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ASH EXOTICS

December 1, 2016

Witness

WHEELS

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L A T I P CA ays d r u t a S 9­10 am

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… NOW YOU’RE MOTORING

‘Voetsek’ to no spare wheel Experience shows the European cost­cutting with no spare tyres puts families at risk in Msanzi ALWYN VILJOEN DRIVERS of cars without a prop­ er spare wheel are warned to go nowhere further than the out­ skirts of town this festive season.

For potholes and bent rims are realities on our road, and this year have seen three of your regu­ lar motoring correspondents fuming at the censored Eurocen­ tric censored penny­pinching censored committee who thought it would be okay to send cars to South Africa without a spare tyre.

The lack of this quick fix when (not if) a pothole bends the rim beyond the abilities of the run­ flat tyre to cope is downright dangerous and, dare we say, beg­ ging for class action litigation against the companies in ques­ tion.

Sure, on paper, all the marques who currently send people out

without a spare tyre instead have insurance scams schemes in place for when flat tyres happen.

The idea is you just call the emer­ gency number, and a wheel or flatbed truck will be sent.

Readers tell us on tar, this al­ ways takes most of a dark and stormy night in dangerous pla­ ces, as both your hardworking Wheels car correspondents and radio hosts, Brian Bassett and Si­ bonelo Myeni, can also testify.

In Bassett’s case the danger was posed by wildlife, as he had a flat tyre on a D road en route to a game lodge.

In Myeni’s case, the danger came from potholes, trucks pass­ ing at speed on a dark, rural road with no emergency lane.

“A pothole incident at 4.30 pm, which usually means 30 minutes of inconvenience, in my BMW meant I only got home 10 hours later.

If your car was sold to you without a full­size spare wheel, then get one and keep it in the boot, with wheel spanner and a lift. Yes, it will take a quarter of the boot space and costs a lot, but it will rescue you from spending the night next to a dangerous road in the middle of nowhere.

PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN “First On Call took three hours to arrive — with the wrong tyre. Then the On Call woman took almost an hour to approve a flatbed tow truck, which took

two hours to travel 45 km. Then we went to Pietermaritzburg on­ ly to be told the tyre we could use was in Durban — where the On Call person was attending to an­

other call. When he arrived with a biscuit tyre at midnight, this needed to be pumped.

“I finally completed the jour­ ney at 50 km/h. Voetsek to run­ flat tyres and cars with no spare wheel!”

Which is why Wheels recom­ mends that anyone in a late mod­ el Beemer, Audi and Merc, as well as anyone in a car fitted with those useless inflater kits, spend the money and get themselves a spare rim and tyre, a jack and a wheel spanner.

And then practise removing a tyre at home. In my case, this led to the discovery that my spare wheel’s bolts are so rusted that I would never have been able to remove them in the dark of night.

But the best advice for SA’s roads is to get five tyres with sidewalls that measure at least 60% of the tyre’s width. These size tyres can handle potholes.

V

SIBONELO MYENI Vuka radio host

‘A pothole incident at 4.30 pm, which usually means 30 minutes of inconvenience, in my BMW meant I only got home 10 hours later.’

The best of both worlds.

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Interest rate: 10.60%, GFV: 62.90% Vehicle price: R483 500, Deposit: R33 195 Note: Total deposit of 19.28% with a total cost of credit of R505 686 over 36 months.

Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 10.50%. Offer calculated on Model in standard specification. Information subject to change without prior notification. All finance offers are subject to credit approval from Audi Financial Services. Instalment includes initiation and monthly administration fee of R68.40. Total Retail Price as above at a Guaranteed Future Value based on 20 000 km p.a. Audi Financial Services - a division of Volkswagen Financial Services South Africa (Pty) Ltd. An Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP6635. Terms and Conditions apply. *Offer applies to the Q3 1.4 TFSI 110 kW S tronic.

Sidewayz on Sunday hosts the first round of the new KZN Drifkana, a new motorsport that combines time attack and drifting with donuts … and then adds a swingball. Drivers have to hit the ball and miss the cones on a tight track while racing against the clock.

All the province’s top drivers will be there — don’t miss out. Details as above.

GRAPHIC: SUPPLIED

Audi Centre Pietermaritzburg 9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg, 3201. Tel: 033 940 1381. www.audipietermaritzburg.co.za

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New racing format mixes three styles for points

2

WitnessWheels MOTORING

December 1, 2016

Ox goes into production in mid­2018 After reporting on the made­for­Africa Ox, Wheels has received several queries from readers who want to import this tough 4x2 truck. Designed by Durban old boy Professor Gordon Murray for the Global Vehicle Trust (GVT), the Ox uses a Ford Transit drivetrain, has wooden sides for extra durability and strength, three seats upfront and the driver in the middle to work in both left and right­hand steer countries. At the back, the load bin opens on a hinge that swivels to become a loading ramp. At the launch in England, the 4x2 went everywhere on 4x2 track, thanks to its high road clearance, light weight and wide footprint. General manager at the trust Martin Wright said prices are not yet available but the trust hopes to secure the necessary funding soon to complete the Ox’s development and get it into production by mid­2018.

PHOTO: GLOBAL VEHICLE TRUST

Sportage without a blemish BRIAN BASSETT I RECENTLY drove a Kia Sportage 2011 model provided by Elvis Naidoo, sales manager at Metro Car Sales in Boshoff Street.

The car had 108 000 km on the clock and the handsome external body­ work was without blemish.

The Sportage was ranked fifth among SUVs available in the Unite States by U.S. News and was highly re­ garded by those motoring journalists who reviewed the car, with an average rating of four out of five stars.

The interior shows little wear and the comfortable, adjustable front driver seat and passenger seats are in a raised command position, which adds a feel­

Tuning you straight ing of safety and securi­ ty on today’s danger­ ous roads.

The car is clean inside with room for passengers and a pleasant driving posi­ tion.

The boot, which expands to 1 547 li­ tres with the rear seats down, provides all the room needed for family holiday luggage.

The two­litre, four­cylinder, natural­ ly aspirated engine produces 122 kW/197 Nm and gives you all the power you need for either taking the kids to school, or holidaying in the Kru­ ger National Park, with reasonable fuel consumption. The six­speaker sound system has all the plugs you need for your electronic toys, while the car has a wide range of modern safety features, such as ABS with EBD, hill descent as­ sist, downhill brake assist, Isofix child­ seat anchors and a five­star Euro NCap rating, to mention but a few.

