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ASH CAR SALES
October 1, 2015
Dealers in Superfine Exotic and Sports Cars Tel: 033 345 1971, 033 342 4717 Fax: 033 342 2900 - www.ashcarsales.co.za
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2012 PORSHE CAYENNE 3,0 DIESEL TIPTRONIC Purple, 39 000 KM, amethyst metallic with black leather interior, sunroof, rear/front PDC, 22 inch mags, MFS, roof rails, electric seat, speedo cruise, keyless start. CE
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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
Bracing for a big SUV battle ALWYN VILJOEN finds two things to like a lot in the Trailblazer, but are they enough? A BATTLE looms among the big sport utes, with the 2016 models of the Toyota Fortuner and the Ford Everest ready to take on Chevrolet’s Trailblaz er, while the latest Disco Sport is, by all accounts, all the car you will ever need. To remind ourselves of our likes and dislikes in this capable ute, we drove the Trailblazer again. From a safety point of view, the biggest likes in the Trailblazer are how they do not show among the stolen vehicles in Mozambique and Zambia, and how quickly this big ute stops. “Go check it out,” challenged one happy owner who does the daily commute from Albert Falls Dam to Pietermaritzburg in his automatic TB. I did, on dirt, and the advanced fourwheel disc brake system gave me that “desirable and class leading sense of superior security”, as advertised on the web, thanks to eight advanced active safety systems. Only R200 buys lots more power Another impressive feature is the 2,8 diesel burner. Chev sells the Trailblazer with a choice of two en gines, a 2,5litre Duramax diesel engine (120 kW/380 Nm) and my favourite, the butter smooth 2,8litre Duramax diesel, which makes 144 kW and 500 Nm torque from 2 000 rpm. A variable turbo and intercooler boost torque from low revs while the Active Select sixspeed au to box makes the most of each Newton. I, however, used the sixspeed manual, for which the power is limited to 440 Nm, and managed to stall several takeoffs before getting to revs just right. On the N3 to Gauteng and back, the big ute drank an average of 11,6 l/ 100 km. This Trailblazer lists for R556 700, which is just a R200 note more than what Toyota wants for
With dashboards getting very hot on an average South Africa day, the tray on top of the console is good only to keep pies warm. PHOTO: RIETHA VIVIERS
the Fortuner 4,0 V6 4x4 (175 kW/376 Nm). In this price range, Land Rover wants R10k less for its Discovery Sport SD4 S, but the Disco makes 110 kW and 400 Nm, so the Chev wins. Flow of power Our third like is the big Chev’s 4x4 ability. When stuck, a 4x2’s torque flows to the uselessly spinning wheel. Electronic Stability Programmes (ESP) in modern allwheel drive cars momentarily brake this spinning wheel, forcing the torque to the nonspinning wheels. To activate the Trailblazer’s ESP you need to put foot, which allows the computer to do its calcu lations and send the torque zigzagging between the wheels. This can take from three to seven sec onds to activate, but when the ESP ensures all the wheels get power, the Trailblazer goes anywhere on its 230 mm road clearance. On steep slopes, Hillstart Assist Control and Downhill Brake Control keep things under control. Going down a steep hill on a dirt track is as easy as twiddling the knob to 4Low, pressing the automatic downhill brake button and then occa sionally steering. This frees up fingers to fiddle around with the MyLink and audiovisual touchscreen. In my first serious 4x4 excursion in the Trailblazer I could not get my Sony Experia beyond the “linked, but not connected” stage. In another model the cell phone and Mylink were instant BFFs. Go figure. Storing stuff Our only dislike in the Trailblazer is the space to stash stuff. From the front airducts to the third row of seats, the Trailblazer offers 11 cup holders, (12 if you ditch the cansized ashtray), a secure tray below the steering wheel, a tray with a lid on top of the dashboard, a large central armrest and two door pockets. You’d think this should be enough, but you’d be wrong. Both sun and engine heat up that top tray, mak ing it handy to keep pies warm, but not safe for anything made from plastic. The long secure tray under the steering wheel allows keys and wallets to slide around, making for awkward fumbling at each toll gate. The door pockets require opening before you can access them, and under that big central con sole’s lid, a tiny hollow is made smaller by the plug points mounted in there. Superficial as this may seem, nooks and crannies for phones, bottles, pies and keys are what swing the deal on the closely matched SUV front. In the new Everest, which launches today, Ford may just show the capable Chev a thing or two about cabin ergonomics. Watch this space. Price and competitors Chevrolet Trailblazer 2,8D 4x4 LTZ, (144 kW/440 Nm)............................................R556 700 Toyota Fortuner 4,0 V6 4x4, (175 kW/376 Nm)............................................R556 500 Land Rover Discovery Sport SD4 S, (110 kW/400 Nm) ...........................................R545 901 Ford Everest 3,2 TDCi (143 kW/470 Nm)..........TBC
4x4ability: You can balance the Trailblazer with two wheels in the air on an axle bender, take the photo, get back in and then just idle over the humps. PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN
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PHOTO: PHOTO: SMART DRIVE
WitnessWheels MOTORING
SMART DRIVE FOR WHEELCHAIRS
October 1, 2015
U.S. company SmartDrive has launched the MX2 wheelchair drive that bolts to any size wheelchair to propel it at varying speeds. Expected to retail for $6 000 (around R84 000), the MX2 is not cheap. The money does buy a 250 W brushless DC motor combined with a 36 Volt, 3,4 Ah battery that is good for 19 km of average range that is durable enough to jump off kerbs. A hillholder func tion keeps the chair in place. To speed up, the rider pushes the chair’s wheels faster, and slows them to brake the wheels. — WR.
