke for 2014 are requested to take their bikes to authorised KTM dealers to have the fuel tank checked and sealed. During routine testing of the fuel system, KTM discovered deviations in the manufacturing process of the supplier which can lead to fuel leaking. The supplier then changed its manufacturing procedure during production in 2014. More information, or information on whether a motorcycle is affected by the recall, can be obtained at KTM dealers. The sealing of the fuel tank can only be reviewed by an authorised and qualified KTM dealer. This guaranteeing is free of charge. PHOTO: QUICKPIC
POPUP TENT FOR BIKERS
As Ford’s Smart Mobility shifts from research to implementation; more Ford bicycles may appear in city centres. PHOTO: FORD SAN FRANCISCO — Ford Mo tor Company last month an nounced the next phase of its Ford Smart Mobility plan — moving from research to the start of implementation, including new strategic areas of focus, new pilot programs and new mobility product experiments. Ford Smart Mobility is the company’s plan to deliver the next level in connectivity, mobili ty, autonomous vehicles, the cus tomer experience and big data. Ford introduced the plan in January, along with 25 experi ments aimed at better under standing consumers’ mobility needs around the globe. “My greatgrandfather helped put the world on wheels so every one could enjoy the benefits of mobility,” said Ford executive chairperson Bill Ford. “Our vi sion today is to expand that same
thinking using advanced tech nology and new business models, and addressing the mobility chal lenges people face around the world.” Two key areas Following six months of gather ing data and consumer insights, Ford is honing in on two strategic areas — flexible use and owner ship of vehicles, and multimodal urban travel solutions. “We now are moving from ex perimentation to implementa tion,” said Mark Fields, Ford president and CEO, speaking at the annual Further with Ford trends conference in Palo Alto. “We have learnt a lot in the past six months, and now are ready to put insights into action. “Our goal is to make people’s lives better by helping them more easily navigate through their day, address societal issues and, over
time, change the way the world moves — just as Henry Ford did more than 100 years ago.” Peddalling benefits The research included how to use bicycles best in urban environ ments and in the process, Ford found cyclists can help drivers. Learnings include that both consumers and cities can use da ta from bike sensors, and bike sensor data can provide informa tion about traffic patterns, pe destrians and road conditions that is difficult to obtain from ve hicle sensors. In the future, this data may be combined with vehicle data to analyse road quality, characterise microclimates, or identify traffic patterns throughout the day. For example, city planners could use this information to create bike lanes. Bike riders could get in sights on best routes or realtime
information on areas to avoid. Datadriven insurance The big data garnered among others from cyclists can create driver profiles based on real be haviour behind the wheel, which can be shared with insurance pro viders and rental car companies for more personalised, potential ly discounted rates. Ford’s research delivered sev eral tactics for driver assist sys tems that aim to help drivers help themselves become better road users. The insights include: • People like receiving a score, as it allows them to track their progress and improve. • People don’t want to be told how to drive. • System works better if drivers see benefits of improving driving habits and are rewarded for changing behaviour. — WR.
THE ScarabRV is the latest addition to popup tents for bikers. Designed by American couple Mike and Mary Setzer, their 136kg trailer is light enough to pull with a tandem bicycle, although the Yanks prefer to do it with a Harley Davidson motorbike. A 12 V battery and a 12 V outlet are standard, and a second socket and USB outlets are optional. The steep asking price of R51 000 ($4 200) may explain why the Setzers are currently having a slow campaign on Indiego to raise pledges for their popup tent. PHOTO: INDIEGO
Coma parks bike after 13 years
Has it really been that long?! Marc Coma retires with full honours to make space for a generation of new young guns. PHOTO: KTM
ON the occasion of the retire ment of one of the world’s most distinguished rally riders, KTM Factory Racing wishes to extend very sincere thanks to Marc Co ma for years of sporting dedica tion. Coma ends his career after 13 years of competitive racing on KTM, five Dakar victories and six Cross Country Rallies world ti tles! Pit Beirer, head of KTM Mo torsports, said: “We thank Marc for many wonderful years with KTM. We are happy and proud that he finishes his active career at the very pinnacle of racing and we wish him ongoing success in the next stage of his career. “We are naturally very pleased that he will stay with rally sport and that we will continue to have
contact with him. Marc will al ways be a friend of KTM and he will always belong to the KTM family.” Coma is leaving active racing immediately to take up his new position, an appropriate occa sion also, Beirer confirmed, to announce the new structure of the KTM Rally Factory Racing Team. “We have already been plan ning for three years for the change of generation in our rid ers. We’re confident that we have a fine balance of experience and youth, who are ready to race in the true KTM tradition. Our new team will certainly deliver the top results that will ensure KTM re mains the driving force in rally sport,” Beirer added. Alex Doringer, manager of the
KTM Rally Factory Racing Team commented: “We all appreciate the time and victories we had with our rider and friend Marc. We look forward to our new gen eration of riders taking up the challenge and delivering more victories. We intend to continue to compete at the highest level and to play a dominant role in the world of rally sport …” Doringer also confirmed the additional presence of the official satellite team of KTM Warsaw Motorrally under the experi enced management of Marek and Filip Dabrowski. “I am happy that we are also able to count on the continued presence of the satellite team. They are our valued and long term partners,” Doringer said. — Supplied.
