Wheels_28July2016

ASH CAR SALES

July 28, 2016

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… NOW YOU’RE MOTORING

E D I S

VW has electrifying plans for America.

Page 6

Future engines will pack up to 150 kW and 1 700 Nm into the hub of an 18­inch wheel to drive cars, SUVs or bakkies. Page 6

e h t

t e e

M . r e v i r d

t c e f r e p Page 4

Over 7 000 American truckers have rushed to order the incredible Nikola 1 jet­electric truck.

Page 7

The first 19 all­electric Morgan trikes are out, and each is full on steampunk cool. Page 3 Pre-owned

The new Audi Q3.

Performs best when cornered

Visit Audi Centre Pietermaritzburg today for incredible offers on a range of Audi demo models.

Only while stocks last, terms and conditions apply.

Introducing the new Audi Q3. Greater performance, more features and a more aggressive design make it an SUV to be reckoned with, under any conditions. The new Audi Q3 range, which includes the legendary quattro, is possibly the most stylish SUV to ever become one with the road.

Model

Audi Q3 FSI 130kW S tronic

Vehicle Price

R 463 500

Monthly Instalments

R 4 999

No. of Instalments

36

Interest Rate Linked/ Variable

Deposit

10.75%

22.09%

GFV

62.90% (R291 542)

Total Cost Incl. Fees and Vat R 471 514

Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 10.75%. Rate is dependent on customer credit scoring. Interest rate is used for illustrative purposes only. Instalment calculated on standard specification, excludes optional extras but includes initiation and monthly administration fee of R57. **Total retail price as above at a Guaranteed Future Value on 20 000kms p.a. 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 while stocks last.

Audi Centre Pietermaritzburg

Ref

Year

Colour

Mileage

11410

2015

Audi A4 2.0T FSI Design S tronic

Vehicle Description

White

6 000

Special Price R 489 995

11446

2015

Audi Q7 3.0 TDI V6 quattro

Beige

7 500

R 899 995

11461

2015

Audi A3 Sportback 1.2T FSI

Silver

7 000

R 279 995

11471

2016

Audi A6 1.8T FSI S tronic

White

10 000

R 479 995

11472

2016

Audi A1 Sportback 1.0T FSI

White

7 000

R 279 995

11474

2016

Audi A4 2.0T FSI Design S tronic

11486

2015

Audi A6 1.8T FSI S tronic

11489

2013

11491

Red

10 000

R 399 995

White

26 500

R 539 995

Audi A4 1.8T SE

Grey

50 538

R 219 995

2015

Audi A3 1.4T FSI SE S tronic

Silver

15 953

R 339 995

11494

2015

Audi A3 Sportback 1.4T FSI

Blue

36 400

R 339 995

11495

2014

Audi Q5 2.0 TDI Q S tronic

White

80 156

R 399 995

11496

2010

Audi S4 Q 245kW S tronic

Silver

116 000

R 249 995

11497

2013

Audi A3 1.4T FSI 90kW

Silver

97 130

R 199 995

11498

2014

Audi S3 Sportback S tronic

Blue

25 000

R 489 995

11500

2012

Audi A5 Sportback 2.0

White

121 000

R 269 995

11501

2014

Audi A3 1.2T FSI 77kW

Red

50 000

R 259 995

11504

2013

Audi A4 1.8T FSI 125kW

Grey

92 000

R 239 995

11505

2015

Audi A3 Sportback 1.6 TDI S

Grey

17 800

R 319 995

11508

2013

Audi A3 Sportback 1.6 TDI S

White

87 000

R 259 995

11513

2015

Audi RS3 SB 270kW quattro

White

18 000

R 725 000

11522

2012

Audi A4 1.8T FSI 125kW

White

87 000

R 220 000

11524

2016

Audi A4 2.0T FSI S tronic

Silver

16 000

R 499 995

11525

2016

Audi A4 2.0T FSI S tronic

White

10 000

R 429 995

11526

2016

Audi A4 2.0T FSI Design S tronic

Grey

10 000

R 459 995

11527

2016

Audi A4 2.0T FSI Sport S tronic

Red

10 000

R 479 995

11528

2016

Audi A4 1.4T FSI Sport S tronic

Red

10 000

R 469 995

Nathi Mncube • Sharon Mpulo • Imdaad Hoosan • New Vehicle Sales Manager: Prunella Naidoo Mandla Mkhize • Mark van Rijsbergen • Anwar Charfaray • Pre-owned Manager: Riaz Mahomed

BP Advertising

9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg, 3201. Tel: 033 397 8800. www.audipietermaritzburg.co.za

2

WitnessWheels MOTORING

July 28, 2016

Tequila firm to fuel Ford’s use of sustainable plant­fibre plastics ALWYN VILJOEN THE New York Times of Au­ gust 14, 1941, reported that Hen­ ry Ford had plans to make panels for the T Model from 50% southern slash pine fibre, 30% straw, 10% hemp and 10% ram­ ie, the material used by the an­ cient Egyptians to encase mum­ mies.

Ford proved that the plastic panels were 10 times stronger than steel by hitting them with an axe and failing to make a dent.

The same axe sliced right through the metal panels used at the time.

In Dearborn, the Ford design­ ers have returned to these roots by teaming up with Jose Cuervo to explore the use of the tequila producer’s agave plant by­prod­ uct to develop more sustainable bioplastics to employ in Ford ve­ hicles.

Ford and Jose Cuervo are test­

Bioplastics made from the agave fibres that can be turned into plastic panels.

PHOTO: FORD ing the bioplastic for use in vehi­ cle interior and exterior compo­ nents such as wiring harnesses, HVAC units and storage bins. In­ itial assessments suggest the ma­ terial holds great promise due to its durability and aesthetic quali­ ties. Success in developing a sus­ tainable composite could reduce

vehicle weight and lower energy consumption, while paring the use of petrochemicals and the impact of vehicle production on the environment.

“At Ford, we aim to reduce our impact on the environment,” said Debbie Mielewski, Ford sen­ ior technical leader, sustainabili­

ty research department. “As a leader in the sustainability space, we are developing new technolo­ gies to employ efficiently dis­ carded materials and fibres, while potentially reducing the use of petrochemicals and light­ weighting our vehicles for de­ sired fuel economy.”

The growth cycle of the agave plant is a minimum seven­year process. Once harvested, the heart of the plant is roasted, be­ fore grinding and extracting its juices for distillation. Jose Cuer­ vo uses a portion of the remain­ ing agave fibres as compost for its farms and local artisans make crafts and agave paper from the remnants.