Oz readies for selfdrive trucks
BLAST FROM THE PAST MAKES A KILLING
Bill to allow ‘reallife’ testing of the technology
Bonhams Auctoneers sold the only known 1905 Woods Queen Victoria Brougham for $94 548 (over R1,3 million) at the Frederiksen auction at Ebeltoft in Denmark. The twoseater dates back to the early 1900, when there were more electric cars on roads than internal combustors. The cab could be lifted off and the motor is still good for 48 km/h. The interior is full leather and a glass flower vase shows how times have changed. PHOTO: BONHAMS Good news for trucks as clever as Mater, South Australia plans to host the first trials of driverless trucks in the Southern Hemisphere from November 78. PHOTO: REDDIT.COM SOUTH Australia’s Transport and Infrastructure Minister Ste phen Mullighan announced he would introduce a bill allowing for “reallife” testing of the tech nology, positioning the state at the forefront of an industry pro jected to be worth $90 billion (R1,26 trillion) internationally by 2030. Prime Mover magazine quotes Mulligan as saying: “We are on the cusp of the biggest advance in motoring since the since the Model T opened up car owner ship to the masses. “In July, when we announced that South Australia would host the first trials of driverless cars in the Southern Hemisphere, we sent a message to the world that our state is open for business. “South Australia is now posi tioned to become a key player in this emerging industry and by leading the charge, we are open ing up countless new opportuni ties for our businesses and our economy.” The Motor Vehicles (Trials of Automotive Technologies)
Amendment Bill will provide for exemptions from existing laws to allow trials of automated vehicle technology on public roads. “As the first state in Australia to regu late a framework for such testing, we are opening our doors to glob al businesses to develop and trial their technologies here, while al so creating the right environ ment for local businesses to grow and flourish,” Mullighan said. Melbournebased ARRB Group congratulated Mullighan on his foray, saying it aligned with the group’s vision to accelerate the safe and successful introduc tion of driverless vehicles onto Australian roads. ARRB will be running the first ever demonstration of driverless vehicle technology on public roads in the Southern Hemi sphere in November as part of the Australian Driverless Vehicle Ini tiative (ADVI). “Whilst these trials from No vember 78 on Adelaide’s South ern Expressway do not require the legislative change as the roads will be closed, it is an im
portant step for Australia to al low autonomous vehicles to be trialled on public roads in South Australia,” ARRB commented, with managing director Gerard Waldron adding that automated vehicles are far from science fic tion, but rather a shortterm real ity that Australia needs to be pre pared for. “The advent of driverless vehi cles is an opportunity to foster technological innovation and re vive Australia’s manufacturing industry — the South Australian government has been quick to recognise this,” he said. “ARRB will establish how driv erless technology needs to be manufactured and introduced for uniquely Australian driving behaviour, our climate and road conditions, including what this means for Australia’s national road infrastructure, markings, surfaces and roadside signage.” Mullighan added the new leg islation would provide for safe guards for the public and would also require advance warning of every trial. — Newpress.
NEW 208 LIKE A PIGGY BANK, IT SAVES
Prices for the updated Peugeot 208 1,2 manual start at R159 900 for the Fun 1,0 Pure Tech and going up to R289 900 for the new automatic 208 GT Line 1,2 PureTech Turbo Auto, and Peugeot promise the new range will save both on instalments and fuel, thanks to awardwinning Euro6 threecylinder engine. Pricing includes a threeyear/100 000 km warranty for all models, while the Active and GT Line models come with a fiveyear/60 000 km full maintenance plan. PHOTO: QUICKPIC
KIA Sedona wins Ultimate Minivan Challenge Voted America’s best minivan, the Kia Sedona. PHOTO: QUICKPIC
IRVINE (California) — The allnew KIA Grand Sedona was recently named by Cars.com as the winner in its Ultimate Minivan Challenge, a multiday comparison test that brought together experts from Cars.com and PBS’s Motor Week to conduct a detailed analysis on a competitive set of fullyloaded minivans. The results combined pro
fessional assessments with realworld opinions from car shoppers currently in the mar ket for a new vehicle in the minivan segment. This year’s competitors, in order of final rankings, included the 2015 Toyota Sienna, 2015 Honda Odyssey, 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan and 2015 Chrysler Town & Country. With its SUVlike styling
and decidedly premium interi or, the KIA Sedona topped a segment full of longstanding stalwarts. The Ultimate Minivan Chal lenge evaluated competitors based on criteria such as tech nology, features and drivet rains. Testing included a 300 km course on varying road types to determine real world fuel economy as well as
backtoback comparisons of ride, handling, comfort and acceleration. “The fully reimagined Se dona has been a tremendous success for the KIA brand, connecting on multiple levels with families and active lifes tyle consumers alike,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president of product planning, KIA Mo tors America (KMA). — WR.