If you are considering a vehicle for the family holiday, this could be it.

Don’t forget that purchasing an ex­ tended two­year warranty with the car is essential for your peace of mind.

Vehicle service check for the holidays BRIAN BASSETT THE school holidays are almost up­ on us and many motor dealerships in the city are offering special ser­ vicing deals, which include a com­

prehensive check of your car.

Nobody in a country like ours should ever embark on a family holiday without thorough knowl­ edge of the condition of their vehi­ cle, as the costs associated with a

breakdown are high and mechanical faults on brakes could kill you.

The dealerships’ special offers extend to vehicles out of warranty, so check your car for safe holiday driving.

Second in Land Rover tech contest, SA shows its skill SOUTH African talent has once again made it to the podium at the Jaguar Land Rover Global Technician of the Year contest, which was held in the UK last week.

Port Elizabeth resident Thomas Grant took second place overall while representing Land Rover South Africa.

He was one of 36 top technicians from 18 markets, who participated in the con­ test. Over a long, gruelling day, the best Jaguar Land Rover technicians in the world had to prove their mettle through practical fault finding on test vehicles, completing theoretical tests and dem­ onstrating their mechanical and electri­ cal knowledge.

Grant made his way to the global round by winning the South African Technician of the Year contest earlier this year. Already recognised by his local peers for his skills and talent, he can now hold his head high and enjoy the interna­ tional recognition that comes with be­ ing one of the top global technicians for the British brand. To sweeten the deal, Grant took home prize money of £4 000 (R69 510), in addition to the R270 000 he won in the local contest. “I was al­ ready excited just to be representing my

country, town and dealership on an in­ ternational stage. I’m ecstatic that I was able to rank this highly,” said Grant.

“It was amazing to see how my local training and knowledge helped me per­ form internationally. We get excellent training at the Jaguar Land Rover Train­ ing Academy in Pretoria.”

In addition to celebrating individual success, Jaguar Land Rover South Africa earned a third­place spot for overall per­ formance. Grant was joined by last year’s South African Technician of the Year winner, Jaco Scheepers, who represented Jaguar South Africa. The South African team’s collective score earned the mar­ ket a third­place global ranking for tech­ nical excellence.

“Grant’s hard­earned second place and prize money are exactly the kind of opportunities we want to afford all of our technicians. They have one of the most important roles in the dealerships, being directly responsible for customer happiness,” said Richard Gouverneur, managing director of Jaguar Land Rover South Africa and sub­Saharan Africa.

“I’m thrilled that the SA team proved that we have world­class knowledge and skills in our ranks.” — Supplied.

MOTORING WitnessWheels

December 1, 2016

3

Pretty and powerful BRIAN BASSETT roars around the Midlands in the BMW 220d auto coupé I SOMETIMES find BMW’s brand numbering logic a little confusing.

The 2­series coupé and convertible, which were launched in South Africa in 2014, have their origins in BMW’s new model designations. These re­ serve the odd numbers for four­door sedans and even numbers for two­ door coupés or coupé­like cars, al­ though with the 1 Series, there ap­ pear to be quite a few three and five­ door cars available in the range. But perhaps that’s just me being con­ fused and pedantic.

By the way, there is also a 218, la­ belled as an “active tourer”.

This model is a spacious BMW without being an SUV and has noth­ ing to do with the 2 Series coupé and convertible, sharing as it does a plat­ form with the third­generation Mini Cooper. BMW will, however, proba­ bly change it all in a year or two any­ way. What really matters is the quali­ ty of the cars and not the numbering of the models.

Our thanks to Anthony Ellis, deal­ er principal of SMG Pietermaritz­ burg, for allowing us to drive a de­ lightful white 220d auto with the M Sport Package for a few days and ex­ perience firsthand the fact that small is indeed beautiful.

• STYLING The main reason purchasers give up the convenience of four doors for the more cramped nature of two is be­ cause of a coupé’s good looks, and with cars, first impressions really do count.

The 220d is every inch a BMW, with the usual split kidney grill at the front and a centrally placed BMW badge flanked by headlights ending in sharp points. The contour lines on the bonnet mirror air flows and, so say the manufacturers, the integrated air curtain thus formed makes you faster and presumably happier.

At the sides, the car has a dynamic sweeping line, which proclaims its speed and dynamism. At the rear, the L­shaped, single unit tail lights visu­ ally underscore the 220d’s width and road­hugging stance. In all, the de­ sign is deliciously svelte and athletic.

The car caught the eye of a number of women in car parks across the city and one asked me if I had any more like it at home.

• INTERIOR Those familiar with BMW will be completely at home in the interior, which is now just beginning to show its age. The front sports seats with side bolsters are covered in soft leath­ er and are easily adjustable, as is the leather­covered three­spoke, multi­ functional sports steering wheel.

The dials in front of the driver are easy to read, without having to look away from the road.

The dash is dominated by an easy­ to­read screen that handles the de­ tails of the Harmon­Kardon six­ speaker audio system and, should

you want to turn the car into a four­ wheeled laptop, you can have the BMW Connected Drive Services and APPs installed. There are also various driver assists available but these are extras, as is the GPS. The system is operated by the usu­ al, centrally placed, iDrive controller.

The rear seats are also finished in soft leather and with a little front­seat ad­ justment, the car will take two rear passengers but not for long drives.

This is more a car for young cou­ ples and their children. The boot will take 390 litres of luggage — not huge but sufficient.

Brian Bassett explored the pros and a few cons of BMW’s new 2 Series.

PHOTO: WWW.BMW.CO.ZA

DISCOVERY SPORT

ADVENTURE. IT’S IN OUR DNA.

• SAFETY AND SECURITY The 220d has just about everything: ABS, EBD, seat belts for all, dynamic stability control, adaptive headlights and adaptive suspension, which are all really nice to have if you can afford it.

The car has an intelligent emer­ gency call system, which establishes contact with a call centre in an acci­ dent, without cellphone assistance.

I had a pleasant chat with Lawrence from BMW on the call system who was pleased to hear that I did not need his assistance but was merely testing the system. The usual central locking and alarm system are also part of the package.

• PERFORMANCE AND HANDLING The BMW brand is synonymous with great handling and this car is no different.

In town, you can move around in traffic and park with ease as the steer­ ing provides immediate response and excellent feedback, while park as­ sist does the rest.

