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SA's only complete motorised lifestyle magazine
Citation preview
Launched Audi A8Launched Ford FigoLaunched BMW 5 Series Gran TurismoLaunched Volkswagen Polo VivoLaunched Toyota Auris XLaunched Hyundai i30
Xtreme
&
Feature Defender TrophyTested Seadoo Speedster Wake 430Tested Seacat 565Tested Mastercraft X-35Launched BMW S 1000 RRLaunched Kawasaki 1400GTR
CAR LEISURESA’s only complete motorised lifestyle magazine
Mastercraft X-35
R26.00 (Includes VAT)Other Countries R22.80 (Excl Tax)
Visit our websitewww.xmg.co.za
BMW S 1000 RR
9 7 7 1 7 2 8 3 0 8 0 0 6 06
Premium Bundu Basher
Lexus LX570
ISSUE 61
9 7 7 1 7 2 8 3 0 8 0 0 6 16
CONTENTSIssue 61
EDITORIAL
PublisherEwald van Zyl082 569 2318
EditorMark Jones
082 553 [email protected]
Deputy EditorReuben van Niekerk
082 837 [email protected]
Staff WriterJohan Keyter083 310 0936
Contributers Mark Holdsworth
Eddy Alberts
Art & Graphic DesignLynne-Mari Vos082 592 8445
Photographywww.motorpics.co.zawww.quickpic.co.za
Amoré Augustyn
MARKETING & ADVERTISING
Willem van der Merwe082 530 0917012 548 5934
SUBSCRIPTIONS
012 548 [email protected]
ACCOUNTS
Account ManagerLoune van Zyl083 273 5674
Published monthly byVan Zyl Publishers cc
PO Box 83775, Doornpoort, 0017Suite 2, Apple Leaf Office Park,Montana Street, Montana Park
Tel: 012 548 1505Fax: 086 672 7739
CopyrightOpinions expressed in articles, news and views or in advertise-ments appearing in Car & Leisure are those of the Author, ad-
vertiser and do not reflect those of this journal nor it’s publisher. The mention of specific companies, people, photos or products in articles or advertisements, does not imply that they are endorsed
by this publication.
Some manoeuvres are extreme and we do not recommend that you attempt any said manoeuvre as portrayed in this publication
without professional instruction. Car & Leisure cannot be held responsible for any injury, loss or damage of any kind whatsoever.
MOTORINGEditors NoteMotoring NewsMarine NewsMotorcycle News
LaunchedAudi A8 Ford Figo BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo Volkswagen Polo Vivo Suzuki SX4 Mercedes-Benz E250 & C220 CDILexus LX570 Toyota Auris X Hyundai i30
TestedClio III & Twingo RS Volkswagen Polo 1.6 Tiptronic Kia Cerato Koup GWM Florid Super Lux SAC Volkswagen Golf 6 GTI
Featured Annual Defender Trophy
MARINEFeaturedYamaha WaveRunner
TestedSeadoo Speedster Wake 430 Seacat 565 Mastercraft X-35
MOTORCYCLES
LaunchedBMW S 1000 RR Kawasaki 1400GTR
MotorsportKalahari 400 National Superbike racing
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Mercedes-Benz is pleased to present the Estate version as another highly distinctive member of the E-Class family. Like the Sedan and Coupé,
the Estate combines unique design with leader-ship in safety, comfort, quality and practicality. The new E-Class marks the debut of a number of technical innovations, which no other car in the world, in this category, is able to offer - from drowsiness detection, to automatic emer-gency braking when an accident is recognised as imminent, and also Adaptive Highbeam As-sist. Naturally the Estate also features all these innovations, plus air suspension with self-lev-elling at the rear as standard and unique new load compartment management features.
The engine line-up available for the new Estate at launch comprises four units developing be-tween 125 kW and 285 kW. Though with a low-er displacement, the new and modified engines generate more output than their predecessors, while impressing with fuel consumption figures that were previously only found in the compact
class. All the powerplants meet the require-ments of the EU5 emission standard. Mercedes-Benz has consolidated its leadership in safety even further with the new E-Class. A number of driver assistance systems help to prevent ac-cidents, or at least reduce their severity. These include the ‘attention assist’ drowsiness detec-
tion system, optional proximity control and the optional pre-safe brake system. But with nine airbags as standard it sounds like one of the safest cars on the road anyway. We’ll be looking forward to the E-Class estate, and you should too.
note
The quirky little Fiat 500 made its debut in South Africa last year. And while this cheeky little car has a lot of attractive aspects its pricey nature seems to have
gotten the better of the ever more cautious South African spender.
But now Fiat SA has introduced measures to drastically reduce the pricing on the Fiat 500, while still producing a worthwhile car. So how did they do this? Well, a couple of factors have
made this industry rarity possible. A more fa-vourable exchange rate coupled with economies of scale has played a major role. Such has been the demand for the retro bambino, it’s now a permanent fixture on the European top ten best sellers’ list. But let’s get back to what re-ally matters, just how much has the Fiat 500’s price fallen? Well the 1.4 litre Fiat 500 Pop has been reduced from R197 600 to R157 800, the same price the 1.2 litre originally sold for. The 1.2 litre Fiat 500 has seen a similar decrease to
only R135 500. So if you drooled over the Fiat 500 last year, now might just be the chance to finally get one of your own.