Now, as part of Jose Cuervo’s broader sustainability plan, the tequila maker is joining forces with the automaker to develop a new way to use its remnant fibres.

“Jose Cuervo is proud to be working with Ford to further de­

Indian govt aims at diesel vehicles Court orders those 10 years and older off the Delhi streets INDIA’S top environmental court has ordered authorities to remove all diesel vehicles that are at least 10 years old off the capital city’s streets in a bid to help clean New Delhi’s polluted air.

The ruling is the latest in a se­ ries of court­issued orders target­ ing the automotive industry’s role in polluting Delhi’s air, which the World Health Organisation said in May was the world’s 11th dirtiest.

Under the order, effective im­ mediately, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the Delhi transport authority to can­ cel the registration of all diesel­ powered vehicles produced at least 10 years ago.

New Delhi’s transport office must also provide the court with a list of vehicles losing their regis­ tration, Indian media reported, citing the tribunal’s ruling. The court was not immediately avail­ able for comment.

Experts are divided on the ex­ tent to which vehicles are respon­ sible for Indian urban pollution, but several have called for a ban on diesel vehicles because they pollute more than petrol­fuelled cars and motorcycles.

Last year, India’s Supreme Court temporarily banned the

Traffic jams in Delhi.

PHOTO: WWW.XPLORABOX.COM sale of large diesel cars in New Delhi. The court has also indicat­ ed that it could levy an additional tax on the sale of diesel cars, po­ tentially hitting sales of carmak­ ers such as Toyota, Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors.

Previous court bans on older diesel vehicles in New Delhi have been poorly enforced, and Deepesh Rathore, a director at Emerging Markets Automotive Advisors, said the latest ruling is “quite unplanned and arbitrary

in nature”.

“While we are all concerned about badly maintained vehicles causing pollution, the solution to that is to make annual vehicle health checks mandatory,” he said. “If today the NGT can do this thing without any warning, any planning or any heads­up, then in five years the same can be done for petrol vehicles as well.”

Rathore estimates that nearly 20% of future diesel vehicle sales

could switch to petrol in re­ sponse to the bans.

Air pollution has rocketed up the list of public concerns among India’s increasingly vocal urban middle class.

The Delhi government this year restricted cars from travel­ ling on the roads to alternate days for a two­week period, while In­ dia’s federal government intro­ duced an additional “green” tax on car sales in February.

— Reuters.

Renault’s Kadjar adds to the choices RENAULT has expanded its Kad­ jar range with diesel and a dual clutch to give buyers a wider

choice of very efficient small sport utes.

The electronic settings of the twin­plate dry clutch system in the 1.5 dCi turbo diesel engine are aimed at achieving the best mileage, which will leave

drivers used to Renault’s high­ revving petrol engines wonder­ ing when the kick down is going to happen.

The answer is, it ain’t, as the gears on each of the two shafts are selected by electric actuators, all aiming to be as fuel efficient as possible. This is excellent for city driving, but unpleasant

when passing trucks on a high­ way.

Kadjar 4x2 prices: 1.5 (81 kW) Turbo dCi 6­speed manual R394 900 1.2 (96 kW) Turbo petrol EDC 7­speed auto R399 900 1.5 (81 kW) Turbo dCi EDC 6­speed auto R414 900.

Kadjar now has Renault’s popular 1,5 diesel and its misunderstood dual clutch.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC

velop our agave sustainability plan,” said Sonia Espinola, di­ rector of heritage for Cuervo Foundation and master tequilera.

“As the world’s number­one sell­ ing tequila, we could never have imagined the hundreds of agave plants we were cultivating as a small family business would eventually multiply to millions.

This collaboration brings two great companies together to de­ velop innovative, Earth­con­ scious materials.”

Like Ford Motor Company, Jose Cuervo is family owned and operated. Founded in 1795, it has been making tequila for more than 220 years with the same ex­ perience, craftsmanship and recipes.

The collaboration with Jose Cuervo is the latest example of Ford’s innovative approach to product and environmental stewardship through the use of biomaterials. Ford began re­

searching the use of sustainable materials in its vehicles in 2000.

Today, the automaker uses eight sustainable­based materials in its vehicles, including soy foam, cas­ tor oil, wheat straw, kenaf fibre, cellulose, wood, coconut fibre and rice hulls.

According to the United Na­ tions Environment Programme, five billion metric tons of agricul­ tural biomass waste is produced annually. A by­product of agri­ culture, the supply of materials is abundant and often underutil­ ised. Yet the materials can be rel­ atively low cost, and can help manufacturers to offset the use of glass fibres and talc for more sustainable, lightweight prod­ ucts.

“There are about [181 kg] of plastic in a typical car,” said Mi­ elewski. “Our job is to find the right place for a green composite like this to help our impact on the planet.” — WR.

Eleven points for buying used cars A TOUGHER economic cli­ mate worldwide, and in South Africa, has forced many con­ sumers to reconsider their spending patterns.

An obvious indicator of this is that new car sales are signifi­ cantly lower this year compared with the same period last year.

According to the Automo­ bile Association (AA), this trend will lead many consum­ ers to consider buying used ve­ hicles. But, the association warned, buyers must be savvy when making these purchases.

According to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa), industry sales in the first half of 2016 were 10,6% lower as against the same peri­ od last year. In June this year, 44 939 new vehicles were sold, 5 300 less than in 2015.

In March, Wesbank predict­ ed this decline in sales for the first half of the year. “This sales performance is in line with our forecast for the year, and it’s been informed by a number of macro­economic factors. The rand has struggled, interest rates have been hiked and infla­ tion has taken its toll on house­ hold budgets,” said Simphiwe Nghona, CEO of Wesbank Mo­ tor Retail.

Given this climate, the AA said it predicts a spike in used car sales, with consumers seek­ ing more affordable options.

“While buying a second­ hand vehicle is a good option for many, buyers need to be aware that there are also pit­ falls; there may be mechanical problems, body damage, re­ placement parts may be harder to source and warranty benefits will expire sooner.

“It’s important that buyers conduct proper research, com­ pare prices, and not rush into the first good deal they come across,” the AA said.

Start with your budget, look at your cash flow and, if you need finance, determine how much you can afford to repay.

From there, look at the cost of the car that you can afford and how much debt you are willing to take on and do not deviate.