The two­litre, four­cylinder, twin power, turbo­diesel engine provides 140 kW/400 Nm which accelerates the car to 100 km/h in 7,1 seconds and provides a top speed of 230 km/h.

Fuel consumption is around five li­ tres per 100 km but put your foot down and your consumption leaps up. The car is grippy and corners well.

The eight­speed auto box is silky smooth, but if you prefer changing gears yourself, the six­speed manual box will suit you. In all, this is a fun car for those who love to drive and don’t mind getting the occasional speeding fine while enjoying them­ selves. Remember, the 2 Series comes in a 16­model range, ending with the Mighty 235 and the M Coupé.

• COSTS, GUARANTEES AND THE COMPETITION The 220d auto will cost you around R500 000 and more if you are partial to the long options list. The car comes with a two­year factory guar­ antee and five­year/100 000 km ex­ tendable motor plan covering every­ thing but tyres, but don’t forget to read the contract.

Also have a look at the Mercedes C­Class Coupé, Mazda MX­5, VW Golf Cabriolet and VW Scirocco.

DISCOVERY SPORT AVAILABLE FROM R8 499 PER MONTH* Land Rover’s range of advanced Ingenium engines will effortlessly take you on any adventure. Inside, clever 5+2 seating offers room for either more explorers or 1,698 litres of stowage for more provisions. Little wonder Discovery Sport is considered one of the most versatile compact SUVs on the road, or off it come to that.

Indulge your adventurous side, from just R8 499 per month.

Model

Discovery Sport SD4 SE

Retail Price (incl VAT, Incl CO2)

R727 044

Principle Debt

R640 996

Deposit (12%) Period Monthly Instalment Rate

R87 245 72 months R8 499 6.61%

Balloon Payment (30%)

R218 113

Total Cost of Finance

R821 637

Land Rover Pietermaritzburg 9 Armitage Road, Bird Sanctuary, Pietermaritzburg Tel: 033 897 8860 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 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 R1197.00 and R68.40 monthly service fee. Terms and conditions apply and while stocks last. Land Rover Financial Services, a product of WesBank. WesBank is a division of FirstRand Bank Limited. An Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP20.

4

WitnessWheels MOTORING

December 1, 2016

Designed to perform The recently announced Abarth embodies the brand’s values of craft and technical excellence FIAT Chrysler Automobiles recently an­ nounced the arrival of the new Abarth 124 Spider to local showrooms from De­ cember.

The car is targeted at a new generation of enthusiasts with its performance and technical DNA. Developed with the Abarth Racing team, the car embodies perfectly the brand’s values of performance, artisan craft and technical excellence.

Capitalising on the lessons learnt from the Abarth racing team, the obses­ sion for lightness drove the brand to slim down every single unnecessary gram from the car.

The weight is concentrated between the axles, and the engine is installed be­ hind the front axle to guarantee optimal agility and superior driving feel.

Sophisticated mechanics and special materials have been used to contain the weight to just 1 060 kg, which results in a best in category weight­to­power ratio.

Furthermore, the optimal weight distri­ bution guarantees excellent feedback and agility.

Under the bonnet is a 1,4­litre, four­ cylinder turbocharged engine with MultiAir technology. It delivers 125 kW (about 91 kW per litre) and 250 Nm of torque.

It has a top speed of 232 km/h and ac­ celerates from zero to 100 km/h in 6,8 seconds.

The engine sound is a fundamental el­ ement of all Abarth cars and standard equipment includes the Record Monza exhaust with a dual­mode system capa­ ble of modifying the path of the exhaust gas according to the engine speed.

The Abarth 124 Spider is available with a six­speed manual transmission.

• SUPERCAR MECHANICS AND SUSPENSION LAYOUT The suspension of the 124 Spider fea­ tures double wishbone suspension on the front and a five­arm multilink on the rear. The set­up is calibrated to increase stability in corners and for compression braking. Steering feedback is optimised by adopting a specific sports calibration of the power­steering system.

• UNADULTERATED DRIVING FEELING To guarantee the typical feeling of a rac­

The sleek new Fiat Abarth 124 Spider is destined for South African showrooms this month.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC ing car on the track at all times, the elec­ tronics can be switched off by the driver to enable perfect mechanical balance and linear response from the engine.

The electronic controls are integrated in the Drive Mode Selector, which makes it possible to select the two different per­ formance settings by means of a lever on the central tunnel: “Normal” and “Sport”.

• DESIGN TRUE TO THE ABARTH DNA The design of the Abarth 124 Spider re­ flects its outstanding mechanical layout (a key feature for achieving perfect pro­ portions on a sports car): the stretched bonnet reasserts the importance of the engine and the power of the car, the short overhangs enhance agility and having the passenger compartment close to the rear axle means that the driv­ er can truly feel the road.

Design was developed with a focus on performance — the large air intake on the front bumper and the rear aerody­ namic extractor were fine­tuned in the wind tunnel, together with the rear spoiler and the windscreen for optimis­ ing air flow.

The finish of the 17” alloy wheel rims, the windscreen surround and the roll bars are “Forgiato Grey”, a colour select­ ed to underline the bold, technical incli­ nation of the car.

• INTERIOR DESIGN Comfort is guaranteed by standard heat­ ed seats and the excellent soundproofing is afforded by the noise­deadening windscreen, rear window and double­ layer top.

The latter is designed to be opened and closed with one hand from the driv­ er’s seat in a few seconds.

Once folded behind the seats, it does not occupy space in the boot.

Standard equipment includes a cli­ mate control system, stereo with four speakers, MP3 player, USB and Aux ports, cruise control, adjustable and electrically folded exterior rear­view mirrors.

Other standard equipment includes the Sound Plus pack with an integrated infotainment system that can be operat­ ed using an ergonomic, user­friendly knob which is found on the central tun­ nel.

It includes a seven­inch colour touch­ screen, two USB ports, an Aux port and Bluetooth connection features.

It is combined with a Bose sound sys­ tem with nine speakers, four of which are built into the head restraints.

The Abarth 124 Spider also features a keyless start system.

• ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SAFETY In addition to ABS, standard equipment includes EBD and ESC. The three­point seat belts fit Con­ stant­Force Retractors (CFR) to control the degree of force applied by the belt and then release it in a controlled man­ ner. The Visibility Plus pack includes full­LED self­levelling adaptive head­ lights with automatic orientation to guarantee the best driving comfort in poor visibility. These are combined with rain, dusk and parking sensors.