Stately driving
Fiat 500’s price nosedives
MOTORINGnews
EDITORS
As you read this, the Volkswagen Golf 6 1.4 TSI will be basking in the glory of being judged the car of the year by the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists, and rightly so! This car al-most does everything better than the competi-tion in its segment at its price.
The irony of the Golf having won this competi-tion for the first time ever, when the car itself probably looks more like its predecessor than ever before is not lost though. But that has not stopped the car from being highly desirable from a potential customer’s point of view.
But it must be said that most of what makes this car a worthy winner is under the skin so to speak and the nature of our local competition recognises this that this can be the case and that is why we have two days of intensive tech-
nical type judging after a full house of voting before we choose our winner.
Make no mistake; this is no easy or flimsy whim based process either. First of all, all full mem-bers of the guild, including the jury, vote for the top 10 cars they think should make the evalu-ation days.
This list is then put through a second round of voting by the jury, who are all full time motor-ing journalists representing millions of readers nationally. And from this second round of votes, and these votes only, are the top 8 determined, and these are the cars that go forward into the finals.
So join us in congratulating the Golf on being a worth winner of the SAGMJ COTY 2010!
Well now what about what you can see in this latest edition of your favourite mag? We have been travelling the world once again to bring you the latest driving impressions of cars like the all new Audi A8 and Ford Figo! The local launch scene was no quieter with the likes of the new 5 GT and Suzuki SX4 to name but a few filling these pages.
We also got to put our tamed racing driver, Eddy Alberts, to steal a phrase, to work at the launch at the manic BMW S 1000 RR superbike launch, while Johan Keyter was once again on the water to bring you the best marine craft on the market today.
Car of the Year Winner Announced
04 ISSUE 61
Mark Jones
What road?
Toyota and the Clean Energy Partner-ship last week announced that Toyota has become a new international auto partner for the organisation. The move
will add further impetus to CEP’s programme of advancing sustainable mobility through the development of hydrogen filling stations and a fuel supply network in Germany.
CEP’s activities are supported by the German Government, which is investing around R20 billion to support the development of hydro-gen fuel cell and electric vehicle technologies. Toyota will contribute five of its zero-emissions FCHV-adv hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to the programme in Germany by 2011.
Toyota showcased its latest developments in EV (electric vehicle), plug-in hybrid vehicles, battery design and hydrogen fuel cell hybrid technologies at the Geneva motor show. The
presentation included the FT-EVII concept, the precursor of a production small commuter EV model that Toyota plans to market in the USA in 2012.
The Toyota FCHV-adv was also on show at Ge-neva, demonstrating the company’s success in improving driving range and very cold weather operation.
Compared to the original FCHV, the world’s first production fuel cell vehicle, its high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks give a cruising range of more than 800 km – more than twice that of its predecessor. I for one can’t wait till we get to try out Toyota’s hydrogen vehicles for our-selves, but expect it to be a few more years until we can expect to see them in sunny South Africa.
Team Castrol Toyota team principal, Glyn Hall, has confirmed that the Toy-ota works team will contest the first rounds of the ABSA Off Road Cham-
pionship with the two Hilux SP’s that demon-strated their competitiveness towards the end of the 2009 season. The title sponsor will again be Castrol with additional support from the In-novation Group.
“As previously announced, Anthony Taylor and Robin Houghton will crew one of the vehicles while reigning South African champion, Duncan Vos joins the team together with Rob Howie as his navigator. This gives us a really strong driver line-up with both Anthony and Duncan capable of extracting the best performance out of the Castrol Hilux SP’s”, said Hall.
The two works Hilux SP’s will be supported by a brace of eight very competitive privateer Hilux SP’s including Gary Berthold and Andre Vermeulen in the Atlas Copco Hilux; Hannes Grobler and Hennie ter Stege as part of the Retirement Fund Solutions team and Chris Vis-ser together with Japie Badenhorst, all of them capable of race winning pace.
The Nissan Navaras now running under the Re-gent Racing banner are also certainly capable of a good turn of speed. There’s no shortage of competition in the SP class with new entries set to arrive on the scene after the first few events. “I believe we are in for a vintage year of Off Road racing in the ABSA series”, said Hall.
When the new Formula 1 season got underway in Manama/Bah-rain it marked the debut of the most spectacular and powerful
official F1 Safety Car of all time. The job of the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, which was be launched on 27 March 2010, is to ensure maxi-mum safety in Formula 1. The “gullwing” model replaces the SL 63 AMG, which was used as the Official F1 Safety Car in 2008 and 2009. As in the last two years, the C 63 AMG Estate will be used as the Official F1 Medical Car for the com-ing season.
“Together with the entire AMG Team, I am very proud that the new SLS AMG is the official F1 safety car. I’m sure all Mercedes and AMG
fans will be excited to see the gullwing model together with the new Mercedes GP Petronas Team at the F1 circuits,” says Volker Mornhin-weg, Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.
From March 2010, the Official F1 Safety Car will be deployed whenever hazardous situa-tions such as accidents or bad weather endan-ger normal racing. The SLS AMG, piloted by Bernd Mayländer (38, from Germany), will be on standby in the pit lane throughout the entire race. When radioed by Race Control, the former DTM driver and his co-driver, FIA man Pete Tib-betts (44, from the UK) will take to the track at the head of the field in order to guide the For-mula 1 race cars safely around the circuit.