MOTORING WitnessWheels
July 23, 2015
Imperial extends its learnership reach LOGISTICS and supply chain leader Imperial Logis tics has added impetus to its drive to address South Afri ca’s skills deficit and youth unemployment by extending the reach of its graduate de velopment programme and partnering with local govern ment and Transport Educa tion Training Authority (Te ta) in new workplace experi ence programmes. Training and development executive Colette Wessels said that the group’s graduate development programme previously focused on hon ours and degree students from traditional universities, and was pitched at a junior management level. “We real ised, however, that we were missing the opportunity to reach another group of indi viduals who can add great val ue to our company, and whose training and development can help to address the coun try’s critical skills gap.” By partnering with the uni versities of technology and FET colleges, Imperial is reaching graduates who may have a nondegree qualifica tion but who can fill impor tant operational positions across a range of levels in the organisation, she said. “Our aim is to upskill these graduates though our pro grammes and learnerships, in order to prepare them for roles across our environment and industry.” Imperial’s graduate devel opment programme provides graduates with relevant on thejob experience and expo sure through job rotation, work assignments and special projects. Opportunities are offered in disciplines that in clude logistics and supply chain, industrial engineering, IT, human resources and Ci ma (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants). In addition, the Imperial Logistics Academy — the group’s dedicated training fa cility — has also entered into partnerships with the Ekur huleni Metropolitan Munici pality and Teta that have this year provided internship op portunities for 143 young South Africans. Wessels said: “The City of Ekurhuleni, working with the Department of Economic De velopment, chose Imperial as one of its partners in its grad uate placement and youth de velopment programme. With funding provided by the mu nicipality, we initially took on 19 graduates, who we put through our learnerships and who were provided with workplace experience at Im perial group companies. At the end of the 12month pro gramme, we were able to offer permanent employment to 14 of them. In March, we took on a further 43 graduates as part of our partnership with the municipality. “We are committed to de veloping a pipeline of talent and employment opportuni ties for the longterm benefit of Imperial Logistics, our in dustry and country,” she said.
11
Rail’s pressing needs First put in tracks, then ensure constant checks and updates, says train builder ALWYN VILJOEN WHILE train commuters to Soweto still debate the safety of the signalling system that has seen two crashes since April, ‘CNN Marketplace Africa’ this week hosted Russell Stokes, CEO of GE Transportation on what needs to be done for the rail in dustry in Africa. GE Transportation was re cently contracted to make over 230 new locomotives for South Africa, and it has similar deals in place for Mozambique and An gola. Stokes told CNN Marketplace Africa he deemed expanding tracks and ensuring maintenance ability to be the rail industry in South Africa’s most pressing needs “Ultimately, even to be able to run a locomotive, you need good track. So what you’re seeing right now is a big investment in some of the different countries, in terms of putting in that actual track infrastructure.” He expand on this, telling ‘Marketplace Africa’: “Then you also have to make sure that if you’re selling a locomotive in country that you can service and take care of it. So you need to make sure that you’re putting
GE Transportation is competing alongside Bombardier to modernise South Africa’s rail systems. PHOTO: SUPPLIED money into the maintenance fa cilities, the sheds, the support in frastructure, to be able to service them and keep them running.” Stokes told CNN his company estimated the new railway infra structure will create 5 000 jobs across the extended supply chain in South Africa, specifically. He confirmed CNN’s view that GE invests in countries’ rail
infrastructure if they had natural resources to export and govern ment regulation that backed this. Repeating his views expressed last year told the media at Forbes’ Reinventing America confer ence, Stokes said trains offer the most cost effective mode of transport. He told CNN the trucks by road were almost 70% more ex
pensive than locomotives on rail. “I travel globally, obviously, we have a customer in Kazakhstan, a number of customers in that market, that are working togeth er — the Chinese, the Kazaks, the Russians, and the Latvians, or Lithuanians — that are trying to figure out how to connect from the western coast of China all the way through into Europe.