• LOCAL AVAILABILITY The Abarth 124 Spider will be available immediately from Abarth dealerships countrywide, it retails for R649 900 and comes standard with a three­year 100 000 km warranty and maintenance plan. Metallic paint is the only option at R4 500. — WR.

Renault takes its bestseller of all time to a higher level of design WITH global sales in excess of 13 million units since launching in 1990, Renault’s Clio is the bestselling French car of all time.

Renault’s success story continued with the fourth­generation Clio launched in more than 100 countries worldwide and into South Africa in 2013.

Drawing inspiration directly from Renault’s DeZir concept car, the seduc­ tive and stylish new Clio 4 has been de­ scribed as “the heir to one of the marque’s richest legacies”, and is the first model to feature the brand’s new design identity.

With front­end styling featuring a bolder version of its trademark dia­ mond­shaped logo, an all­new engine and a host of on­board technologies, the brand has stated its intention to re­es­ tablish the model as one of the top per­ formers in the highly competitive B seg­ ment.

Around 20 000 Clio 4 models have been sold since its 2013 launch in SA and the popular “small car with the big atti­ tude” has consistently been a top­five performer in its class.

Compact and affordable yet oozing style and class, the Clio has won over a growing fan base thanks to its style and versatility, as well as through its gener­

The new face­lifted Renault Clio.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC ous equipment package.

On the outside, Renault’s refreshed, face­lifted Clio is more appealing than before, courtesy of its full­LED lighting signature on the flagship version and the

incorporation of stylish design cues and interior ambiences that exude quality.

Maturity, combined with painstaking attention to detail, advanced connectivi­ ty and innovative features to facilitate

driving pleasure and travelling comfort, is evident in the new line­up.

With three equipment levels, the new Clio has been redesigned and redefined to win over both an existing and new

customer base with a wide spectrum of requirements and expectations.

Sensuous and refined interior and ex­ terior redesign elements, combined with the inclusion of new technology usually associated with upper­segment class ve­ hicles, up the Clio’s looks and connectiv­ ity. Its F1­inspired 66 kW and 88 kW turbo petrol engines enhance pace and performance while maintaining im­ pressive fuel consumption and CO² emission levels.

The range comprises the flagship Dy­ namique (66 kW Turbo), mid­level Ex­ pression (66 kW Turbo) and Expression EDC (88kW + EDC) models, which come with the same seven­inch touch­ screen MediaNav® multimedia/naviga­ tion system.

The base­level Authentique (66 kW Turbo) sees the introduction of the new R&Go system with smartphone cradle.

Simple­to­use, smart, portable and developed to enhance the driving experi­ ence, R&Go is a smartphone/tablet mul­ tifunction application with an automo­ tive human machine interface that adds functionalities to the vehicle.

Expect to pay anywhere between R206 900 and R264 900 for the new face­lifted Clio.

— WR.

MOTORING WitnessWheels COLLECTORS

December 1, 2016

Expect fuel price relief this month SOUTH Africans can look forward to lower fuel prices for Decem­ ber. This is the news from the Automobile Association (AA), which was commenting on unau­ dited month­end fuel price data released by the Central Energy Fund.

“The rand slumped sharply against the U.S. dollar in the wake of Donald Trump’s election as the next U.S. president, but has regained some of its losses since then,” the AA said.

“Over the same period, inter­ national petroleum prices enjoyed a brief rally before heading lower.

As a result, the likely decline in the fuel price will be similar to what was indicated in mid­No­ vember.”

Petrol is set to drop by around 41 cents a litre, diesel by 38 cents and illuminating paraf­ fin by 36 cents.

“Future movements of the rand and international petroleum prices have become very complex to anticipate, and since these factors are the chief drivers of the price we pay at the pumps, South Africans should be cau­ tious about hoping for further fuel price drops,” the AA said.

“A host of highly fluid factors are at play, including local politi­ cal developments, ratings agen­ cies’ view of our economy, and the impact of possible changes in U.S. policy after president­ elect Donald Trump takes office.

We expect this volatility to be reflected in fuel prices in the next few months,” the associa­ tion said. — WR.

All eyes on classics Classic Car Show: over 1 200 cars and bikes expected at Nasrec Expo Centre WITH Gauteng’s biggest classic car show just a couple of days away, collec­ tors from across the country will gear up for the long journey to the Nasrec Ex­ po Centre.

Event organiser Paulo Calisto is ex­ pecting the biggest turnout yet at the venue. “The Classic Car Show, in associ­ ation with Rolling Thunder, has grown from a few hundred cars to become a massive event, and this year I am predict­ ing over 1 200 cars and bikes for the event,” he said.

“One of the huge attractions this year is that we are hosting the Portuguese Prawn and Food Festival in conjunction with the show, and we have also invited all the Harley owners groups in Gauteng to participate. But always, the classics will be central to the event.”

The Nasrec venue will open its gates to classic car owners at 7 am on Sunday, December 4, with the drivers of classic cars admitted free of charge, with one passenger also gaining free entrance.

Any additional passengers will have to pay full entrance fees, which this year are R80 for adults and R20 for children un­ der 12.

A split­screen Kombi and oval­window Beetle, a classic VW pair that will be showcased at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Gauteng this weekend during the Classic Car Show.

PHOTO: MOTORPRESS By booking online through Ticketpro, tickets for adults can be obtained at just R60.

“The entrance fee has been kept to rock­bottom prices once again,” said

Calisto. “When you consider all the side shows laid on — helicopter rides, rock music, all the food offerings, you get one huge family entertainment package. But of course, at the end of it all, it’s still

all about the cars.”

The classics scheduled to turn up at Nasrec will range from hot rods to mus­ cle cars, with many classic European cars also making an appearance. Fans of VW Kombis will get the chance to see a range of these highly collectible vehicles, ran­ ging from super custom­built examples worth many hundreds of thousands of rands to ratty unrestored examples.

This same rule of thumb also applies to the dozens of VW Beetles expected.

Another highly collectible classic right now is the first­generation Ford Es­ cort, and expect to see a huge turnout of these cars. Prized examples of the Ford Escort include the 1600 Sport and RS2000 models, identified by their unique striping and (in the case of the RS) the special nose treatments.

Ford Cortina will also be out in full force, while Volvos are likely to be well­ represented in the form of the beetle­ backed 544 models and the 122S exam­ ples.