MOTORING WitnessWheels
October 1, 2015
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What to do with wrecked vehicles? At the Kalahari Oasis, an old Defender becames a bar counter, while many a panelbeater has welded a backrest to a car boot to make a handy couch. PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN For R924 000, the Q7 promises to take its owner everywhere. PHOTO: QUICKPIC
Q7 with a lot less weight Beautifully laid out and functional dashboard, the Q7 exudes class SIBONELO MYENI A DECADE after the launch of the 1st Generation model, Audi Mzansi has launched the advance 2nd Gener ation Audi Q7. Known for evolutionary design changes, Audi has gone for a toned design for the Q7 in what Audi SA notes as intentionally giving the Q7 a subtle, classy and sophisticated look. Up front the singleframe 3D grille dominates with standard Xenon lights on either side (LED/Matrix LED optional) and LED daytime lights. On the sides there are blister lines that segment the side infused with bulged wheelarches that pay homage to classic Audi Quattro mod els and there is a variety of 18inch to 21inch wheels. At the back the LED rear lights take pride of place whilst the bumper inte grated twin exhausts sit on either side of the diffuser. The Q7 does convey a classy rather than “look at me, I’m loud” attitude. The interior is typical Audi in using high grade materials fused with luxu ry. From the leathersuede combina tion electric seats, to the 12,3inch TFT MMI pop up screen, to the beau tifully laid out and functional dash board, the Q7 exudes class. A fiveseat layout is standard with the option of a third row seat for an additional two passengers (third row seat raised/lowered electrically). For rear entertainment, there is an optional Audi tablet that is mounted behind the front headrests (connect ed to MMI via WiFi) that plays DVDs and can also be used like normal tab lets (Apps, eBooks, Internet, Skype and office applications). Incar entertainment is catered for by a Bose system or Bang and Olufsen with multi speakers (even on Apil lars). MMI touch and Navigation Plus allows easy operation of the info tainment system. At launch the Q7 will come with a 183 kW/600 Nm threelitre V6 TDI
claimed to sprint the Q7 from 0100 km/h in 6,3 seconds, topping at 234 km/h while consuming 5,7l/100 km. In January 2016, a 185 kW/370 Nm twolitre TFSI en gine will join the local lineup. Quat tro allwheeldrive comes standard linked to an eightspeed tiptronic gearbox. The airsuspension shod Q7 allows raising of the ride height for offroad driving while the driveselect allows different settings for the drivetrain, gearbox, suspension. Lightweight is the main talking point of the new Q7 as it has shed up to 325 kg compared to the previ ous model. The Q7 comes with a multitude of driver assistance/convenience sys tems including Trailer Assist (auto parking of vehicle towing a trailer), traffic jam assist, active lane assist, rear cross traffic assist and others that ensure the Q7 ownership experi ence is safe, convenient and function al. On the 3.0 TDI, there is a list of standard features: • Audi MMI navigation Plus and Touchpad control • 18inch alloy wheels • Xenon plus headlights • Keyless start • Audi drive select • Audi music interface with USB • Bluetooth interface with audio streaming • Partial leather upholstery • Electrically operated tailgate • Front and rear PDC • Reverse camera • Leathertrimmed, 4spoke multi function steering wheel Plus with shift paddles • Cruise control system • Twozone digital air con • LED interior lighting Pricing: Audi Q7 3.0 TDI quattro tiptronic R924 000, including a five year/100 000 km Audi Freeway Plan, available. • Catch Sibonelo Myeni on Ukhozi FM on Thursday mornings.
How to turn wrecks into cash cows ALWYN VILJOEN WRECKED cars normally sell for a tiny part of their original price, which is why guys prefer to get handy with a angle grinder and welder to turn bits from wrecks into cash cows.
The best example of this must be the old Land Rover Defender used as a bar counter at the Kalahari Oasis bar at Mabalingwe, on the set made famous after the “Jaaa Boet” Castrol adverts. Favourite among panel
beaters, however, is the boot tocouch conversion, with Wheels spotting the boot of a wrecked Ford Falcon 351 GT on sale for R12 500 (scatter cushions not included). Flipping a truck’s engine block in its side to use the
cylinders as wine bottle hold ers is another popular recy cling trick, but for the most comfortable night in front of the TV, just put any leather car seat on legs. Wiring up an old Citroën’s seat can even ensure a massage.