“What they do now is they ac tually take boats that take 45 days coming down under South Afri ca to get over into Europe. If they can go across the road, they think they can do it in 15 days. He stressed it was not good enough to hammer in rails and sell trains. GE is selling a move ment planning system similar to what air traffic controllers use to ensure trains arrive on time where they are supposed to be. This has however created its own problems in the nutsandbolt world of rail. In a May interview with Ad Magazine Kristi Lundgren, mar keting leader at GE Transporta tion said the change from selling to engineers to selling to the IT department was a big challenge. “We were used to selling to the chief mechanical officer — he had been our goto guy,” Ms. Lundgren said. “Now, we are talking to the CIO. What do we say to him? It was a bit of a mar keting challenge.” In South Africa, GE competes head on with Bombardier, who built the Gautrain and it current ly in a threeyear project to mod ernise signalling along over 200 km of track in eThekwini to speed up the commute of some 70 000 passengers.
Volkswagen Rally proves adage about sponsors and races HEAVY downpours led to the cancellation of the final two of the 12 stages in Volkswagen Rally in Port Elizabeth last weekend and made it extra hard for the racers. Toyota’s Leeroy Poulter and Elvéne Coetzee topped the podi um, with teammates Giniel de Villiers/Carolyn Swan in third place and Ford’s Mark Cronje and Robin Houghton in the mid dle. “We started out pushing quite hard today but realized quite quickly that we were better off bringing the Fiesta home in one piece and being satisfied with second,” Cronje said. “This is obviously not the re sult we were hoping for but under the circumstances, we’re happy with the points we get for a sec ond place,” codriver Houghton added. “We’re still leading the championship and will regroup before the next event to make sure we try to wrap it up as quick ly as possible since there are only three races left in the season.” In the Toyota camp, an exu berant Glyn Hall, team principal of Castrol Team Toyota, was beaming after the event. “Of all the rallies in the season, this is the one the drivers want to win most of all. The Longmore Forest stages have a reputation as the toughest on the rally calendar, and Leeroy showed his mettle by winning the longest of them de spite the heavy rains that had soaked the stage.” Day one of the 2015 VW Rally saw Poulter/Coetzee open a handy lead of 35.8 seconds over secondplace crew and current championship leaders, Mark Cronje and Robin Houghton (Ford Fiesta), after six stages. Day two dawned grey and rainy, and it quickly became clear that the remainder of the event would
Toyota’s Leeroy Poulter and Elvene Coetze led a Toyota double to the podium at the Volkswagen Rally in Port Elizabeth. PHOTO: QUICKPIC be run in extremely testing con ditions. As the heavens opened over the Eastern Cape, Poulter managed to control his lead at the head of the field, holding off a hardcharging Cronje in the fi nal forest stage of the event. With six stages scheduled for the second day’s racing, it looked as if the fans would see some fan tastics racing between Ford and Toyota at the Port Elizabeth Oval Track, but this is when the clouds opened, completely soaking the super special stages and bringing the 2015 Volkswagen Rally to a premature end. For Giniel de Villiers and Car olyn Swan, in the second Castrol Team Toyota Yaris S2000, the Volkswagen Rally offered an op
portunity to move into third place in the championship, and that is exactly what they did by finishing third overall in the event, three spots ahead of their nearest championship rivals, Gugu Zulu and Hilton Auffray (Volkswagen Polo), who in Zu lu’s word suffered a major mo ment in stage one. Zulu’s teammates Henk Lateg an and Barry White posted good stage times during the Volkswag en Rally, posting seven stage times within the top five, ulti mately finishing the event in sev enth overall. “We started the rally a little conservatively,” says Lategan. “It was, however the flat wheel and damage we got in stage two that
really posed a problem. We hit a rock or something and bent the wheel. We couldn’t get it off to change the tyre. That cost us around five minutes, in just stage two of the rally, and it was very difficult to try and recover from there.” Head of Volkswagen Motor sport Mike Rowe, “I am proud of the Volkswagen Sasolracing team members for their perform ance under some really adverse conditions. “The service crews performed their task well, made sure the Volkswagen Sasolracing Polo S2000s were ready to compete throughout the event and dis played good camaraderie in the face of some terrible weather and
working conditions, their efforts helping Volkswagen win the Manufacturer’s Award at the Volkswagen Rally.” “In motorsport there is a say ing that you cannot win an event that you sponsor and the Volks wagen Rally seems to prove it. The Volkswagen Sasolracing team rallied hard, but were just not quite able to hold their com petition at bay.” • Round 6 of the 8round cham pionship is the Cullinan Motor Rally and it promises to be pivot al in the decision of the final out come of the season. The rally takes place around the mining town of Cullinan in Gauteng on August 14 to 15. — WR.