Organisers are expecting a huge turn­ out of Chevy pick­ups, as well as a rolling cavalcade from The Thunder Tour V8 enthusiasts from Pretoria. — WR.

Ever heard of Davrian?

The collaboration of ex­Ferrari engineer and Formula One driver Mike Parkes and structural engineer Adrian Evans, Davrian cars were built in England and later Wales from 1965.

This rare MK 7A was built in the first factory in Clapham in 1974, but only registered in 1998. UK auctioneers Barons hope to sell it for up to £10 000 (about R177 000) at its Christmas Classic auction on December 13.

PHOTO: NEWSPRESS

Check your licence this festive season THE post office urges KwaZulu­ Natal motorists to check their car licences prior to going on holiday. Many motorists may not be aware that their car licence has expired or will expire while on holiday and may get a traffic fine for the infringement.

There are currently 31 post of­ fice branches in KZN where vehi­ cle owners may renew their vehi­ cle licence. By law, vehicle licence renewal must be done in the province where the vehicle is registered and can thus not be done while on holiday in another province.

Geert Bataille, head of the SA Post Office’s retail division, says motorists must remember to take proof of residence and an identity document along when renewing a car licence. This is a legal requirement. Should motor­ ists not have received a renewal notice, the renewal form (ALV) may be downloaded from www.enatis.com During the 2015/2016 financial year, more than 3,7 million motor vehicle licences were renewed at SA Post Office branches. Motor­ ists who have received a traffic fine issued in terms of the AAR­ TO Act (Administrative Adjudica­ tion of Road Traffic Offences) may pay the traffic fine at any post office countrywide. — WR.

5

Can you guess the covered 40­year­old classic car?

AMIL UMRAW

The mystery classic car.

PHOTO: AMIL UMRAW

A FEW weeks ago, my father and I, who delve a little into the classic car trade, acquired a new item.

Tied down under a black sheet, which has now been left browned by mud (a common sight in a restorer’s yard), lies an almost 40­year­old car.

Obviously, it is in no Pebble Beach condition.

Witness Wheels editor Alwyn Viljoen asked me to snap a picture of the new project, but cheeky as I am, with him away enjoying a festive break, I thought I would leave it a surprise.

The car is missing its windshield, the interior is almost completely rotted and rust has plagued most of the surface.

However, it is salvageable.

Under the bonnet lurks a roaring V8, although I am not quite sure whether the roar is from the engine or the gaping hole in the exhaust manifold.

I will reveal all in next week’s edition.

However, if anybody would care to haz­ ard a guess, here are a few clues.

The car was launched in the late sev­ enties and is about 5,5 metres long. It has four doors; although there were two­ door derivatives. Mostly, the car packed V8 power, but there was a straight six derivative. There was even a pumped­up version used by the police in the U.S. It shared a lot of its parts, and appear­ ance, with its Dodge sister.

Hazard a guess? E­mail me on amil.umraw@witness.co.za

WitnessWheels MOTORING EXPLORE

6

December 1, 2016

Gems in KZN

Take a drive out Pietermartizburg is the quality of life capital in SA, not only because ours is a city with a small town’s peak hours, but because an hour down any road out of Msunduzi can put your family on a beach, listening to live music in the Midlands, or 4x4ing up a mountain pass, like Ongeluksnek on the Lesotho border near Matatiele (right).

For drivers with a valid passport who know what the diff lock button does, this is where we recommend you go to discover the views.

PHOTO: ALWYN VIJOEN

The Karkloof Falls PHOTO: EXPERIENCE­ KARKLOOF.CO.ZA

VISIT THE FALLS, GRAB A BURGER ALWYN VILJOEN

Globetrotter finish line Ducati’s promotional tour shows KTM and GS riders what they are missing THE sixth stage of Globetrotter 90th, the around­the­world trip with the Multistrada 1200 Endu­ ro, is now under way.

The Globetrot sees one mo­ torbike — the new Multistrada 1200 Enduro — ridden by seven Globetrotters on a round trip in seven legs to pay homage to pla­ ces where Ducati made history.

The riders were selected from over 3 000 applicants from all over the world. The initial candi­ date assessment saw only 14 fi­ nalists going to a special boot camp in Nipozzano, in the Tus­ cany hills, in June. They were eval­ uated on their riding skills and psycho­aptitude under the su­ pervision of a professional team that includes former Paris­Dakar racer Beppe Gualini.

The journey started on on Ju­ ly 4, the exact date of Ducati’s foundation, from Borgo Panigale and the riders have in the eight weeks crossed Europe before fol­ lowing the Trans­Siberian route, via Russia, Mongolia and China before crossing the Pacific to Ja­ pan and heading to the U.S. Australian Steve Fraser (54) has concluded his trip from America’s deep south to New

Shoot into the sun: The last rider in the Ducati Globetrotter tour, Hugo Wilson, with the Multistrada 1200 Enduro that is aiming at the finish line after riding around the world.

PHOTO: NEWSPRESS York, and the “torch” and Ducati motorcycle have returned to Eu­ rope (to Lisbon) where they are now in the hands of Englishman Hugo Wilson, who last week rode to the Isle of Man.

As a motorcycle magazine edi­ tor, Wilson has ridden all over Europe and the Mediterranean.

A writer and photographer, Wilson has been passionate about motorcycles since he was

10. He will make various stops, each more exciting than the last.

Wilson will visit Silverstone, where legendary champion Mike Hailwood rode Ducati motorcy­ cles to achieve two race wins in

two different classes on the same day in 1960.

The next destination for the globetrotter will be the Doning­ ton Park track in the UK, where, on April 3, 1988, the very first World Superbike race took place, won by Marco Lucchinelli on the brand­new 851 SBK. The Multistrada 1200 Enduro, on completing its round­the­ world voyage, will be showcased at the Motorcycle Live show in Birmingham.

The final destination during this sixth leg of Globetrotter 90th will be the Isle of Man, where Mike Hailwood achieved his greatest victory yet, winning the Tourist Trophy on June 2, 1978, with the Ducati 900 SS TT IOM to the joy of 300 000 spec­ tators — a result that Ducati cele­ brated with the 900 Mike Hail­ wood Replica.

Wilson will return the much­ travelled Ducati to Borgo Pani­ gale after navigating the exhila­ rating bends of the Futa Pass near Bologna where many Ducati bikes have been developed and tested over the years. The expect­ ed return date is December 15, 2016. — Newspress.