The association warned that a roadworthy certificate

(RWC) is not a guarantee that the car is problem free. It is a document that simply states that the vehicle meets the mini­ mum statutory requirements in terms of safety, such as brakes, suspension and lights. A car could have an RWC and still have a mechanical problem.

“It’s important that you have a look at the car in daylight, in­ spect every inch of it, and take it for a test drive. If possible, have someone with mechanical insight take a look at the en­ gine. For even more peace of mind, buyers can take the car to an AA Quality Assured spe­ cialist or Dekra centre for a bumper­to­bumper once over before they make their final de­ cision,” the AA said.

Other items to check when buying a used car include: • deal with a franchised car dealer or an AA Quality As­ sured car dealer; • if you can stretch your bud­ get, look at a low­mileage demo model from a reputable dealer; these cars are usually well priced, almost new, and have often been well looked after; • when test driving, check han­ dling, brakes, and look for any signs of mechanical problems; • check the interior for any ob­ vious faults such as ripped ma­ terial. The wear on the rubber of the brake, clutch and acceler­ ator should be consistent with the age of the car; • turn off the radio while you test drive, check that there are no extra­ordinary sounds; • check that the battery termi­ nals are clear of any build­up • check for smoke from the ex­ haust; • check that the body colour is even throughout the car, a change (even slight) may mean body work has been done, and may indicate the car was in­ volved in a crash; and • check that the tyres are in a good condition, and if not, that replacements are available.

“This is not a definitive list but it may be a good starting point. Also always insist on the car’s paperwork and service record,” the AA advised.

Finally, remember that a deal that sounds too good to be true, usually is. — Supplied.

MOTORING WitnessWheels

July 28, 2016

3

Best dealer satisfaction Nada means a lot for Mahindra after latest survey rates it the Most Improved Passenger Brand MAHINDRA South Africa has rea­ son to celebrate after a strong show­ ing in the annual dealer satisfaction survey conducted by the National Automobile Dealers Association of South Africa (Nada).

The results of the survey were an­ nounced at a gala dinner last week, but comes as no surprise to the cli­ ents that were hosted by Mahindra Umhlanga to test the KUV100 diesel, Thar, XUV500 and Scorpio in and around the Killarney 4x4 track last Friday.

Mahindra was acknowledged as the Most Improved Passenger Brand by its dealers in the dealer survey, while it also received a Bronze Award for overall dealer satisfaction.

The 2016 survey encompassed a total of 39 independently researched brands, and the results were com­ piled from more than 1 500 respons­ es received from Nada­accredited franchise dealers, of which 1 329 were submitted by passenger car/light commercial vehicle dealerships.

The survey is based on the answers to 50 key questions based on every facet of the relationship between dealers and their Original Equip­ ment Manufacturers (OEMs) and/or Distributors. Mahindra was in the top 25% of responses to key aspects such stock availability, vehicle deliv­ eries, warranty payments and CSI recognition. Compared to the 2015 survey, Mahindra moved up eight places with an overall score of 65,7%.

It showed the most improvement of all brands as far as Dealer Communi­ cation and Customer Focus were concerned.

It also achieved a top five spot for Vehicle Distribution, and was among the top 10 brands in the Dealer Satis­ faction category.

“Our performance in the 2016 Na­

da Dealer Satisfaction awards high­ lights just one of several strategies to ensure the consistent progress of the brand in South Africa. We continue to expand and improve the Mahindra model offering, and are also placing a particular emphasis on achieving ever higher levels of dealer satisfac­ tion which ultimately results in im­ proved customer satisfaction,” said Sanjoy Gupta, chief executive officer from Mahindra South Africa.

“Mahindra SA recently reached an important milestone when overall re­ tail sales in SA since 2004 surpassed the 30 000 mark. We are convinced that the brand and its products have a bright future in SA.” After driving the little three­cylin­ der diesel KUV100 which retails for about R180 000 — including a three­year or 50 000 km service plan — Wheels predicts Mahindra’s future just got a little brighter. — WR.

The facelifted XUV500 came second to only the Toyota Fortuner in this year’s Wheels Value For Money SUVs, and only because Mahindra has half the number of dealers compared to Toyota. For those close to a Mahindra dealer, this sporty ute is a sound buy, not least because no one steals it. PHOTOS: ALWYN VILJOEN

FINANCIAL SERVICES

ADVENTURE. IT’S IN OUR DNA. Once farmers across SA found they couldn’t kill the Mahindra Bolero, they started buying its more luxurious borther, the Scorpio, seen here spinning for 100 revolutions to lock the Eaton differential that comes standard on all Scorpios.

Landie uses tech muscle to build a better boat LAND Rover used its big data proc­ essing power and machine learning expertise to help co­engineer the fastest boat in America’s Cup history and bring the world’s oldest sporting trophy to the UK for the first time.

Land Rover engineers used artifi­ cial intelligence to explore and find patterns in sailing performance data to help “make the boat go faster”.

When testing, the sailing team re­ ceive over 16 GB of uncompressed data per day from sensors on the boat.

The ability to process and make sense of this volume of data is un­ precedented in sailing. Something that would have taken weeks can now be achieved instantaneously thanks to Land Rover’s computing power and real­time analysis.

“The power of intelligent ma­ chines is a vital area where Land Rov­ er’s research and development divi­

sion is adding considerable strength to Land Rover BAR’s challenge to win the America’s Cup,” says Sir Ben Ain­ slie, Land Rover BAR team principal and skipper.

“The 34th America’s Cup showed just how important it is to maintain stable flight on the foils through these manoeuvres.

“Land Rover is helping us under­ stand what makes the difference be­ tween staying airborne and crashing back into the waves. We know races can be won or lost by a matter of sec­ onds and this is where Land Rover’s AI could prove the difference.”

Machine learning evolved from the study of pattern recognition and computational learning theory in ar­ tificial intelligence (AI).

Sailing is a perfect application for these technologies because there are many variables — mainly the wind.

— Wheels Reporter.

Pricey plank power Spanish company Engineering Unlimited has launched a set of screw­on power wheels on Kickstarter. Called the Eon, they offer a choice of batteries to drive a 1 kW hub motor in each wheel. Unlimited hopes to raise €100 000 (R15,7 million) on Kickstarter and has already received pledges for R5 million.