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WitnessWheels MOTORING
July 23, 2015
Women make history In world first, karting girls fill the podium in Senior Max race
From left: Shannon Jackson, Ivana Cetinich and Fabienne Lanz made history when they filled the podium at Vereeniging’s Senior Max kart races on Saturday. PHOTO: NICK CETINICH SOUTH African women racers Fabienne Lanz, Ivana Cetinich and Shannon Jackson made in ternational racing history on Sat urday when they topped the po dium in the first race of the Rotax Senior Max class of the fifth Northern Regions karting cham pionship round. Lanz, riding a Formula K ma chine, beat Cetinich on a Birel by two seconds, with Jackson (CRG) fending off male racers Tylan Witbooi and Jarryd Wray for third on what is believed to be the a first allwomen podium in motorsport history anywhere in the world. Only a spirited comeback drive by Wray prevent ed the women from scoring an overall 123 on the day when he took third place for the day off
Jackson by a solitary point, fin ishing behind Lanz, who took the honours from Cetinich. In other action on the day, De lon Thompson (Birel) opened up his highschool Junior Max championship lead over the simi larly mounted Blaine Rademeyer and Joshua Dias, who respective ly ended second and third behind Thompson in all three races. Karl Pitzer, Wayland Wyman and Ol iver Gunner filled the minor plac ings. Luca Munaretto (FA Kart) similarly dominated all three of the other highschool Junior Rok class races to win comfortably overall from Jordan North (Ko smic) and Mike Pringle. In the primaryschool classes, Kwanda Mokoena (FA) beat Cameron O’Connor (Topkart)
two races to one, to take Maxteri no honours with Saood Variawa third overall ahead of Liam de Beer, Joshua de Paiva and Jagger Robertson. Saood Variawa (Top kart) similarly took two races to win over Altan Bouw (Zanardi) to take the other primaryschool Mini Rok class overall honours with Blaine Rademeyer (Top kart) third from Jarrod Waberski, L.J. Mginqi and Leyton Fourie. Little Sa’aad Variawa, mean while, trotted off another three U8 Cadet class wins to tighten his grip on that championship as Bjorn Bertholdt kept Aeron Wecke, Mohammed Moerat, W.J. van Straaten and Chelsey Fulton behind for second. Moving up to the gearbox classes, Justin Allison (Tony
Kart) maintained his recent na tional championship round win ning advantage over his regional competitors to score three wins and overall Rotax DD2 honours for the day. Ronnie Baptista (CRG) took Masters class hon ours in second overall ahead of Chad Maciver, Pascal Aquaah, another leading karting women Jennifer Verheul, and Jonathan Mogotsi The sixspeed IAME X30 class results had a familiar ring about them as Nathan Parkins (Ko smic) reeled off another three race wins to take an easy overall victory over Connor Rogers (Za nardi) and Keagan Masters (FA). Shayur Harpal was fourth from Ryan Maroun and Justin Oates. Last but not least, Scott Fal
coner dominated the oldschool 125 GP class over Deon Auby and Ryan Bakewell, with Gerald Fou rie and Miguel and Paul Dias rounding off the top six. But this race day will be re membered for Fabienne Lanz, Ivana Cetinich and Shannon Jackson’s allwomen top three in that first Senior Max heat — an historic result and quite plausibly the first such outcome anywhere in world race history. National karting competitors now pack for iDube and the fourth round of the SA champi onship in KwaZuluNatal on Au gust 15, before the regional circus returns to Vereeniging for round six of the Northern Regions se ries a week later. — Vereeniging Kart Club.