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WitnessWheels MOTORING
Lockheed Martin amphibian to deliver U.S. Marines QUANTICO – Lockheed Martin has officially introduced its new Amphibi ous Combat Vehicle (ACV) 1.1 offering at the Modern Day Marine trade show in Quantico, Virginia. The armoured eightwheeldrive vehicle is designed to transport up to 13 Marines, transition seamlessly be tween land and water, and provide high levels of blast protection. The U.S. Marine Corps established the ACV programme to replace its age ing fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehi cles, which have been in service since the 1970s. The Lockheed Martin ACV candi date is a modular, easily upgradable 8x8 design that allows superior growth for a wide range of variants, weapons, sensors and communica tions options. Lockheed Martin is the original equipment manufacturer, sys tems integrator, and finalassembly, integration and test agent for its ACV.
The Lockheed Martin 8x8 can land the U.S. Marine Corps anywhere in the world. PHOTO: LOCKHEED MARTIN The company has selected an experi enced team of suppliers for their spe cific capabilities to enable the produc tion and delivery of a highquality, af
fordable solution. “We have been committed to the Marine Corps for more than eight years in the growth and evolution of the ACV and its pre
decessor programs,” said Scott Gree ne, vice president of Ground Vehicles for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “In concert with the Marine Corps’ desire for domestic produc tion, Lockheed Martin has assembled a supplier team that will enable the manufacturing and delivery of a vehi cle that meets or exceeds their require ments at the right price.” The Lockheed Martin ACV candi date will meet or exceed the Marine Corps’ ACV requirements in four key areas: Water Operations; Land Opera tions; Payload Capacity and Protec tion. The team’s ACV offering is com prised primarily of offtheshelf com ponents and products currently in service on vehicles around the world. They have been brought together in the Lockheed Martin 8x8 to provide the Marine Corps a vehicle that meets their needs today and supports their missions far into the future. — WR.
Pods for GenZ drivers Oxford University in tests of ‘cars’ made for the selfiesharing generation ENGLAND last week saw the first of three “pod” vehicles go on trial to see how selfdriving vehicles can mix in pe destrian zones. The electricpowered Lutz Pathfinder pod was presented to commuters and other members of the public by Coven trybased manufacturers RDM Group as part of the Transport Systems Catapult. Oxford University’s Mobile Robotics Group (MRG) made the pod’s autono mous control system (ACS). Coventry University student Harry Hess was the lucky first member of the public to go for a ride in the pod, and the 24yearold said he was looking for ward to the day when he could use one without a steering wheel. “I’d be quite happy to use a driverless vehicle,” the maths and statistics stu dent said afterwards. “I’d use it for trips into town, and I think this is the way all cars will go once people get more used to the idea.” The pod will undergo a series of cali bration tests at a private test track before returning to Milton Keynes for the start of the public trials during October. “This is a very exciting day for every body involved in the Lutz Pathfinder project, because it signals the comple tion of the manufacturing phase and the effective start of the autonomous tech nology trial,” said Transport Systems Catapult CEO Steve Yianni. “When you consider that there wasn’t even a design in place for this ve hicle less than 18 months ago, it has been a really quick turnaround to now have our first research vehicle ready to start work, and this has only been possible as a result of our successful collaboration with RDM, MRG and Milton Keynes Council.” Once the ACS has been installed, the public trials will get underway in Milton Keynes, with the pods being driven ini tially in manual mode — allowing them to map and ‘learn’ their environment.
Pods like this may become units in a modular public transport system, which can be ordered on a smartphone. PHOTO: LUTZ PATHFINDER PROJECT They will then begin to operate in auton omous mode, but with a trained opera tor still remaining in each pod, ready to take back control of the vehicle if neces sary. The pods will have a maximum ca pable speed of 24km/h but will be limit ed electronically depending upon the environment they are travelling in (for example, moving more slowly in con gested areas). Safety first “Safety has been our paramount con cern throughout the planning process, which is why we will continue to have a human operator at the wheel for the duration of the trial,” Mr Yianni added. “But the Lutz Pathfinder project is an
important first step towards a future where selfdriving vehicles can be called up on demand, as and when people need them.” David Keene, RDM Group CEO said: “Today represents an exciting stage for the Lutz Pathfinder project and is a key milestone for RDM. We continue to de velop our autonomous pod platform which has worldwide applications with in many transportation sectors. The project is enabling the autonomous ve hicles to be tested and evaluated in their intended environment” Professor Paul Newman of Oxford’s MRG said: “We are now very much looking forward to further developing,
deploying and then testing our ‘Mercu ry’ autonomy system on this vehicle. This is an important and exciting stage in this project which will then enable us to test the technology’s potential in the public trials.” The arrival of the first pod was also welcomed by Pete Marland, leader of Milton Keynes Council, who said: “It is fantastic that Milton Keynes is at the forefront of this global technology race, and seeing them on the streets will be amazing. “Our aim is to show that they can work as a means of public transport, with people being able to use their smartphones to order a pod, so it makes sense that the commuters at Milton Keynes Central are the first to see the pods. “Having the pods here to day is one step closer to having them as part of everyday life in MK.” Findings from the Lutz Pathfinder project will also be used to support the larger scale UK Autodrive pro gramme, which is set to trial a fleet of 40 selfdriving pods, as well as “regular” road based cars, in Milton Keynes and Coventry. — Newspress.