Unlimited plans to sell the Eon from €699 (R11 090) for the Solo kit, and €799 for the Cruiser. PHOTO: KICKSTARTER

DISCOVERY SPORT AVAILABLE FROM R7 499 PER MONTH* Ever wondered where adventure would take you? Well, with our unique financial offering, wherever you want. Get into the driver’s seat of the Discovery Sport for only R7 499 per month, and experience the true value of adventure.

With this unique monthly payment and this capable and versatile vehicle, adventure is yours for the taking.

Model

Discovery Sport SD4 Pure

Retail Price (incl VAT, Incl CO2)

R675 644

Principle Debt

R541 712

Deposit (20%) Period Monthly Instalment* Rate

R135 129 72 months R7 499 8.15%

Balloon Payment (30%)

R202 693

Total Cost of Finance

R735 097

LAND ROVER PIETERMARITZBURG 9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg 033 897 8860 AH: Brendon 083 253 6768 landroverpmb@smg.co.za pietermaritzburg.landrover.co.za *Offer available from Land Rover Financial Services. Deal parameters are flexible but will affect rate and payment, contact dealer F&I manager for options.

These payments are indications only and may change depending on date of first payment etc. Changes in the prime rate, currently 10.50%, will cause changes to this schedule unless calculated on a ‘Fixed Rate’ basis. Customer is responsible for Balloon Payment when and if applicable. Subject to normal credit approval as per JLR FS credit criteria. Retail Prices subject to change without notice. Advertised monthly payment includes initiation fee of R 1 197.00 and R 68.40 monthly service fee and while stocks last. Land Rover Financial Services, a product of WesBank. WesBank - A division of FirstRand Bank Limited.

An Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP20. Terms and conditions apply and subject to credit approval.

4

WitnessWheels MOTORING

Joburg’s visionary planet saver’s Master Plan — Part Two ELON Musk tweeted he is look­ ing forward to tomorrow night’s opening of the Tesla Gigafactory in Nevada.

The factory is scheduled to start making cheaper lithium­ ion batteries cells for the compa­ ny’s electric cars and Powerwall battery from year­end, and forms part of Musk’s master plan to wean the world of fossil fuels.

The visionary planet saver from South Africa reminded the world he published this plan on his blog 10 years ago, and pointed out it has now reached its second stage.

He said his plan wasn’t all that complicated and basically con­ sisted of: • Creating a low volume car, which would necessarily be ex­ pensive, • Use that money to develop a medium volume car at a lower price, • Use that money to create an affordable, high volume car, and • Provide solar power.

“No kidding, this has literally been on our website for 10 years,” wrote Musk.

“The reason we had to start off with step one was that it was all I could afford to do with what I made from PayPal. “I thought our chances of suc­ cess were so low that I didn’t want to risk anyone’s funds in the beginning but my own. The list of successful car company start­ ups is short. As of 2016, the num­ ber of American car companies that haven’t gone bankrupt is a grand total of two — Ford and Tesla.

“Starting a car company is idi­ otic and an electric car company is idiocy squared,” he stated.

Ten years on, Musk reminded the world last week his aim is to accelerate the advent of sustaina­

Elon Musk, who is implementing phase two of a visionary plan to make roads driveable again.

PHOTO: FILE ble energy, “so that we can imag­ ine far into the future and life is still good”.

Musk said the world must at some point achieve a sustainable energy economy “or we will run out of fossil fuels to burn and civ­ ilisation will collapse”.

“That’s what ‘sustainable’ means. It’s not some silly, hippy thing — it matters for everyone,” he wrote.

“Given that we must get off fossil fuels anyway and that vir­ tually all scientists agree that dramatically increasing atmos­ pheric and oceanic carbon levels is insane, the faster we achieve sustainability, the better.”

To to make that day come sooner. Tesla is now working to: • Integrate energy generation and storage with Tesla, SolarCity and Powerwall.

• Expand to cover the major forms of terrestrial transport, adding cheaper electric cars, as well as a future compact SUV and a new kind of pickup truck, the Tesla’s current range of premium

sedans and SUVs. “In addition to consumer ve­ hicles, there are two other types of electric vehicle needed: heavy­duty trucks and high pas­ senger­density urban transport.

Both are in the early stages of development at Tesla and should be ready for unveiling next year.

“We believe the Tesla Semi will deliver a substantial reduc­ tion in the cost of cargo trans­ port, while increasing safety and making it really fun to operate.

“With the advent of autono­ my, it will probably make sense to shrink the size of buses and transition the role of bus driver to that of fleet manager.

“Traffic congestion would improve due to increased pas­ senger density by eliminating the centre aisle and putting seats where there are currently entry­ ways, and matching acceleration and braking to other vehicles, thus avoiding the inertial impe­ dance to smooth traffic flow of traditional heavy buses.

“It would also take people all the way to their destination.

Fixed summon buttons at exist­ ing bus stops would serve those who don’t have a phone. Design accommodates wheelchairs, strollers and bikes.”

He summarised the Master Plan, Part Two as: • Create stunning solar roofs with seamlessly integrated bat­ tery storage, • Expand the electric vehicle product line to address all major segments, • Develop a self­driving capa­ bility that is 10 times safer than manual via massive fleet learn­ ing, and • Enable your car to make money for you when you aren’t using it. — Witness Reporter.

With no neck, airbags between its ribs and fatty tissues to protect his face, Graham shows what humans have to evolve into to survive a typical car crash.

The goat­like legs are to jump high out of the way of danger when walking next to a road.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

The Ozzi that can survive a crash ALWYN VILJOEN MEET the ultimate driver and pedestrian. He is an Ozzi, only goes by the name of Graham and was commissioned by Australia’s Transport Accident Commis­ sion to highlight human vulnera­ bility on the road.

But instead of showing the body’s weakness in a crash, re­ nowned sculptor Patricia Piccin­ ini took the opposite view, and asked Dr David Logan, a senior research fellow at Monash Uni­ versity in Australia, how a human body would need to evolve to survive the typical trauma

caused by a crash.

Logan said he daily sees how a car crash pulps a body. “The human body just cannot absorb the energies in a modern, high­ speed car crash.

“In 50% of the crashes, the driver did not even have time to brake,” Logan said.

Christian Kenfield, trauma surgeon at Royal Melbourne Hospital, told Piccinini the for­ ces involved in even a low­speed crash of 25 km/h are quite great.

“In a crash, as the head stops, the brain moves forward, smash­ ing into front of the skull, then bounces back to also smash

against the back of the skull, causing more injury,” he said.