Latest Jurgens caravans offer a lot of uncluttered space CAMPWORLD has introduced a new range of Jurgens caravans.

With the current range having been in the market for 14 years, South Africa’s “Leaders in Lei­ sure” product design and devel­ opment team conducted exten­ sive research to ensure that the new­look range would be a head­ turner in every sense of the word.

The sleek, contemporary de­ sign is mirrored on current Euro­ pean trends, and is sure to set the standard for elegant caravanning in southern Africa.

The interior is laid out to en­ sure a lot of uncluttered space, with furnishings and fabrics se­ lected to increase the perception of spaciousness and light.

The Jurgens Exclusive.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

While windows have not sig­ nificantly changed, they are now seen as a styling feature complet­ ing the new Jurgens look.

Much thought also went into the new ambient lights through­

out the cabin, rather than only in isolated focus areas. Thanks to the caravans’ new square design at the rear, the bathrooms are now remarkably user­friendly and spacious, with far more

headroom.

While the Exclusive, the Class­ ique and the Penta models will be the first Jurgens caravans to boast an outside kitchen, all kitchens now feature an exqui­

sitely­styled Snappy Chef induc­ tion stove, which can be removed from its standard housing posi­ tion and plugged in at a preferred cooking spot, depending on the weather or personal choice.

Included in the standard offer­ ing will be a pot and a pan from the Snappy Chef induction cook­ ing range. Furthermore, all exte­ rior hatches have been signifi­ cantly upgraded in terms of qual­ ity and functionality.

Jurgens said it will introduce the fixed­roof models first, with pop­top models to follow.

The new Jurgens range of cara­ vans will be available country­ wide at Campworld Dealerships from January 2017. — WR.

ASK any of Msunduzi’s many mountain bikers where the most spectacular rides are, and they will say Karkloof.

The area offers some of the best rides on this side of Sedna (the large minor planet in the outer reaches of the solar system) and a safe haven for the family to enjoy a well­priced gourmet meal at Steve’s Bistro at the Karkloof Country Club.

But it is not just the views, gnarly switchbacks and cool forest trails that attract the bikers. The Karkloof Falls, now running strongly after the rains, is well worth a pic­ nic, with hikes and views to make the drive well worth the while for parents look­ ing for things to do with the children during the coming holidays.

Maize bread steamed in a pot and usu — KZN’s real finger­licking soul food. PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN

UMGABABA HAS KZN’S SOUL FOOD I’VE said it before and I’ll say it again: travel is all about eating strange food with weird people in a place with a view.

Any journey that does not entail these three elements — strange food, weird peo­ ple and a view — is just com­ muting to point B. But mix in this trio and you can turn even a quick snack after a boring PowerPoint presen­ tation at that seminar into an adventure. You’d think that SA’s shisa nyamas all excel at all three, but they of­ ten only serve pap en vleis, with a pre­cast wall and car wash for a view. The excep­ tion is at Umgababa, where the shisa nyama overlooks the Indian Ocean and the la­ dies serve beautifully clean usu (cow stomach) with maize bread freshly steamed in a pot. This is KZN’s real finger­licking soul food, and priced right too.

MOTORING WitnessWheels BIKING

December 1, 2016

Places to bike in SA A variety of mountain passes overlooking a spectacular view of the country

7

Tips for bike road trip safety DRIES VAN DER WALT

DRIES VAN DER WALT WITH its variety of scenery, almost per­ fect weather and extensive road infra­ structure, South Africa is definitely among the world’s top biking countries.

Although road maintenance is not al­ ways up to par (to put it mildly), there are very nice routes within a reasonable distance from most major cities.

In this article, I’m going to look at a few that I have personal experience of: WESTERN CAPE: BAIN’S KLOOF PASS Those living in the Western Cape are spoilt for choice, with several mountain passes and scenic coastal routes in close proximity of Cape Town. But if you want to venture a little further afield, I would definitely recommend the Bain’s Kloof Pass on the R301 between Wellington and Ceres.

The road surface is a little iffy, and I wouldn’t suggest tackling it with a sport bike, but for a rider on a tourer or adven­ ture bike it offers 28 km of beautiful scenery and challenging curves.

EASTERN CAPE: BAVIAANSKLOOF If you find yourself in the Eastern Cape and you are feeling adventurous, Bavi­ aanskloof should be on your itinerary.

Stretching almost 200 km from Paten­ sie to Willowmore, the untarred road takes you through almost pristine wil­ derness and offers spectacular views.

However, some sections of this road are very technical, and I wouldn’t recom­ mend it for riders with limited or no off­ road experience. Due to the roughness of the road, especially in the mountain­ ous sections, this route is best suited to adventure bikes.

FREE STATE: GOLDEN GATE Although most of the Free State is noto­ riously flat, the eastern portion of this province offers fun riding. One of my fa­ vourites in this province is the R712 be­ tween Harrismith and Clarens. The route takes you through the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, and of­ fers some of the most spectacular scen­ ery in the country.

There are also myriad looping side

Wheels reader Brian Saville snapped a picture of his KTM 1190 Adventure R bike while touring in the Midlands recently.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED roads to explore, most of which are tarred — you’ll be able to enjoy the area irrespective of what bike you ride.

KWAZULU­NATAL: MIDLANDS MEANDER KZN is renowned for its warm ocean and golden beaches, but the Midlands offer good biking roads for when you visit the province on two wheels.

The Midlands Meander, situated be­ tween Pietermaritzburg in the east and the Drakensberg in the west, offers beau­ tiful rolling hills and reasonably good roads with long sweeping curves, inter­ spersed with a plethora of accommoda­ tion facilities and restaurants. Although suitable to any kind of bike, it is probably

best experienced at a slow pace on a cruiser or tourer.

GAUTENG: CRADLE OF HUMANKIND One of the most popular bike routes for Gauteng riders is the Cradle of Human­ kind. Within spitting distance of both Pretoria and Joburg, the Cradle offers a good riding experience in addition to be­ ing an area of archeological importance.

A breakfast run to Magalliesburg or any of the restaurants around Harte­ beestpoort Dam, followed by a ride through the area’s curvy roads and ter­ minating in a visit to Maropeng, the Cra­ dle’s visitor centre, is one of the best ways to while away a Sunday morning.