For more information on Witness Wheels advertising Contact Avir on 084 278 3447 or Avir@witness.co.za
October 1, 2015
Kinsey 2015 report rates Nissan utes
Low costs: the Nissan NP 300 PHOTO: MOTORPRESS ROSSLYN — Nissan is keeping the wheels of industry turning with the most costeffective single cab pickups on the market. According to Pinetownbased Malcolm Kinsey’s 2015 report, Nissan South Africa’s locally man ufactured workhorses, the one ton NP300 Hardbody and half ton NP200, are the pickups to own if you are shopping for a new bak kie. Kinsey’s report show these pickups are also the most afforda ble to repair. Every year Malcolm Kinsey, a journalist and industry specialist, selects a range of vehicles and a list of crash and service parts. He then anonymously sources the prices of these parts at dealers across South Africa and ranks the cost of service and repair of the selected vehicles in specific seg ments. The 26th Kinsey Report states that the Nissan NP200 is the most affordable singlecab pickup and halfton pickup to service and maintain in South Africa, while the NP300 Hardbody was the sec ond most affordable overall and the most affordable to service and maintain of all the tested oneton pickups. Nissan manufactures the NP200 and NP300 Hardbody at its South African production facil ity in Rosslyn, north of Pretoria, from where it also exports these models to several countries in Af rica. “We have spent a considerable amount of time and engineering effort in optimising our produc tion methods and in supporting local part suppliers. It is very heartening to see this hard work being rewarded by the authorita tive Kinsey Report,” says Mike Whitfield, managing director of Nissan South Africa. Nissan’s engineering efforts has already paid dividends, after tests by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) reported an combined cycle fuel consumption of 6,8 litres/100 km for the 2.5 DCI single cab NP300 Hardbody and 5.3 litres/100 km for the NP200 with 1.5 dCi engine. This makes the NP200 and NP300 Hardbody the most frugal pickups on the market and means that the NP range of pickups are the most af fordable to service, operate and re pair. It is the second year running that the Kinsey Report has includ ed entrylevel single cab pickups in its report. Last year the Nissan NP300 Hardbody was identified as the most affordable to service and maintain in this category, while the Nissan NP200 ranked in the top three overall and was the most affordable to maintain and repair in the sub oneton category. The two Nissan pickups are joined by the Nissan Micra, which was pipped to the post by the en trylevel Datsun GO! as as one of the most affordable city and entry level vehicles to maintain and re pair in South Africa. — WR.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month By Alison Wiltshire (Sales Manager)
it, but when you need surgery and treatment for a major illness you come to appreciate it. Many people complain that a maintenance plan costs money, but when something goes wrong with your vehicle and you get a hefty bill the maintenance plan can carry that cost for you.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and I’d like to take the opportunity to write this editorial about my personal experience. I have suffered from breast cancer this year and, like many women and men (yes, men too!) I was caught totally off guard.
Unless you have suffered, or know someone who has suffered, from cancer you cannot understand what it’s like to go through chemotherapy and radiation therapy. It fascinated me that there were new people starting chemotherapy every week; this is a growing business, and not in a good way.
One in four women are diagnosed with breast cancer, and the numbers are rising. That’s a scary statistic, but breast cancer isn’t a death sentence: if can be cured if it’s detected early enough.
I want to thank all the wonderful clients who have come up to me and shown me loving support; and to all the wonderful people I have met on this journey, both at work and patients at the hospitals, thank you for your stories, for sharing your experiences, and for always showing me how to be positive.
The important thing to remember is that we need to know our bodies, and to look out for any little lumps and bumps that are new and unfamiliar, so we can get them checked out by a doctor. Just as we need to check our vehicles annually, we need to check ourselves. Sometimes we put off doing it because we’re scared of the result (or, in the case of a vehicle, the bill).
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.
Purchasing a maintenance plan is like having medical aid, something I have learnt to love in the last few months. I have been fortunate enough to be able to afford a good medical aid plan, and it’s been a huge help; it’s expensive when you don’t need
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Offer exclusive to Barons Pietermaritzburg: 6 year / 90 000km service plan.
*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.
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
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An optional cost of R900 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.5%. Note: Offers calculated on the New Polo Sedan 1.5 TDI Comfortline model in standard specifications. Price excludes optional extras. Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other special service or offering. Subject to bank approval. Information subject to change without prior notification. Offers only available through 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 02 October 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
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An optional cost of R900 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.5%. Note: Offers calculated on the Polo hatch 1.4 TDI range in standard specifications. Instalment excludes optional extras, but includes monthly administration fee of R57 and initiation fee of R1140. Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other special service or offering. Subject to bank approval. Information subject to change without prior notification. All finance offers are subject to credit approval from Volkswagen Financial Services. Offers only available through 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 02 October 2015.