Kenfield advised Piccinini that in order to survive a low­ speed crash, a human would need to have no neck to avoid whiplash injuries, a lot of fatty tissue around the face to protect the sensitive bones in the skull and a torso with airbags between the ribs to help disperse impact.

Graham also has goat­like legs to jump out of danger situations.

Piccinini said she was excited about shaping a human that could survive a car crash. “It is a project that is really relevant to the community.”

July 28, 2016

So you want ALWYN VILJOEN lists 10 cars that give budget buyers very good value IT is a question we often get at Wheels: “What can I buy for un­ der R150 000?”

We then ask if the hopeful buyer wants a brand new or a pre­owned car — for with R150 000 one can buy a lot of

used car. However, the demand is usually for new only. The 10 cars listed here currently offer the most value for money, based on retail price listings, warran­ ties and service plans.

Keep in mind that the quar­

terly discounts will also make new cars from Ford, Toyota and VW competitive in the sub­ R200k bracket.

Also remember to add about R2 500 to the price to get a new car registered and on the road.

Topping the list

The Renault Sandero Expres low price, but still includes a factory warranty. And — bon reliable engine that makes 6

BARGAINS FROM INDIA

From India come two robust affordable cars — the T Bolt 1,2T at R146 995 and the Mahindra KUV100 1,2 R149 995. The little Mahindra builds on the reputatio the XUV and Scorpio, while the Tata offers the most here plus a five­year or 100 000 km factory warranty compared to the KUV100’s three years or 100 000 km 66 kW and 140 Nm, the Bolt is also happy on a long while the KUV100’s petrol 61 kW/115 Nm is happier in traffic. For longer roads, R30k more buys the KUV100 including an excellent three years/50 000 km service

MOTORING WitnessWheels

July 28, 2016

5

t a car for under R150 000?

Cheap, cheaper, cheapest

Chevrolet wants R137 000 for the Spark 1,2 Campus, and the price includes a leading service plan of three years or 60 000 km, with a factory warranty that will outlast this service plan by two years and 60 000 km. Fourteen­inch tyres and a 60 kW/108 Nm engine complete the picture of the little hatch that has also been at the top of Car magazine’s budget buy list for years.

At R126 300 for the Suzuki Celerio and R129 995 for Kia Picanto, these two small hatchbacks are good value for city driving, with the extra R3 395 for Picanto buys a two­year or 45 000 km service plan and a five­year, unlimited kilometre warranty. The Celero and Go have optional services plan and the warranty is a nominal three years or 100 000 km. Their engines make 50 kW and between 90 Nm and 104 Nm, which require a gear down to pass anything or go uphil. Datsun wants only R119 000 for the 1,2 Lux and when the narrow 13­inch tyres it is sold with are replaced by fatter (more expensive) wheels, the Go looks really cute.

PHOTOS: QUICKPIC & ALWYN VILJOEN

AND IN THE RIGHT CORNER, JAPAN’S LITTLE FUEL SIPPERS

pression retails for R142 900, with current specials that drop even this des a two­year/30 000 km service plan with a five­year or 150 000 km — bonus — the Sandero rides on pothole­cresting 15­inch wheels with a kes 66 kW and 135 Nm, making it comfy on long trips too.

DIA

the Tata 1,2 at tation of most power ranty 00 km. With long road. er in city UV100 diesel rvice plan.

Honda and Mitsubishi both sell solid contenders in the most affordable class. The Mitsubishi Mirage 1,2 GL retails for R143 400, with a willing little engine that makes 57 kW and 100 Nm but drinks very little fuel. The Honda Brio 1,2 Trend makes a little more power — 65 kW and 103 Nm — but also sells for R144 500. Both have two­year/30 000 km service plans, but Honda’s warranty of five years or 200 000 km is better than the three years or 100 000 km of the Mirage.

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CHEVROLET SPARK

Model

Deposit

Term

Interest Rate

Balloon %

Monthly Instalment

Retail Price

Total Cost

Sandero 66kW Turbo Expression (incl. A/C)

0%

72

10.53%

35%

R2 399

R159 900

R237 184

“Limited to the Renault Sandero Expression (from R2 399 PM or R237 184). Finance through Renault Financial Services. A division of Wesbank. A division of FirstRand Bank Limited. An Authorised Financial Services and Credit provider. NCRCP20. The financial offers are only applicable to the advertised vehicle derivatives. Retail prices are in accordance with 1 June 2016 price list. Prices exclude “on the road” costs and optional extras.

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COMPLETE CARE

www.renault.co.za

Bidvest McCarthy Renault Pietermaritzburg 9 Artmitage Road, Pietermaritzburg Tel: 033 940 1433 www.bidvestmccarthyrenault.co.za Orie Pillay 084 915 8254

Byron Smith 072 254 3971

Moosa Mohamed 072 378 7687

Rowade Rajah 083 456 4010

Gerard Chetty 033 940 1437

Darryl Smith 033 940 1435

Neil Pandaram 033 940 1441

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6

WitnessWheels MOTORING

July 28, 2016

Driving the future Huge interest in hub motors

The Grimsel electric car that went from standstill to 100 km/h in 1,5 seconds using four hub­wheel motors, each making 150 kW and 1 700 Nm. PHOTO: WWW.ETHZ.CH ALWYN VILJOEN LOVERS of cars designed with long hoods in which to hide en­ gines will soon be able to use all that wasted space as a sec­ ond boot, as we did in rear­en­ gined cars like the Porsche and VW Beetle.

For after a group of Swiss students’ little electric car last month recorded a 0 to 100 km acceleration in 1,513 seconds over a distance of less than 30 metres on four hub­wheels, there is a lot of interest in these bolt­on rolling engines.

And with governments around the world now either subsidising zero emission, ban­ ning diesel or legislating en­ gines that achieve at least 5 l/100 km, there is also a huge market for hub­wheels, with China alone looking to equip five million new energy vehicles by 2020.

Michelin is just one of the wheel makers that hope to sup­ ply to this market, with a hub­ wheel motor that it first launched as far back as 2010, but it will be blasted out of the water by Protean Electric, the company that is set to become the world’s largest supplier of hub­wheel motors for cars, sport utility vehicles and bak­ kies.

Protean last week received $70 million in funding to make a range of in­wheel motors at a new plant in Tianjin in China.

While Protean’s in­wheel current motor is not nearly as strong as the 150 kW and 1 700 Nm hub wheels that powered the Grimsel, it does make half this power, convert­

ing the electricity directly into power and eliminating the en­ ergy waste in power transmis­ sion.