The zero emission wunderkind
MOTORINGnews
The new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG takes its place at the head of the Formula 1 field
05ISSUE 61
MARINEnews
Row, row and row your boat
Designing your dream machine
For all you budding boat designers out there, this next bit of news may tick-le your fancy. If you’ve ever dreamed of designing your own boat, deciding
what accessories it should have, what colour schemes, even the layout and the seating, then your dreams can now become reality with the help of MasterCraft and their brilliant team of web designers. The entire process is as simple as going to MasterCraft’s website, www.master-craft.com, clicking on the “design a boat” link
and registering (which takes about five sec-onds). You can then use their innovative little program to design your very own dreamboat. You can choose any boat in the current Master-Craft line-up as well, so whether you want to make the meanest looking wakeboarding boat or the sleekest speedboat, your creativity has no bounds.
And the other nice feature about the site is that it gives you the option to save your digital joy-rides if you like, it can even retrieve the boat that you were last working on if you do forget to save it. Now obviously the real function of this is to give customers more choices when it comes to ordering their boats. So if you are in the market for a new boat, go check out the MasterCraft website, it’ll be an enjoyable expe-rience, whether you actually end up buying the boat or not. And if you just want to sink the bet-ter part of an hour into designing a boat without actually having the bank account to support it, well then that’s just fine as well.
McMurdo Ltd announced that it is launching the brand new Kannad Marine Safelink AIS SART. Designed for the commercial mariner and rec-
reational boater alike, the Safelink Automatic Identification System Search and Rescue Trans-mitter (AIS SART) is a manual deployment sur-vivor location device intended for use on life rafts or survival craft. It meets IMO SOLAS re-quirements and is an alternative to a traditional Radar SART.
Rugged and compact, the Safelink AIS SART is easy to operate and deploy. It transmits target
survivor information to vessels in the vicinity. The alert messages include GPS position infor-mation and serialised identity number. Once activated the Safelink AIS SART transmits con-tinually for a minimum of 96 hours.
A built-in high precision GPS provides accurate position information to assist in quick recov-ery of survivors. The Safelink AIS SART is a portable device packed inside a quick release carry off bag for quick evacuation. Waterproof to ten metres and buoyant, the Safelink AIS SART also has a long life replaceable battery that will last six years. Whether wall mounted
in the ship’s bridge or packed inside a survival craft the highly visible and buoyant carry case affords maximum protection.
Katie Spotz became the youngest per-son to row an entire ocean solo; she also became the first American to row a boat without help from mainland to
mainland. After a grueling 70 days, 5 hours and 22 minutes in the Atlantic, Spotz, aged 22, arrived in Georgetown, Guyana, in South America.
Her 4 507 km journey raised more than $70 000 for the Blue Planet Run Foundation, a group which finances drinking water projects around the world. The trip could have ended eight days sooner, but as Spotz approached Cayenne, French Guiana, her original landing point, the wind and currents grew so strong that she would have needed a tow for the last few miles. Determined to make the entire crossing under her own power, Spotz kept row-ing to Georgetown, 640 km to the northeast, where currents are milder.
Her 5.7 metre yellow wooden rowboat was broadsided by six metre waves as she ap-proached South America. It was a frightening ride, even though the boat was built to with-stand hurricanes and 15 metre waves, said Phil Morrison, the British yacht builder who de-signed it. “She’s had such little drama. Most people would be scared out of their minds.” Spotz said in a telephone interview after the trip, “I was worried the boat might capsize.” Her equipment was a vast improvement over that of the first ocean rowers, the Norwegian immigrants George Harbo and Gabriel Samuel-son, who travelled from New York to France in 1896 in an open boat. “I wouldn’t go on a trip like this without all the safety gear and tech-nology I had,” Spotz said. Even so, the voyage remained a gruelling test of endurance, and an achievement worthy of praise.
After busy months on patrol in the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin, a task force of NATO warships on March 12 hand-ed over their counter-piracy mission,
(Operation Ocean Shield) to the new task force of NATO ships which had sailed to the area to take up the mission. NATO warships have been conducting counter piracy patrols off the Horn of Africa, an area of strategic importance, since October 2008. On March 12 it was the turn of the five warships from the Standing NATO Mari-time Group Two, to pick up the baton of this ongoing mission.
NATO’s maritime commander, Admiral Sir Trev-or Soar commented “The continuing presence of warships from the standing NATO Maritime Groups, together with warships from the EU Naval Force, Combined Maritime Force and oth-er nations is essential if we are to combat the scourge of piracy. Piracy has the potential to affect us all as 95 percent of the world’s trade goes by sea. As we have clearly demonstrated NATO is making a real impact in deterring and
disrupting piracy”. Speaking from his flagship Absalon, the commander of NATO’s Maritime Group One, Commodore Rune (Royal Danish Navy) said “The last few months have been ex-tremely busy for the NATO task force. We have, together with our maritime partners, actively disrupted and prevented attacks by armed pi-rate gangs on innocent vessels, who carry the goods and food into our countries. Whilst I am proud of what we have achieved, NATO remains ever vigilant.”