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An optional cost of R900 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.5%. Note: Offers calculated on the vehicles in standard specification. Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other special service or offering. Subject to bank approval. Information subject to change without prior notification. All finance offers are subject to credit approval from Volkswagen Financial Services. Offers only available through 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 02 October 2015.
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October 1, 2015
Bike find of the year This 1927 FHA 8Valve VTwin Harley Davidson racer was one of fewer than 50 built. After more than 50 years in storage, it was found in an Australian barn. Shannons last week auctioned the bike to international bidders on its Melbourne Spring Auction and sold it to an anonymous Australian for 600 000 Oz dollars — just shy of R5,9 million. Christophe Boribon, national auctions manager of Shannons Auctions, told the Brisbane Times the new owner will leave the bike unrestored, as the veteran racer is worth more in its original condition. PHOTO: SHANNONS AUCTIONS
A scooter to pop wheelies on Canadianbuilt Chameleon’s 500 W brushless motor is said to give it a top speed of 62 km/h PAUL RIDDEN TORONTObased Daymak has been in the ebike business since 2002 and their latest creation combines their best innovations in the Chameleon, a 90 kg smart electric scooter with pedals. An entrylevel 84 Volt, 12 Ah battery pack gives up to 60 km of range and recharges in eight hours. An 84 Volt, 24 Ah battery pack boosts the range to 120 km. The pedals turn the smart scooter into a powerassisted bi
cycle, which can be used on most of Canada and America’s roads without insurance or a licence so long as they have a smaller than 500 Watt motor. The Chameleon’s 500 W brushless motor is said to give it a top speed of 62 km/h, though that’s set to a more city regula tionfriendly 45 km/h by default. It starts with a key and stan dard features include a builtin alarm, digital speedometer, 16 inch tyres, hydraulic disc brakes, headlights, rear brake lights and
Canadian company Daymak has weird ideas on what a electric scooter should be able to do. PHOTO: INDIEGO GO SCREEN GRAB
turn indicators and a double kickstand. The Deluxe and Ulti mate editions come with a rear mounted storage box fitted with 15 W PV panels and programma ble RGB LED light strips. As the Chameleon trundles around the streets or stands and bakes in the sun, the panels will trickle charge the battery for up to 9 km of extra range per day, according to Daymak. The company is currently run ning a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. A Standard model
is currently listed at a $599 (R8 420) pledge level, which doesn’t include shipping costs but does represent a substantial saving on the expected regular price of $1 999. The Chameleon Deluxe is pitched at $699, while the Ultimate model is up for $1 699, representing a 70% and 50% discount, respectively, on the postcampaign price. If all goes to plan, delivery of the first Chameleon ebikes is ex pected to start in February 2016. — Gizmag.
Top riders battle for glory in scenic winelands THE beautiful winelands around Worcester in the Western Cape played host to the final two rounds of the Totpak National Offroad championship and it was down to these last two rounds of the championship to determine who would be crowned South African champion for 2015. Rough tracks with different terrain from rocks to sandy sections would make for an interesting two days of racing with three different loops of approximately 55 km that had to be completed twice each day. Round six of the champi onship was held on Heritage Day with a day’s break in be tween before competitors headed out for round seven on Saturday. Brother Leader Tread KTM’s Louwrens Mahoney set the fastest time on Thursday’s time trial, being the first man out, however, with the terrain
Louw Schmidt (left) dominated both rounds of the championship while Jarryd Coetzee (right) was unfortunate to crash out. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED unknown it was hard for Ma honey to keep the lead and he had to settle for second place overall and second place in the OR1 class. Mahoney also had a great day out on Saturday, rounding off the OR1 podium.
Luck was not on Ross Branch’s side on the Thursday, but the talented Botswana rid er impressed with a steady performance at round seven of the championship, taking vic tory on the day, both overall and in the OR1 class.
In the competitive OR2 class Brother Leader Tread KTM’s Louw Schmidt domi nated both rounds of the championship, winning round six and seven with a comfort able lead, securing yet again another South African cham
pionship title in this highly competitive class. Tyron Miller backed up his team mate and finished in second place in the OR2 class on Thursday and in fifth place on Saturday. After winning the previous two rounds of the OR3 cham
pionship Jarryd Coetzee was driven to bring home the championship, but an unfortu nate crash on Thursday’s time trial put Coetzee out of title contention and he could not continue racing after injuring his knee. He however quickly recovered and dug deep to come back on Saturday and finish the season on a high. After a consistent season it was Brother Leader Tread KTM’s Juan “Bollie” van Roo yen who won both rounds in Worcester, securing his Sen iors championship title for the second year in a row. The competitive High School class was dominated by KTM Centurion’s Eduan Bes ter who raced a consistent season, winning most rounds and bringing home the class title. Provisional results also saw KTM Centurion’s Ian Venter taking the Masters championship. — Supplied.