Suitable for both passenger and commercial vehicles, Pro­ tean motors do not use side shafts or differentials, which can boost an electrified vehi­ cle’s energy efficiency by up to 15% compared to a centralised motor in an electric power train.

Protean Electric designs, de­ velops and manufactures Pro­ tean Drive in­wheel motors, a fully integrated in­wheel drive solution.

Using a scalable and patent­ ed sub­motor architecture, and designed to fit inside an 18­inch wheel rim, Protean’s current PD18 product provides the power and torque required to propel hybrid and electric vehi­ cles from C­segment all the way to light commercial cate­ gories.

Features of Protean’s in­ wheel motors include: • 75 kW peak power; • the highest torque density of any of today’s leading electric drive systems; • a mass of only 34 kg per mo­ tor; • power and control electronics packaged inside the motor; • superior regenerative braking capabilities, which allow up to 85% of the available kinetic en­ ergy to be recovered during braking; and • it fits within a conventional 18­inch road wheel.

Protean said its in­wheel mo­ tors and accompanying propri­ etary technology meet all the market needs listed above.

Lifestyle commuting British trike builder Morgan is selling the first 19 all­electric trikes through Selfridges, priced from £52 500 (about R985 000). Dubbed the EV3 UK 1909 edition, this collectible Morgan has all the futuristic nostalgia design elements that will make it a hit at any steampunk event. Morgan said the trike, with its bronze detailing on the wood and treated aluminium interior, can go for 240 km on a charge and has a top speed of 140 km/h. Tailored driving clothes can also be ordered, from gloves and goggles to a silk scarf and jackets with 18th century cuts.

PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

VW America to invest heavily in electric cars THE newly appointed head of Volkswagen of America, Hinrich Woebcken, has confirmed the German automaker plans to build several electric cars in North America by 2020, starting with the Buddy.

VW Group currently offers three electric cars in the VW e­Up, e­Golf and Audi R8 e­tron, as well as six plug­in hybrids: the VW Golf GTE, Passat GTE, Audi A3 Sportback e­tron, Q7 e­tron quattro, Porsche Panamera S E­Hybrid and Cayenne S E­Hy­ brid.

Volkswagen is planning to launch over 20 additional mod­ els by 2020, including two Tesla fighters — Porsche’s Mission E electric car and the Audi e­tron quattro.

Woebcken told the Wall Street Journal that multiple models will be built in North America.

“We believe that this country, especially in urban mobility, will have a very strong shift from pet­ rol engines into hybridisation and electric cars,” Woebcken said.

“We are heavily investing in this one,” he said.

A brave new future: Buddy, an all­electric minibus, leads Volkswagen’s promise to have several electric models by 2020.

PHOTO: VW Volkswagen’s electrification move comes just as the U.S. gov­ ernment and auto regulators have been negotiating with it to provide a suitable solution for nearly 500 000 over­polluting diesel cars. The automaker has agreed to allocate $15 billion for

For more information on Witness Wheels advertising Contact Avir on 033 355 1152 or 084 278 3447 Avir@witness.co.za

the recall or fix of two­litre cars in U.S, while the company still needs to reach a deal for large, three­litre diesel vehicles that in­ clude luxury brands of Volkswag­ en, Porsche and Audi.

The Wall Street Journal re­ ported that electric­car factories

in the U.S. will be an olive branch to regulators. Earlier this year, Volkswagen Group said that it wants to sell one million electri­ fied vehicles a year worldwide by 2025 to satisfy the increasingly strict carbon­dioxide emission limits in major markets.

HYUNDAI PLANS HYBRIDS HYUNDAI, together with its Genesis luxury brand and Kia sister company, has an­ nounced plans to launch 10 new hybrids, eight plug­in hybrids, and two fuel­cell cars by 2020.

Earlier this year, Hyundai unveiled its first all­electric Ioniq, offering 177 km of ze­ ro­emission range.

Hyundai is planning to introduce an all­electric model with a 320 km range in 2018 and a 400 km range two years later.

Hyundai’s Ahn Byung­ki said that battery technolo­ gy is improving at a rapid rate and hopefully by 2020 the issue of range anxiety will be solved. — WR.

MOTORING WitnessWheels

July 28, 2016

7

Hino SA sets the benchmark yet again HINO South Africa, driven by its very successful global Total Support programme, has re­ cently achieved excellent results in two competitive surveys.

Importantly Hino has re­ tained its No. 1 position in the combined Scott Byers Compet­ itive Customer Satisfaction Monitor for the sixth successive quarter. Hino also placed top in the Parts and Service categories and third in Sales in the survey for the second quarter of 2016, with all scores — including com­ bined — being over 95%.

Hino was the only truck com­ pany to have all its scores over 95%, scoring 96,54% overall, 96,44% for Parts, 96,77% for Service and 96,41% for Sales.

The respective industry avera­ ges in the four categories were: 90,50%, 89,23%, 90,79% and 91,49%. A total of 10 truck

Vice president of Hino SA Ernie Trautmann (centre) received the Nada Dealer Satisfaction Index Gold Award for commercial vehicles on behalf of his company at the recent announcement of the 2016 Nada dealer satisfaction survey. He is flanked by Simphiwe Nghona (left), the executive head of the Motor Division of Wesbank, and Bruce Allen, the national chairperson of the National Automobile Dealers Association (Nada).

PHOTO: QUICKPIC brands were evaluated in this quarterly survey.

The other accolade that went to Hino recently was another Gold Award in the annual Na­ tional Automobile Dealer Asso­ ciation (Nada) dealer satisfac­

tion survey, which has been con­ ducted on truck dealers in SA since 2008 by Lightstone Con­ sumer. Truck makers or import­ ers have to receive a rating of 75% or higher from their deal­ ers to qualify for the Gold Award

and this year only four brands qualified for this top rating.

The 2016 Dealer Satisfaction Index for commercial vehicles rated 10 brands, with Hino achieving 83,6%, which was a 1,8% improvement on the fig­

ure for 2015. The industry aver­ age was 74,2%, which is the highest yet. This year marked the second time that Hino had achieved Gold Award status in this prestigious survey.

The Nada DSI survey is very

comprehensive and involves dealers answering 53 questions in 12 focus areas: dealer satisfac­ tion, communication and rela­ tionships, customer focus, csi programme, vehicle range, training, vehicle distribution, parts, goodwill, policy claims and warranty terms, franchise compliance audits, dealer sup­ port and labour rates.