Make a u-turn if possible
Keeping our oceans safe
06 ISSUE 61
Aprilia has announced a precaution-ary recall of a small number of RSV4 motorcycles for engine replacement. This action results from the discov-
ery that a component used in a small group of engines assembled over a limited time period failed to completely meet the factory’s strin-gent quality standards. There have been very few problems with the engines worldwide, but after extensive testing and analysis the factory felt that the risk of potential engine failure was unacceptable. “Our technical team has been in touch with the factory and our dealers, and all affected RSV4 owners will by now have been contacted about the replacement process,” says Andre van Rooyen of Aprilia South Africa. “The replacement engines have arrived from the factory and several have already been in-stalled. We expect that all affected motorcycles will have been processed within two weeks.”
Aprilia recall RSV4
MOTORCYCLEnews
New Harley- Davidson CVO Ultra rides to the dark side
The new 2010 Custom Vehicle Opera-tions (CVO) Ultra Classic Electra Glide trades the shine of chrome for a fade to black in its debut as the new, darker
version of this truly exceptional Harley-David-son Touring motorcycle.
Each motorcycle is serialised from one to 999, and displays a formidable array of blacked out components, led by the serialised insert and the Gloss Black Rumble Collection The new CVO Ultra adds leading-edge technology with a handlebar-mounted Road Tech zūmo 660 GPS Navigator and an integrated automatic lock sys-tem that now includes the ignition knob. The CVO Ultra is powered by a Screamin’ Eagle Twin Cam 110 engine and a six speed Cruise Drive transmission. Besides the black powertrain, this menacing touring bike revels in all things dark
with a crimson mist black / dark slate and flame graphics base colour, and approximately 185 other unique black parts.
The CVO Ultra presents a lower profile up front with a 165 mm smoked windshield and adds premium Touring features like ABS, Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI), 22.71 litre fuel tank, Brembo brakes and 160 watt CD/AM/FM/WB advanced audio system by Harman-Kardon, and passenger audio with controls and cruise control.
The CVO Ultra is built on the innovative Touring chassis introduced by Harley-Davidson in 2009, based on a single-spar, rigid backbone frame and swingarm specifically developed to suit the needs of long-haul touring rides.
After much anticipation from a global adventure biking audience, Yamaha lifted the covers off its all new 1 200 cc Super Ténéré at the Turkish Motoplus
Motorcycle Show in Istanbul on the 25th of February 2010.
Yamaha began with a clean sheet and a clear vision to design the Super Ténéré – the intel-ligent adventure travel bike. They started with a big, powerful engine – using an inline two cylinder layout to keep the bike compact and narrow – and a 270 degree crank for superb feel at the throttle. They kept the mass low and central for light, agile handling from walk-ing pace on a rocky trail to attack velocity in the twisties. They built it tough, with spoked rims and inbuilt engine protection for off road adventures. They made it comfortable and practical for long-haul touring. And they loaded it with the latest in rider assist technology for
exceptional safety and confidence. Features include an adjustable seat height for optimum rider comfort, Yamaha Chip Control-Technology (YCC-T) with three stage traction control that can be turned off when a little rear wheel steer-ing is required, fully adjustable front and rear suspension, ABS that predicts when wheels are about to lose traction and controls it perfectly, whist the intelligent unified brake system al-lows the rider to chose whether he wishes to activate both front and rear brakes by pulling the front brake lever first, or in the event of re-quired individual braking, by applying the rear brake before the front brake the unified brake system is disabled. The Super Ténéré will be equipped with tough, spoked tubeless rims and will feature a shaft driven, two cylinder inline engine layout.
Look out for the Yamaha Super Ténéré on our shores soon.
Yamaha unveils Super Ténéré
08 ISSUE 61
LaunchedAudi A8
Audi’s assault on the premium car segment took another step forward last week with the international launch of its all-new A8 model. Hosted in the holiday town of Marbella on Spain’s south coast, we had the opportunity of putting Audi’s new flagship through its paces in the mountain passes surrounding the small town.
Top Class Contender
11 ISSUE 61
Audi’s goal is to become the best-
selling premium brand in the world
and, with its current model line-
up, is steadily reaching that goal.
However, if it wants to capture market share
from the likes of BMW’s 7 Series and Mercedes-
Benz’s S-Class, It is going to have to be a little
less conservative with the A8’s styling.
It may have Audi’s signature single-frame grille
up front with standard LED headlights, but it
just looks a little plain for a car in this seg-
ment. And the fact that the rear looks like a
big A4 certainly does it no favours. Aside from
the horizontal chrome struts on the grille, you
would be forgiven for not knowing which Audi
model you were looking at when taking a quick
glance.
The interior, however, is another kettle of fish
altogether. Clean lines and easy-to-use ergo-
nomics compliment Audi’s trademark fit and
finish. The usual comfort and convenience fea-
tures such as MMI, dual-zone climate control
and SatNav are augmented by the introduction
of a pioneering innovation: MMI Touch. A small
touch pad located just in front of the gear-shift
means the driver can search for destinations or
names in the phonebook by tracing letters on
the pad itself with your finger.
The new Audi A8 is available in two engine de-
rivatives. The first of these, due for local launch
in the third quarter of 2010, is the 4.2 FSI pet-
rol. Developing 273 kW and 445 Nm of torque,
the 4.2 FSI is capable of reaching 100 km/h in
just 5.7 seconds before running on to a limited
top speed of 250 km/h. On a combined cycle,
the A8 is claimed to return a consumption fig-
ure of 9.5 litres / 100km with emissions of
219g / km.