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All out for Portugal Top karters have last chance to qualify for October’s Rotax Grand Final
October 1, 2015
Toyota’s Dakar Team to take on Morocco
2015 SA Rotax Max Challenge DD2 champion Bradley Liebenberg (12) leads Nathan Parkins (13) and Arnold Neveling (44) at Zwartkops in the final round of the championship. PHOTO: MOTORPRESS STUART JOHNSTON DURBAN’S multiple world karting champion Cris Morgado made news by losing a race, but he still has a last chance to earn a place in the Rotax Grand Finals in Portugal in Novem ber on October 11, when the African Open championship returns to Zwartkops. Last weekend saw a large field or karters compete in the fourth and fi nal round of the 2015 South African Rotax Max Challenge for a chance to earn an entry in the four Rotax Max classes in the Portugal finals. This is the most closelyfought karting series in the world with close to 300 drivers from 60 countries competing, and all of them are top class drivers as they are champions from their various countries. No less than 23 DD2 gearbox karts took to the track in the country’s pre mier karting class, while in the Max terino primary school class for driv ers aged between eight and 13, there were 22 entries. The points system is designed to reward drivers who are extremely competitive all season, but may fall foul of bad luck in one or more races along the way. It is a system that saw various drivers arrive at Zwartkops with a good chance of taking the title as long as they finished well up the order. Maxterino This class for drivers aged between eight and 13yearsold has produced the best racing of the season in the series, and the final round at Zwart kops was no exception. It is not unu sual to see the lead change a number
of times per lap on every lap, and Zwartkops on September 26 again provided plenty of thrills without the spills. In the final race of the day the championship fight came down to Cameron O’Connor from Gauteng and Aidan Strydom from Cape Town. In the end, O’Connor finished just 1,2 seconds ahead of Strydom in that final race to take the title by just one and a half points. Cape Town’s Charl Visser ended up winning the day’s racing ahead of O’Connor, Strydom and Jayden Els, who won two of the four races, with the very quick Kwan da Mokoena fifth and the equally tal ented Jospeh Oelz sixth. Junior Max A strong field of 17 entries saw the racing frenetic in this class for drivers aged 12 to 16 years old. And in Race One it seemed to all go wrong for Cape Town’s Dino Stermin as he was punted out not once but twice to DNF in the first race. This looked to put Delon Thomp son of Benoni in pole position to take the title, and two second places at Zwartkops seemed to wrap things up for him. However, a poor finish in eighth place in the final saw Thomp son just pipped to the title, as Ster min finished the day with two con vincing race wins. The day’s racing saw Cape Town’s Jason Coetzee win on points garnered, ahead of Thomp son, new champion Stermin, Joshua Dias, Blaine Rademeyer and Daniel Duminy. Senior Max The biggest news going into the fourth and final round at Zwartkops
was that Cape Town’s Jonathan Ab erdein, who had previously led both the Senior Max and DD2 champion ship, was concentrating solely on the Senior Max title. This proved to be a wise decision as Jonathan, the son of former saloon car ace Chris Aber dien, dominated Senior Max, win ning all four races. His superiority was not so marked that he scored runaway wins, but it was enough to see him draw clear as his rivals squabbled amongst them selves and thus fell back as they jock eyed for the minor placings. Thus Ab erdein’s first National title was well deserved, and he will be a worthy competitor for South Africa at the Grand Finals in southern Portugal in November. Chief amongst the drivers fighting for minor placings was past SA cham pion Luca Canderle, who ended up second for the day, ahead of Jordan Sherratt, Fabienne Lanz, Ivana Cetin ich and Robert Whiting. These five were all close together throughout the day and made for entertaining racing even though Aberdein had the edge. DD2 Gearbox With 23 entries, the field for the DD2 event was most impressive, and made more so as there were some wildcard entries in the form of past EuroCup champion Arnold Neveling from Ver eeniging and Nathan Parkins, a champion from the X30 series. With championship leader Aber dein withdrawing from the title race to concentrate on his nongearbox Senior Max title chase, the way was left clear for Bradley Liebenberg from Lonehill to score his second DD2 title
(he won the 2014 championship) ahead of past champion Eugene Brittz, who found himself leading the title chase after Aberdein’s withdraw al. However, things didn’t work out for Pretoriabased Brittz, who had various problems all day that saw him finish outside the top six. In fact the assured, supercool Ar nold Neveling won the day’s racing with three wins out of four, with Lieb enberg fighting all the way, swapping the lead with Neveling and winning Race Three. Benjamin Habig from KZN, who suffered various bad luck in 2015 and was thus never really in contention for the title, finished third for the day, ahead of Parkins, Chad Maciver and Michael Burchholz. DD2 Masters In the DD2 Masters category, with drivers aged 32 years old and older competing alongside their younger (and lighter) rivals in the DD2 class, Ronnie Baptista from Potchefstroom won the 2015 title and his first berth in the Grand Finals. The man he beat to the champion ship was Cristiano Morgado, a multi ple SA and World DD2 Masters champion, who was looking good for yet another championship but fell out of the final race at Zwartkops. It was a great effort from Baptista, who only returned to the Rotax series this year after a layoff, and this is his first SA title. Second on the day at Zwartkops was the everimproving John van Wyk, ahead of Morgado, and hus bandandwife protagonists Nick and Jennifer Verheul.