“We are delighted with the positive progress made in cus­ tomer satisfaction ratings by Hi­ no in recent years and are very pleased and proud to have fared so well in both the Scott Byers Competitive Satisfaction Moni­ tor and the Nada DSI survey,” said Ernie Trautmann, the vice president of Hino SA. “This is further evidence of the benefits that our customers — be they buyers and operators of our trucks or our dealers — enjoy since local implementa­ tion of Hino’s global Total Sup­ port programme, which is root­ ed in building and maintaining strong relationships with abso­ lute mutual trust, between Hino Japan, Hino SA and the dealer network to ensure they all be­ come partners with their cus­ tomers. Effective and ongoing communication with dealers and customers is a major key to the success of this programme.”

Nikola 1 to take on sceptics Working prototype of incredible, hybrid jet­turbine­electric truck to be ready on December 2 ALWYN VILJOEN AFTER all the sceptics, Wheels included, basically reacted with “let the buyer beware” when Ni­ kola Motor Company an­ nounced its incredible, hybrid jet­turbine­electric truck for free to the first 5 000 buyers, founder Trevor Milton has now an­ nounced a working prototype will be ready on December 2.

Well over 7 000 American truckers did not share the scep­ tics’ reservations, instead giving Milton over $2,3 billion (R33 bil­ lion) in refundable deposits to be among the first 5 000 to get his million mile free fuel offer.

Not that the Nikola 1 will use a lot of fuel if and when it gets built. Like the drivetrain of the Wrightspeed trucks, Milton said the Nikola 1 will use a turbine that runs on any combustible fluid or gas, but uses very little of it to keep the electric truck’s batteries charged.

“Our technology is 10­15 years ahead of any other Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in fuel efficiencies, MPG and emissions,” Milton said. “We are the only OEM to have a near zero emission truck [that can] still out­perform diesel trucks running at 36 tons. To have over 7 000 reservations totalling more than $2,3 billion, with five months remaining until our un­ veiling ceremony, is unprece­ dented,” said Milton.

What makes Milton a vision­

PIETERMARITZBURG

Hino McCarthy Dealer of the Year: 2014 and 2015 2016 Finalist

The Nikola 1 truck still exists only as a screen saver, but over 7 000 American truckers believe the incredible electric trucks will become credible by December.

PHOTO: NIKOLA MOTOR COMPANY ary is that he is not selling a truck, but transport as a service through the Nikola 1 truck leas­ ing programme.

The truck is currently listed for $375 000 (R5,9 million), but for $4 000 to $5 000 per month, depending on which truck con­ figuration and options the cus­ tomer chooses, the Nikola 1 driv­ er can look forward to saving over $400 000 in diesel that the aver­ age truck burns, plus over $100 000 in maintenance costs over 1,6 million kilometres or 1 000 000 miles.

Milton predicted Nikola 1 will see more sales orders than the current market leaders like Daim­ ler, Paccar, Volvo and Navistar by

2018, adding some of the top truck dealers in the U.S. have al­ ready called to add the Nikola 1 to their stable or move away from their existing brands.

“Just imagine the orders that will come in once we begin taking dealer applications.

“We have shown other OEMs and their shareholders why they should be nervous about Nikola Motor Company,” said Milton.

With $2,3 billion in hand, Ni­ kola Motor Company has already completed a seed round of fund­ ing and is next working on raising $300 million by December 2016, when it promises to have at least one truck that the sceptics can see on the road.

Mali seeking civil engineers THE government of Mali is call­ ing for civil engineers to con­ sult on rehabilitating two sec­ tions of roads in West Africa.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) supports the up­ grading of 140 km of road from Zantiébougou in Mali and 135 km of road from Boundiali

to Kani in Côte d’Ivoire.

In the interests of getting this project off the ground, the government of Mali, with fi­ nancing from the AfDB, have requested expressions of inter­ est from suitably qualified con­ sultants to advise on transport facilitation and project man­

agement on the transport cor­ ridor. Closing date for the sub­ mission of expression of inter­ est documents is August 15, with the contact person Ma­ madou Naman Keita, who can be e­mailed on mkeita@dnr.gouv.ml — Wheels Reporter.

Hino Pietermaritzburg’s new mobile workshop renders A and B services on site, saving our clients time and travel costs. Come experience what makes us the best, call 033 386 9241 or visit us at 118 CB Downes Road in Mkondeni.

WE ALSO COME TO YOU. Hino 500 2626 has GVM of 26 000 kg and the GCM takes the load capability up to 32 000 kg. Hino’s 7,7litre sixcylinder J08E engine has common rail direct injection and is turbocharged to produce 184 kW at 2 500 r/min together with 739 Nm of torque at 1 500r/min, with Euro IV compliance.

Hino’s 300 915 Crewcab comes standard with air conditioning, a radio, electric windows, driver and passenger airbags, multifunction display and ABS brakes. Service intervals are 30 000 kms.

8

WitnessWheels MOTORING

July 28, 2016

Cheers and tears for NWM Fire in PMB dampens joy from fourth position in Spanish Baja against the world’s best racers CHARMAINE FORTUNE and ALWYN VILJOEN A DEVASTATING fire at the Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM) premises in Pietermaritzburg has more than likely put paid to an intriguing battle in Class T in the Production Vehicle category at the Lichtenburg 450 tomorrow and Saturday.

The switch in interest to Class T was the product of runaway leaders in the overall champion­ ship, where Toyota Gazoo Rac­ ing SA crews have put plenty of daylight between them and the opposition.

Starting round four of the Do­ naldson Cross Country Motor Racing Championship tomor­ row, Leeroy Poulter and Rob Howie have a 33­point lead over team­mates Anthony Taylor and Dennis Murphy, and the two FIA Class factory crews will again be overwhelming favourites to clinch the major honours.

However, an intense battle for third and fourth in the overall championship and the Class T was anticipated between Chris Visser and Ward Huxtable in their NWM Ford Performance Ranger and Jason Venter/Vince van Allemann in their 4x4 Mega World Toyota Hilux.

The gap between the Ford and the Toyota Hilux is two points in the overall championship and a

single point in the Class T title race — but the fire has in all likeli­ hood put paid to that.

Team principal Neil Wool­ ridge was on Tuesday still pulling out all the stops to prepare a bor­ rowed car for Visser and Huxta­ ble. The news of the fire at home reached him on Friday while he attended the Baja Aragon in Spain, having just deivered the 14th Racing Ranger built and ex­ ported by NWM, to DMAS South Racing.