However, if you don’t mind waiting until the
first quarter of 2011, our preferred engine de-
rivative would have to be the 4.2 TDI. Pushing
258 kW and a monstrous 800 Nm of torque
through Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system,
the 4.2 TDI hits the 100 km/h mark in 5.5
seconds. While boasting the same limited top
speed of 250 km/h, it’s the claimed fuel con-
sumption of 7.6 litres / 100km and emissions
of 199g / km that really impresses.
Two more engines are due to make their way
to the South African market, namely a 3.0 T
FSI and 3.0 TDI, in the first and second quar-
ter of 2011 respectively. All engines are driven
through a new, supremely smooth, eight speed
automatic transmission. Driving the highways,
byways and mountain passes surrounding the
sleepy town of Marbella (it was the off-season
after all) the A8 proved as nimble as it was lux-
urious. For such a large car it was superbly flat
through the corners while city driving proved
comfortable and serene. Everything you would
expect from this class of car. Safety systems,
too, are top notch. Aside from the usual array
of airbags and traction control systems we have
come to expect, a new system, dubbed Audi
pre sense, has made its way into the A8. De-
pendant on the level of the system installed,
Audi pre sense works in conjunction with the
ESP sensors, Audi adaptive cruise control and
Audi side assist to mitigate collisions, whether
from the front, side or rear of the car.
When the system believes a collision is immi-
nent, it closes the windows and sunroof while
pretentioning the seatbelts. The upper backrest
and the headrest are moved into a position that
protects the head against possible whiplash and
the pneumatic side bolsters are filled with air to
secure the driver’s torso.
While pricing and standard features have yet
to be confirmed for the South African market,
we’re still a little unsure as to how well the new
A8 will do at home. While the models we drove
were chock-full of features, most of them will
almost certainly prove to be options and, unlike
the 7 Series or C-Class, the A8’s styling doesn’t
differentiate it enough from its smaller siblings
for drivers of the car to show just how much
money they really have.
12 ISSUE 61
Mark Holdsworth
It gets no less multinational (read con-
fusing) from here either; my driving
partner was a Slovak that can lay claim
to being a good old Edenvale boytjie
too.
But seriously, the Figo might be ‘new’ with
85 percent of the body panels being changed,
but it is ultimately the previous Fiesta dressed
up in some new threads.
This for me is not a bad thing, especially since
the old car was rather good; in fact, I think this
is going to serve this value for money offering
well when it comes to local sales and buyer con-
fidence in the product. While on that subject,
just how cheap will this newcomer be? This is
an important factor as ultimately a car that is
operating in this segment, is judged firstly on
price and then on features.
The good news is that indicative pricing sug-
gests that you will pay between R100 000 and
R110 000 for the entry level 1.4i Ambiente and
from there it should top out at around R130
000 when looking at the top of the range 1.4
TDCi Ambiente or 1.4i Trend.
Trust me; these offerings are far from cheap
and nasty and should make a serious bid for
your money that you would have spent on the
old Citi Golf or Corsa Lite and now more so the
new offerings like Alto and Sandero. Now for
anybody that has driven in India, you will know
that high speed is not top of the priority list of
a potential car buyer, as there are around 1.3
billion people in this country, and they all seem
to be on the roads at the same time along with
the belief that karma will serve them well no
matter what.
So they drive where they want, when they
want, with no apparent fear of being squashed
by a bus or a truck.
In a word, driving here is ‘interesting’ and ulti-
mately slow paced, and for this experience we
only used the 1.4 diesel that produces 50 kW
at 4 000 rpm along with 160 Nm of torque at 2
000 rpm. Hardly tar shredding, but more than
enough to keep you going, more than enough
You don’t believe the world is one small multinational place? Think again! As South Afri-cans we flew to India via the Middle East to drive the new Indian made Ford Figo, which by the way means ‘cool’ in colloquial Italian, and were ultimately hosted by a group of Aussies while we were there.
Top Quality - Budget Price
LaunchedFord Figo
14 ISSUE 61
to see off the competition and also extreme-
ly friendly on the pocket when you get to the
pumps.
For what it is worth, the petrol engine we will
be getting makes 62 kW at 6 000 rpm and 127
Nm at 4 000 rpm. If it was me, and if I had the
budget, I would go for the diesel, but I am sure
that if you understand that these are economi-
cal city cars and not ST wannabes, you will be
satisfied with either.
Drive and handling is what you would expect
and have come to know from the previous Fi-
esta, it is light yet solid in terms of feel and
feedback.
In terms of interior and feature spec, you get
aircon and the other basics in the Ambiente,
but you will have to take the optional Safety
Pack should you want the likes of airbags and
ABS, power steering and then the Ice Feature if
you want radio / CD with MP3 player and iPod
connectivity with four speakers.
For the Trend you get all of this as standard and
as such you are looking at a quality, proven and
spacious car, with a decent level of luxury and
safety at a very competitive price.
Mark Jones
15ISSUE 61
The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo com-
bines space, comfort and variability
in a truly unique style. As a future
oriented extension of the BMW 5
series, the Gran Turismo is quite unparalleled
worldwide, combining the characteristic fea-
tures of a prestige saloon, a modern, highly
versatile SAV, and a classic Gran Turismo in a
brand new, unprecedented style.