EASTERN MPUMALANGA: ESCARPMENT EDGE The escarpment edge in Eastern Mpum­ alanga is another popular biker destina­ tion, and with good reason. It hosts a number of exciting passes, such as Long Tom Pass, Robber’s Pass and Koewyns Pass, as well as the “Twenty­Two”, the popular collection of twisties between Sabie and Hazyview.

Apart from great riding, there is much to see in this area, such as the historic hamlet of Pilgrims Rest, the sheer drop of God’s Window. From twisties to sweeping curves to plantation roads, this area offers something for almost every kind of bike, and some of the best scen­ ery in the country. — Wheels24.

Brand­new engine for Harley­Davidson’s SA range

immense fun if you are willing to put in the extra effort. I had no trouble keeping up with the other Harley’s on Tradouw Pass and even managed to raise a few eyebrows — you just have to get used to the odd steering and the super light front wheel.

Obviously lane splitting in traffic is out of the question but at least you never have to worry about toppling over in front of your local watering hole. The reverse gear also helps a great deal get­ ting the Freewheeler out of a parking space and the “boot” has space for two helmets.

CYRIL KLOPPER AMERICAN motorcycle manufacturer Harley­Davidson just introduced a brand­new engine to power its range of touring bikes in South Africa.

The range consists of the Road King, the Street Glide, the Road Glide and the three­wheeled Freewheeler (not to be confused with the Harley­Davidson Trike).

The new engine is the ninth in a long line that Harley­Davidson refer to as their “big twins”. The first was the At­ mospheric V­twin used between 1909 and 1911 and followed by power plants with colourful names such as the Knuck­ lehead, Shovelhead and culminating in this — the Milwaukee­eight 107.

The Milwaukee­eight 107 replaces the Twin Cam 103 and offers a larger dis­ placement, four valves per cylinder and a higher compression ratio.

TWO­DAY ROAD TRIP To put these bikes through their paces we embarked on a two­day ride from Cape Town east along the coast to the whale­watching town of Hermanus.

From there we headed inland via the Tradouw Pass to Barrydale, where we stayed at the eclectic Karoo Art Hotel.

Displacement: 1746cc Torque: 150Nm @ 3250rpm Fuel capacity: 22.7L Dry weight: 492kg Seat height: 700mm Price: R369 000 On the following morning we left for Worcester, over Bainskloof Pass and through verdant vineyards back to a comparatively bustling Cape Town.

Of the five motorcycle journalists present, four were each given a variant on the touring Milwaukee­eight, while the fifth rode an outgoing Twin Cam 103 Road King as a base for comparison.

We’d continuously swop bikes along the route until we could all come to grips with the characteristics of the four new bikes.

RIDING THE FREEWHEELER Upon arrival at the Cape Town dealer­ ship, none of us volunteered to ride this three­wheeled oddity. A colleague was eventually bullied into taking one for the team and he promptly rode over his own foot — having forgotten that there were two car wheels right behind his heels.

Hatred for the Freewheeler seemed to

FEW things can spoil a bike road trip as quickly as a breakdown.

Unlike motorists, bikers have lim­ ited space available, which means carrying a comprehensive tool kit is not an option.

That’s why it makes sense to put some thought into what you pack for an emergency.

The first part of your emer­ gency kit is probably already there: the tool kit that came with your bike. It will likely con­ tain some handy tools such as a reversible screwdriver, a few Allen keys and an assortment of span­ ners to fit most nuts and bolts on your bike.

It has limitations, though — most bike tool kits do not in­ clude a pair of pliers, which can come in handy in a breakdown.

A great space­saving supple­ ment for your tool kit is a multi­ tool, especially one that contains pliers. Look for a multitool that also contains a saw blade, a file, and of course, a knife blade.

Perhaps the most likely break­ down is a flat tyre. Carry a tyre­ repair kit that contains the plug­ ging tools, mushroom plug strips and solution. Once the tyre is re­ paired, you’ll need to inflate it, so make sure that you have some compressed air cannisters as well an adapter to connect the canister to your tyre’s valve.

One of these canisters is usu­ ally sufficient to inflate your tyre enough to get you to the near­ est filling station, where you can inflate the tyre to its normal pressure.

Mechanical emergencies aren’t the only problem you could face on your road trip — there is al­ ways the risk of a medical emer­ gency, anything from injuries to getting stung by a bee. You could either buy a bike­specific first­aid kit from an accessory stop or compile your own.

— Wheels24.

American motorcycle manufacturer Harley­Davidson just introduced a brand­new engine to power their range of touring bikes in South Africa. In the range is the three­wheeled Freewheeler, which is certainly not to be confused with the Harley­Davidson Trike.

PHOTO: WWW.WHEELS24.CO.ZA ooze from his pores. I then had a go on this bike.

The trick in mastering the Freewheel­ er, it seemed to me, is to ride it almost like a racing quad. You have to sit right up to the tank and bend your elbows.

Additionally, there is no counter steering so you have to push the front wheel in the direction you want to travel and lean into the turn so that you don’t get thrown off the opposite side.

Riding the Freewheeler aggressively is

NEW ENGINE The name Milwaukee­eight 107 is taken from the home town of Harley­David­ son, the number of valves and the dis­ placement in cubic inches. The engine has a single chain­drive cam that re­ quires less maintenance and produces less mechanical noise than before.

Harley­Davidson also redesigned the exhaust system to direct heat away from the rider and thus increase comfort lev­ els.

The engine isn’t the only upgrade though. The front forks contain mod­ ernised innards and the pre­load on the rear suspension is now adjustable through a rotary knob. The engine gen­ erates 50% more electricity than before, which means owners can power extra lights and other accessories without fear of depleting the battery.

All in all, Harley­Davidson produced a relatively modern bike while keeping true to their heritage. — Wheels24.

WitnessWheels MOTORING TRUCKING

8

Research aims for intelligent vehicle networking MAN Truck and Bus supports the IMAGinE research project on co­operative driving, which involves intelligent integrated networking.

Integrated networking is the focus of the joint IMAGinE project (intelligent automation of manoeuvres, co­operative risk prevention in real­time) and aims to increase the safety of all road users.

In future, vehicles communi­ cating with each other in real­ time will form the basis for a co­operative interplay in road traffic. Co­operative risk detec­ tion and prevention are key steps on the way towards acci­ dent­free and anticipatory driv­ ing as well as the optimisation of traffic flow. The co­operative driver assistance systems that were developed as part of the joint IMAGinE project will help road users reach their destina­ tions not only more safely, but more efficiently and more re­ laxed.