Woolridge said driver Xavier Pons and co­driver Sergio La­ fuente took delivery of the racing Ranger just three days before the race and yet went to to achieve fourth position overall against the world’s best cross country drivers.

Qatari racing legend Nasser Al­Attiyah and co­driver Ma­ thieu Baumel won the Baja Ara­ gon, making it four victories in a row for the South­African built Toyota Hilux.

Team Peugeot Total’s Spanish drivers Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz was 19 seconds slower and they were followed three minutes later by the Mini of X­Raid team Mikko Hirvonen and Michel Per­ in. Only six minutes seperated the Ford and the Hilux overall.

“To have ended fourth against the world’s best is a very proud achievement for our made­in Pmb cars,” Woolridge told

The NWM Ford Performance Ranger of Chris Visser and Ward Huxtable that was destroyed in a fire at Neil Woolridge Motors in Pietermaritzburg. PHOTO: QUICKPIC Wheels.

Back home at the NWM work­ shop, Woolridge said the cause of the blaze was not yet clear, but the forensic investigators were working on it. A large portion of the workshop was burnt down, and the metal roof trusses had collapsed on the two blackened racing Rangers, each worth over R5 million.

At the time of going to print,

the team was hopeful to at least put Visser and Huxtable in a bor­ rowed car. But the Class T battle does not end with the old and young battle between Visser/ Huxtable and Venter/Van Alle­ mann.

There is a 31­point gap in the class championship between Venter/Van Allemann and the ex­ perienced Johan van Staden and Mike Lawrenson (Red­Lined

Nissan Navara), but a win for the Nissan crew on the first heat of the Toyota 1 000 Desert Race in­ dicates this is no two­horse race.

The fire also damaged the sec­ ond NWM/Ford Performance Ranger of Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer in fourth place in the championship, but with the likes of Christiaan du Plooy/Henk Janse van Vuuren (RFS VW Ama­ rok) and Luke Botha/Andre Ver­

meulen (Red­Lined Motorsport Nissan Navara) a highly competi­ tive mix in Class T await tomor­ row and on Saturday.

In a tight situation only 16 points separate Van Staden/Law­ renson in third and Botha and Vermeulen in sixth in the cham­ pionship. Du Plooy/Janse van Vu­ uren and Botha/Vermeulen are separated by just one point and there won’t be any shortage of mid­table battles.

Johan and Werner Horn (Mal­ alane Toyota Hilux) have yet to hit their straps this season, and Gary Bertholdt and Pierre Arries (Atlas Copco VW Amarok) have also not realised their full poten­ tial. Both crews are eminently ca­ pable of upset results, and Hen­ nie de Klerk and young Adriaan Roets (Treasury One BMW X3) are also capable of a surprise.

Terence Marsh and singer/ songwriter Kurt Darren (Red­ Lined Nissan Navara) will keep Poulter/Howie and Taylor/Mur­ phy honest in the FIA Class.

The 100 kilometre qualifying race will start at 11.30 am tomor­ row and the race at 8.30 am on Saturday.

The race will be run over two 190 km loops with a 20­minute compulsory service break after the first loop. The event will also incorporate round five of the Northern Regions Cross Coun­ try championship

Pepper dedicates podium finish in Austria to SA race driver Zulu SOUTH African drivers endured a tough weekend racing abroad, with the most successful of them even managing to bounce back from a disaster earlier in the weekend.

That honour belonged to Jor­ dan Pepper, who turned in a star performance to put his Deutsche Post Bentley on his maiden pole position for Saturday’s first AD­ AC GT Masters race at Austria’s Red Bull Ring, only for the car to suffer a technical problem and miss the first race. Team­mate Daniel Abt made amends to put the yellow Bentley third on the grid for Sunday’s second race, be­ fore handing the car over to Pep­ per, who drove it home third to claim his first podium.

“I was super happy to secure my first pole position, but it was such a disappointment not to start the race,” Jozi driver Pepper said. “But I am really, really happy with Sunday’s result — it’s my first podium of the year and a per­ fect way to bounce back from Sat­ urday’s disappointment.”

Pepper dedicated his podium finish to South African race driv­ er Gugu Zulu, who died after complications with altitude sick­ ness on Mount Kilimanjaro last week.

Stephen Simpson was another driver to have a difficult weekend on the other side of the pond at Lime Rock in Connecticut in the U.S. the Indianapolis­based Capetonian had a good race in his Sport Production BMW, before mounting a stirring comeback in the Prototype Challenge Oreca Chevy to salvage critical champi­ onship points after his Canadian team­mate Misha Goikhberg

Jordan Pepper at Saturday’s first ADAC GT Masters race at Austria’s Red Bull Ring.

PHOTO: MOTORSPORT MEDIA was involved in an earlier crash.

Simpson drove with a new smiley face on his helmet for the first time on the weekend — it will re­ main there in honour of his late friend Gugu Zulu for the remain­ der of Simpson’s race career.

Back at Spielberg, another Capetonian, Jonathan Aberdein, endured a tough weekend of AD­ AC German Formula 4 racing and despite flying in practice, the weekend proved tougher than planned.

A difficult qualifying saw Ab­ erdein starting well down the grid before being caught up in mid pack­incident in the first cor­ ner of Race 1 and eventually stop­ ping.

The second race went far bet­ ter for Aberdein, who fought from 20th to finish ninth before another hard drive to 21st after starting at the back in race 2.

South Africa’s other ADAC GT Masters hero Kelvin van der Linde and his Spanish team­mate

Isaac Tutumlu had a weekend to forget with their blue Car Collection Audi R8 at the Red Bull Ring. Sandton lad Van der Linde missed qualifying on Sat­ urday after the car broke an en­ gine, before a difficult first race and another disastrous qualify­ ing on Sunday.

But Van der Linde drove a good second race to climb from 34th place on the grid to hand the car over to Tutumlu in 17th for the young driver to bring it home 19th and salvage some honour after a hard weekend at the races.

— Wheels Reporter.

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79 VICTORIA ROAD Also at 47 Main Street Howick Craig Pickering: 082 781 7740 Charmaine Els: 082 325 3323 Thembeka Hlela: 073 030 4325 Grenville Manton, Dealer Principal Tel: 033 345 0982 • Cell: 082 492 6666 • Email grenville@fedauto.co.za