Although the new model is all this, it doesn’t
let down the BMW family. Dynamic ability is
unquestioned with traits of a saloon car and
the driving pleasure that we have come to ex-
pect from all BMW models. Of course the big-
gest challenge for BMW was to stay true to
their roots of building cars that are dynamically
good, great drivers cars. I say this is a chal-
lenge because they are doing this while still
producing a car that is very good in terms of
comfort and luxury.
Do I like it? Well that is hard to say because
there is nothing to compare this model to, no
benchmark. BMW is setting the benchmark of
this, another, super niche segment. But for
what it does and does differently, one can not
fault it.
In the go department is a range of highly re-
fined, efficient powerful engines, that can fit in
with your driving styles and needs across the
board. The 535i Gran Turismo comes with the
highly acclaimed straight six engine featuring
twin turbo induction, high precision injection
and valvetronic, helping it to achieve 225 kW
and 400 Nm.
The top engine in the range is the V8 Twin Tur-
bo delivering maximum output of 300 kW and
600 Nm in the 550i Gran Turismo. The 530d
Gran Turismo comes with a 180 kW / 540 Nm,
straight six diesel of the latest generation with
an all aluminium crankcase and common rail
direct fuel injection.
All variants come standard with the eight speed
automatic transmission, previously only seen in
the BMW 760Li twelve cylinder luxury saloon.
This high tech automatic combines gearshift
BMW already has a comprehensive lineup that includes touring, sedan, coupe, roadster and convertible models. They have now extended this lineup with a vehicle that is completely different.
BMW Puts 5 Series On Steroids
LaunchedBMW 5 Series Gran Turismo
16 ISSUE 61
comfort, dynamic performance and efficiency,
thanks to an innovative configuration of gear-
sets.
The interior of the Gran Turismo enables the
driver and passengers to vary the generous
space inside the car as they wish to their indi-
vidual, personal requirements. In their stan-
dard position, the rear seats offer the pas-
sangers the same kind of legroom as in the 7
Series combined with the same headroom as
the BMW X5, in this configuration luggage ca-
pacity is an ample 440 litres. When required,
the rear seats may be moved individually to the
front by up to a hundred millimetres, with leg-
room still remaining the same as in the 5 series
saloon and an increase in luggage capacity to
590 litres. With the rear seats folded down the
luggage space increases to its maximum capac-
ity of 1 700 litres, perfect for carrying almost
any leisure equipment.
Creature comforts include telecommunication
and navigation systems, a USB port, an 80 GB
hard disc for navigational data and the users
private music collection, a multi channel audio
system, a DAB double tuner, a panaroma glass
roof, automatic air conditioning, a DVD enter-
tainment system at the rear, a Head-Up dis-
play as well as an electrically swivelling trailer
hook.
The styling is something to get used to, but that
is simply because the Gran Turismo is so differ-
ent to anything else we have ever seen before.
Does the car make sense? I think so. Because
it does give you that slightly raised ‘command’
driving position. Coupled to this is enormous
amounts of space that is practical to use. BMW
believes that this car will appeal to those peo-
ple that like the space and driving of a regular
SUV, but who will never, ever, venture off road
and who doesn’t need all the technology that
goes into a 4x4 system. It gives everything that
mommies love about the X5, but with more
space. Rear seat comfort and entertainment is
in the league of the 7 Series. Standard safety
features include a full compliment of airbags,
foglamps and adaptive brake lights, with bi-xe-
non dual headlights including a daytime driving
light function.
The BMW 5 series Gran Turismo is also available
as an option with the complete range of fea-
tures including Adaptive headlights with vari-
able light distribution and Bending lights as well
as Cruise Control with Stop & Go, a High Beam
Assistant, Lane Change Warning, Lane Depar-
ture Warning, Speed limit info, BMW Night Vi-
sion with individual persons and surround view
camera.
17ISSUE 61
Reuben van Niekerk
This is where the Polo Vivo comes in, it
is the Volkswagen brand’s new entry-
level car in the A0 segment. It is a
unique Volkswagen offering that has
been created with the aim of once again pro-
viding affordable and accessible mobility to the
South African market. Making it the ideal car
for first time buyers.
The Polo Vivo is essentially the previous gen-
eration Polo platform with a bit of a facelift and
some changes to specification. It will be avail-
able in two body versions, hatchback (two door
and four door) and sedan.
When you see the Vivo for the first time, one
immediately notices its youthful, modern char-
acter. The completely redesigned front end with
the prominent new Volkswagen face makes the
Polo Vivo look dynamic and fresh – it simply fits
in the modern era.
The Polo Vivo will be available with a range of
modern engines to cater for customers needs.
All engines are coupled to a five speed manual
gearbox, with plans for an automatic model in
2011.
The 1.4 litre 55 kW engine starts off the Polo
Vivo range. This four cylinder engine, which
delivers 55 kW at 5 000 rpm, provides ample
power and torque for dynamic driving. In ad-
dition to its lively performance, the 1.4 litre
engine has impressive fuel consumption of 6.2
litres / 100 km. The 55 kW engine will be avail-
able in the two door and four door derivatives.
In terms of specification it offers luxuries such
as power steering, tinted windows and a fresh
air system with four speeds and position con-
trol. In the safety department there are airbags
for the driver and front passenger.