MAN’s role within this project focuses on the co­ordi­ nation of the various manoeu­ vres of participating road users under consideration of the par­ ticular requirements of commer­ cial vehicles. Among other things, this includes overtaking manoeuvres of trucks, entering and exiting highways at junc­ tions and regulating the dis­ tance to preceding vehicles. In a real­life scenario, this could in­ volve the following: the vehicle behind co­ordinates with the vehicle in front in order to de­ termine a suitable overtaking spot to ensure an efficient over­ taking manoeuvre. At motorway junctions, vehicles leaving the motorway synchronise their ma­ noeuvres with vehicles remain­ ing on the highway so that the process is executed efficiently and safely for all participants.

The same applies to vehicles joining the highway. In an ideal scenario, it will be possible to implement this not only for in­ dividually controlled vehicles but also for trucks driving in convoy linked via vehicle­to­ve­ hicle communication.

All in all, IMAGinE promotes the vision of fully automated driverless driving, without for­ getting the currently still neces­ sary driver. This is why IMAG­ inE is also placing significant importance on the design of a human­machine interface for co­ operative manoeuvres.

IMAGinE brings together a consortium of 12 leading com­ panies and research facilities in Germany. Participating in the project alongside MAN Truck and Bus AG are Adam Opel AG, BMW AG, Daimler AG, Volkswagen AG, Robert Bosch GmbH, Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG, the Würzburg In­ stitute for Traffic Sciences GmbH, IPG Automotive GmbH, Nordsys GmbH, Hessen Road and Traffic Management and the Technical University of Munich. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Indus­ try (BMWi) is providing €17,9 million for the research project. Further details at the BMWi website: www.bmwi.de — WR.

December 1, 2016

Truck firms go green BYD and Wayne Engineering to collaborate on all­electric garbage­trucks ALWYN VILJOEN CHINESE automaker BYD and U.S. firm Wayne Engineering announced they are collaborating to build an all­electric gar­ bage­truck, while the untested Nikola Motors is expected to deliver on its much vaunted hydrogen­powered truck to­ night.

BYD earlier this year stated its inten­ tion to use its proven battery technology to supply the needs of truck and bus op­ erators as more cities in the U.S. roll out zero­emission bylaws.

BYD will supply its battery tech to Wayne Engineering, who assembles the garbage compactors. BYD said in a state­ ment the battery pack is good for a driv­ ing range of 160 km and takes 2,5 hours to recharge.

Wayne Engineering stated an all­elec­ tric drivetrain truck could cut operating costs by 58%, as well as eliminating the health risk stemming from diesel’s car­ cinogenic gases.

In its aim to supply tried and tested technology to the U.S.’s commercial fleet operators, BYD may face a cold shoulder under Donald Trump’s build­a­wall re­ gime.

The Wayne­BYD collaboration will compete with at least three other all­ American garbage trucks not powered by diesel.

They are Tesla co­founder Ian Wright’s micro­jet turbine system at Wrightspeed; Mack’s all­electric system; and Nikola Motors’ as yet unseen hydro­ gen powered electric truck.

This much­anticipated truck will be

Tried­and­ tested: China’s BYD have clinched another contract to supply a truck maker with its all­ electric drivetrain.

PHOTO: BYD Much­hyped hydrogen: A computer­ rendered visual of the Nikola One hydrogen truck, which will be launched in the U.S. tonight (SA time).

PHOTO: NIKOLA MOTORS unveiled tonight (SA time) in Salt Lake City. Nikola initially planned to launch a truck with a generator powered by a

high­revving micro jet turbine running on natural gas, but last month an­ nounced hydrogen is the future.

Despite the company being a start­up and the Nikola Trucks existing only as computer­aided designs (CAD), claims of unheard of mileage had thousands of fleet owners depositing nearly $3 billion with Nikola Motors in a one month.

Trevor Milton, Nikola’s CEO, said the group used the money to make a lithium battery pack that is more energy dense and lighter than any vehicle production pack in the world.

Milton is also expected to announce the biggest yet network of 300 hydrogen stations throughout the U.S. tonight.

“As each station comes online, Nikola will begin selling hydrogen to non­Niko­ la customers for around $3,50 (R48,50) per kg, nearly half the current market price …” he said in a statement.

The Toyota FC bus.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC

Toyota rolling out fuel cell buses ahead of Tokyo 2020 TOYOTA Motor Corporation will begin to sell fuel cell buses (FC buses) under the Toyota brand from early 2017.

Having already undergone repeated field tests for practical use, the Bureau of Transportation of the Tokyo Metro­ politan Government plans to utilise two of these FC buses as fixed­route buses.

Toyota plans to introduce over 100 FC buses mainly in the Tokyo area, ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. In view of this, the FC buses will be sold for the first time in Japan in early 2017 to help increase the level of understanding by the general public of the utilisation of FC buses as a form of public transportation.

Moreover, in preparation for the To­

kyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the number of FC buses being introduced will increase steadily going forward.

Together with this, Toyota aims to en­ gage continuously in the diligent devel­ opment targeted at the expansion of the introduction of the new FC buses from 2018 in order to work toward the realisa­ tion of a hydrogen­based society.

The Toyota FC bus was developed by Toyota, based on the company’s experi­ ence in developing FC buses together with Hino Motors. The Toyota Fuel Cell System (TFCS), which was developed for the Mirai fuel cell vehicle (FCV), has been adopted to provide better energy efficiency in comparison with internal

combustion engines, as well as to deliver superior environmental performance with no CO2 emissions or substances of concern (SOCs) when driving.

The bus also uses a high­capacity ex­ ternal power supply system. With a pow­ er supply capable of a 9 kW maximum output, and a large capacity of electricity supply at 235 kWh, the FC bus can be used as a power source in the event of disasters, such as at evacuation sites or at school gymnasiums. Its electricity supply can also be harnessed for home electric appliance use.

The Toyota Group considers the use of hydrogen to be a powerful source of energy for the future. Toyota has re­ leased the Mirai FCV, while also engag­

ing in the technological and product de­ velopment of FC buses, fuel cell forklifts, as well as stationary fuel cells for use in homes.

Going forward, the group will acceler­ ate developments in a unified manner to contribute to the realisation of a hydro­ gen­based society. — WR.

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