Favourites fail at Tip Top Drak 250 in Underberg THE Tip Top Drak 250 in Under beg last weekend lived up to ex pectation by reducing most en tries to spectator status early on. The 21 km prologue of the KZN Crosscountry Champion ship was won by Reg Sutton, fol lowed by Arthur Barns and Dan iel Brooks, all in class A. Class B for 2.0 litre cars was won by Bryant Meyer and club mans was won by Graeme Peter son from Underberg. Casualties in the prologue in cluded Marcus Taylor navigated by race organiser Trace Price Moor, who had front suspension failure almost within sight of the start. Clint Gibson and Mike Wellbeloved also found trouble by burying their car in a swamp. There was disaster for the front three cars less than 1 km from the start as they all plunged into a huge mud hole in quick succession, possible a result of red mist hanging in the early morning air. Being so close to the start it was unlikely that any other competitor was going to attempt to help them out, effec tively ending all of their chances. Taking the lead early on was Ralph and Andre Voigt, who drove virtually unchallenged to win comfortably ahead of Leon Bothma and Quinton Brand.
TWO EXTREMES: (left) Ralph and Andre Voigt drove virtually unchallenged in the KZN Crosscountry championship in Underberg. (Right) Marcus Taylor and Trace Price Moor muddle through a fearsom mudhole. PHOTOS SUPPLIED Third went to Rob Spencer and Kevin Theron who also won class B. A number of crews falling by the wayside after running high up included Jack Peckham, who lost nearly an hour changing a flat tyre without a functioning jack, Bryant Meyer with a broken stub
axle , Stephan Muraour with bro ken suspension and Graham Baumann, who drove into the same mud hole on lap 2 that cap tured the front three cars. Marcus Taylor and Trace Price Moor had also moved up to 2nd overall midway through the event before the engine timing belt
broke ending their race. John Rowe won the Clubmans class in his ownbuilt JRE, with Dave Gurney second. Alistair Konigkramer won the quad bike category, followed by Arnie Meiring. Tip Top milk sponsored the event. — Own Correspondent,
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F1: ‘We do our best for driver safety’ LONDON — Formula One is as safe as it has ever been but danger will always be part of the sport, commercial supre mo Bernie Ecclestone said on Sunday after the death of French driver Jules Bianchi in hospital. “If you were to choose to have an accident today in any thing, you’d choose a Formula One [car] because it’s proba bly the safest it’s ever been,” the 84yearold Briton told BBC radio. “What actually happened to Jules was just very, very, very unfortunate. “Of course it’s dangerous,” he added of the sport. “They have 20 races a year, so you see how many accidents there are. We do our best, or always have done our best, for driver safety.” Bianchi (25) died in hospi tal in Nice, southern France, on Friday after nine months in a coma following his horrif ic accident at the Japanese Grand Prix last October. He was the first Formula One driver to die of injuries received in a race since Brazil ian triple world champion Ayrton Senna at Imola in 1994. The Marussia driver, popu lar and tipped for a stellar fu ture after coming through the Ferrari academy, skidded off the track in wet conditions and fading light while yellow warning flags were being waved to tell drivers to slow down. He smashed into a recovery tractor that was removing an other crashed car. “The tractor should never have been there,” said Eccle stone, who started out in For mula One in the 1950s and witnessed the sport at its deadliest over the next two decades. “We’ve done an awful lot of work to make sure that if a car does go off and hits something, they hit the tyre barriers or whatever, then its all okay,” he added. Formula One’s governing body has introduced a num ber of safety measures after the crash at Suzuka, including the use of a “virtual safety car” and making the area around the cockpit stronger. The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) said Bianchi’s death was a remind er that more could always be done, however. “Despite considerable im provements we, the grand prix drivers, owe it to the rac ing community to the lost ones and to Jules, his family and friends, to never relent in improving safety,” the body said in a statement as the world of motorsport paid tribute to the Frenchman. — Reuters.
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