The next choice is the 63 kW 1.4 litre engine.
This four cylinder engine successfully combines
performance dynamics and fuel economy. With
the maximum torque of 132 Nm at 3 600 rpm,
this engine accelerates in 12.2 seconds from
0-100 km/h. It has a top speed of 177 km/h.
On average, it has combined fuel consumption
of 6.2 liters / 100 k.. Extra equipment on these
There is no denying the success of the evergreen Citi Golf over the last thirty years or so, it offered cheap, reliable, quality transport to the masses and was good business for Volkswa-gen. So now with them deciding to discontinue the Citi at the end of last year, Volkswagen had the difficult task of trying to fill this vacant spot in the market.
The New Peoples Car
LaunchedVolkswagen Polo Vivo
18 ISSUE 61
models includes ABS and body coloured bum-
pers.
The 1.6 litre, 77 kW engine adds a bit more
power to the first two options. With a top speed
of 187 km/h, this engine offers exciting per-
formance. The equipment on this model is
increased with ABS and an alarm with remote
central locking.
The 1.6 litre, 77 kW, Trendline model has all
this equipment but also gets a Radio/MP3 with
SD and USB slots, front electric windows and
14 inch alloy wheels.
Most of the luxuries including air conditioning
are available as options on models that do not
have these as part of their standard specifica-
tion.
The key attributes of the Polo Vivo are a low
cost of ownership, due to 70 percent of the
parts being locally manufactured. There is of
course also the German engineering and qual-
ity and of course improved safety measures.
Space and comfort is also improved compared
to the Citi. The Vivo is offered in two trim lev-
els, Base and Trendline.
The Polo Vivo’s low cost of ownership will set
it apart from its competitors. While the cost of
its service parts makes it a strong proposition
in its segment.
In general the residual values of Volkswagen
models as well as the more attractive monthly
insurance payments will also give the Polo Vivo
an edge over its peers in the entry level A0
segment.
Prices
1.4 55 kW 2-Door hatch R101 500
1.4 55 kW hatch R109 900
1.4 63 kW Trendline hatch R119 900
1.6 77 kW hatch R136 900
1.6 77 kW Trendline hatch R144 900
1.4 55 kW sedan R115 800
1.4 63 kW Trendline sedan R125 800
1.6 77 kW sedan R142 800
1.6 77 kW Trendline sedan R150 800
Reuben van Niekerk
19ISSUE 61
Suzuki SX4Launched
They did say something about the front
grill being different; I couldn’t really
notice anything because it has been
a while since I have driven an ‘old’
SX4. So don’t expect to see too much either.
I am not going to try and list the already men-
tioned 25 changes, but I am going to tell you
about some of the big important ones. First up
there is an all new 2.0 litre engine that now
makes 112 kW, up from 107 and an extra
3.3 percent of torque that now comes in at a
figure of 190 Nm.
We were told that this new engine is way
smoother, more economical and greener than
the old, but again, too many cars between now
and the last time I drove an SX4 to honestly tell
if this is true, but I can report that this engine
did a fine job of lugging the Suzuki around the
Magaliesburg.
Suzuki did go on to claim that fuel consumption
of the front-wheel drive SX4 2.0 manual has
been reduced from 8.4 to 7.3 litres / 100 km
and the CVT sips a mere 7.6 litres compared to
the 9.5 of the old auto.
Where the changes for the better get obvious
is the move from a five speed manual box to a
new six speed unit, this smooth shifting box is
every bit as good as you would expect and of
course also contribute to the improved efficien-
cy of the SX4. But if blasting past traffic is your
thing, then be prepared to drop a few gears in
order for that to happen in some form.
But since blasting is not this car’s claim to
fame, you might find yourself opting for the all
new CVT transmission that replaces the old five
speed auto. Make no mistake, this is no double
clutch lightning quick affair and to be blunt, I
can’t see too many owners toggling with the
paddle shifters located behind the steering
wheel.
What the CVT does allow for, is relaxed urban
driving and this is the model I would opt for if
I was to spend the bulk of my day in the traf-
Can you believe it? It is already time for Suzuki’s popular SX4 to be refreshed. The car only got to us in the middle of June 2008! The good news for owners of existing SX4’s is that I remember something in the press briefing being said that there has been 25 changes and almost all of them are under the skin so to speak.
Hatchback Meets Compact SUV
20 ISSUE 61
fic. I have left the biggest change for last and
that is the top of the range six speed manual
only model now comes with intelligent all wheel
drive. So now not only are you driving a solid
and well built hatch, you are also in what could
be called a mini SUV. And switching from stan-
dard 2WD mode to 4WD Auto and 4WD lock is
done simply at the flick of a switch on the fly.
So no wasting fuel cruising around in four wheel
drive all day on pristine roads (although those
are fast becoming less and less), and even
when you switch to 4WD Auto the real wheels
are only activated when required due to slip-
page of the front wheels.
We did tackle a dirt route after lunch, but again,
although it was rather rutted and bumpy, it
wasn’t really a test for the all wheel drive sys-
tem. In saying that, most of the time, you won’t
use your SX4 for more than this anyway. It is
really good, but I wouldn’t advise just tackling
an overland trip through the sand dunes of say
Mozambique or Nambia.