Perel’s Italian GT Cup dream goes up in flames THE programmer who is living the dream, Cape Town’s David Perel, won’t take many happy memories away from his first visit to the Misano circuit on the Adriatic Coast, follow ing a pair of nonfinishes in the Ital ian GT Cup races there, both times while fighting for the race lead. Perel and Italian teammate Mirko Zanardini qualified the Peresoft Obox Bonaldi Lamborghini fifth for both the weekend’s races and follow ing a tough first few laps of the first heat, Perel had made his way up to second, but bumping and barging on his way there likely punctured a tyre. “I fought my way up to second place and was catching the leader,” Perel reported. “Then on the same lap [when] I was about to pit I got a puncture — we reckon it was from contact on that chaotic first lap, which really wasn’t ideal. “We pitted but still finished out side of the points — that’s not good for our championship — we had to win this race to have a realistic chance
Racing at the Misano circuit on the Adriatic Coast last week, Cape Town’s David Perel was on fire — literally, after his front front left brake disc combusted. PHOTO: SUPPLIED “There are three races left in the championship, so best we win all of them.” The second race saw Zanardini putting in a strong charge to put Perel in position to challenge for the lead once he took over at the wheel and was lapping almost a second quicker
then the next car in the class, but then disaster struck. “Mirko had a good start but then slipped to sixth place and we pitted as soon as possible for me to get in,” Perel explained. “I came out second, however after two laps my front left brake disc exploded on the fastest
part of the track. Game over. The car caught fire as well but luckily the mar shals put it out in time. “It’s such a pity, we comfortably had the pace to win this race, but the real pity is that the championship is now over for us, although we can still finish in the top three …” The Italian GT Cup concludes at Mugello on October 18, where with out championship pressure, Perel and Zanardini can just go for it — and who knows, a couple of wins and bad luck for those Porsches could just see the ItalianSouth African duo pull off a comefrombehind shock. After the race, Perel posted on so cial media he will aim to make up for the bad luck at the last race left on the calendar, the Italian GT Champs in Mugello in October. “Thanks to everyone who’s supported me so far, everything from likes to comments to actual donations. I’ve never expe rienced anything like it and can barely describe how grateful I am,” said the cofounder of @obox. — WR.
Poulter and Howie. PHOTO: QUICKPIC JOHANNESBURG — With the 2016 edition of the Dakar Rally just over three months away, the Toyota SA Dakar Team are in the midst of prepar ing for the mammoth event. As part of this prepa ration, the team is taking part in the annual Rally of Morocco, which starts on October 3 in the north African country. “To us, taking part in Morocco offers the op portunity to test our race vehicles in conditions that are similar to some parts of the Dakar,” ex plained Toyota SA Dakar Team’s team principal Glyn Hall. “So it is a chance to see how our vehi cles fare in actual race conditions, which mimic to a certain degree the terrain of the Dakar.” The Rally of Morocco forms part of the FIA’s Cross Country World Cup, and as such many of the players that will be lining up at the start of Dakar 2016 will be taking part. While many of the teams see this event as a realworld test for Dakar, it does offer a chance to see how the differ ent cars perform in relation to one another. “We’ll be taking part with two vehicles this year,” continued Hall. “Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz ran one of our Toyota Hilux race vehicles here last year, and showed exceptional pace at the time. This year we’ve decided to give Leeroy Poulter and Rob Howie the opportunity to take part too, though they will be driving an older spec vehicle, mainly in order to gain experi ence of the race.” With that said, the team will also be testing a variety of components and suspension settings in Morocco. The event starts on October 5, with a 330 km stage near the Moroccan city of Zagora. This is followed by: Stage 2 Oct 6: 224 km, Loop of Drâa Stage 3 Oct 7: 274 km, Loop of M’hamid Stage 4 Oct 8: 293 km, ZagorAgadir Stage 5 Oct 9: 237 km, Loop of Agadir “We had a good outing here last year,” said South Africa’s Dakar legend Giniel de Villiers. “We had a couple of problems that stopped us from challenging for the lead, but we ended up winning a stage before the end. And we’re look ing forward to driving in the dunes of north Africa again.” The sandy terrain makes navigation a chal lenge, and this is also good preparation for the two navigators in the team, Dirk von Zitzewitz and Rob Howie. “Overall the Rally of Morocco is a mini version of the Dakar,” continues Hall. “Which is exactly what we need at this point, not only in terms of the development of the Race Toyota Hilux, but also for the team to get into the right mindset for the Dakar.” Development and testing will continue back in South Africa, when the team return on Octo ber 11. “After that we’ll have one more big test session in South Africa, before shipping the cars off to South America for the race,” concluded Hall. Fans can follow the fortunes of the Toyota SA Dakar Team by visiting www.toyota.co.za, www.facebook.com/toyotasouthafrica or by fol lowing @toyotaSA on Twitter. — Supplied.
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