The interior has also seen a few tweaks along
the lines of new trim for the doors and seats,
and a completely new instrument cluster, and
a new climate control panel to name but some.
The bottom line is that SX4 has been a pretty
good car up to now, and with the new changes
it has got even better!
Pricing
Suzuki SX4 2.0 Manual R209 500
Suzuki SX4 2.0 CVT R224 500
Suzuki SX4 2.0 AWD Manual R229 500
Mark Jones
55 2nd Avenue, Cnr Corlett Drive, KewTel: 086 1 673 673 (011) 887 5422
SUZUKI BRAMLEYGreg van Kerckhoven 083 450 9662Andrew Koen 082 454 6085Hymie Dinner 083 702 7027Greg Read 082 490 0076 Clive van Kerckhoven 083 462 1313
Website: www.suzukibramley.co.za Email: [email protected]
Mercedes-Benz E250 & C220 CDILaunched
The introduction of a brand new generation, four cylinder, twin-turbodiesel engine from Mercedes-Benz outstrips all previous benchmarks for performance, torque, emission properties and most notably, fuel economy in this segment.
Cleaner And Meaner
This engine in the C-Class body pro-
duces 125 kW and 400 Nm from
1 600 rpm and is easily capable of
achieving fuel consumption figures of
5.8 litres / 100 km and a 230 km/h top speed.
This means that it delivers around 20 percent
more power than the engine it replaces, with
torque up 25 percent. Despite these increases
the diesel burns less fuel than its predecessor
and as a consequence, CO2 emissions are re-
duced by as much as 13 percent.
In the E-Class, the same engine, but with dif-
ferent electronics, produces 150 kW and 500
Nm from 1 600 rpm. While returning even lower
fuel figures of 5.8 litres / 100 kilometres. ‘‘This
takes our new four-cylinder twin-turbo unit into
the realm which has so far been the preserve
of the six cylinder diesel – all combined with
exemplary fuel economy,’’ says Reandran Thul-
kanam, Product Manager, Mercedes-Benz cars.
Driving these cars one can appreciate the ad-
vances that have been made. The new engines
have a powerful feel to them, are responsive,
have great pulling power and impressed with
great levels of smoothness for a four cylinder
diesel engine.
Mercedes-Benz say that these new engines re-
define standards for power output and torque
on the one hand and for fuel consumption and
exhaust emissions on the other, setting bench-
mark figures at first production.
Technology abounds inside these engines. The
long stroke of the motor is typically good for
torque, and it is of a compact design with cam-
shaft drive at the rear, for increased pedestrian
safety. Fuel supply is taken care of by fourth
generation common rail technology, which
helps to reduce engine noise and emissions.
This engine meets EU5 standards, a first for a
Mercedes-Benz, four cylinder engine.
The exemplary figures achieved by the new en-
gine are the result of a whole raft of innovative
technologies. These include fourth generation
common rail technology with a rail pressure
that has been increased by 400 bar to 2 000
bar, plus a new piezoelectric injector. The oil
spray nozzles are activated in accordance with
requirements to save energy. Two water jackets
guarantee maximum cooling even at the points
of greatest thermal radiation, it is this that en-
ables an ignition pressure of 200 bar and such
a high power to displacement ratio.
Aluminium pistons slide up and down in cast
iron barrels for minimum frictional resistance.
To compensate for the free vibration moments
which are inherent to four cylinder inline en-
gines there are two Lancaster balancer shafts
23ISSUE 61
at the bottom of the engine block running in low
friction roller bearings.
These engines also make use of two turbos that
are connected in series, one behind the other.
First in line is a small turbo with a small im-
peller, which is capable of spinning at higher
speeds. Behind that is a bigger turbo.
The small turbo works at low engine speeds
whereafter it is bypassed by a bypass duct or
wastegate when the large turbo takes over.
The advantages of twin turbo chargers is the
elimination of turbo lag from pull off. The new
turbocharger system is perfectly complimented
by an intercooler that has been enlarged com-
pared to the previous series-production ver-
sion.
The electrically controllable water and oil pump
which can be activated in accordance with re-
quirements are also unique features for a stan-
dard production diesel engine
A number of BlueEfficiency measures include,
a thinner windscreen, underbody cladding,
brake force regeneration, fire wall cladding,
power steering on demand and the gearbox
program will always default to comfort when
restarted. The gearbox also shifts to park when
zero road speed is detected and will automati-
cally reingage drive as soon as the accelerator
is pressed.
The new engines have a powerful feel to them,
delights with their tremendous pulling power
and is extremely smooth. It enables perfor-
mance, propelling the C-Class sedan from
standstill to 100 km/h in a mere 7.7 seconds
and the E-Class sedan from 0 – 100 km/h in
7.8 seconds.
Apart from its outstanding power output data,
the new drive units also boasts markedly su-
perior torque build up from low revs compared
to the engine it replaces, along with a class-
beating torque characteristics curve.
This means that the engine can be run ex-
tremely economically at low rev speeds in rou-
tine driving situations.
In spite of all the cutting edge technology em-
ployed in these two new models, development
work is continuing on the possibilities offered
by ultra-flexible injection timing with a view to
exerting an even more positive effect on engine
transmissions.
The new four cylinder engines are environmen-
tally friendly, a good value proposition with nu-
merous standard features including five speed
automatic transmission, and retail at:
C220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY sedan R387 000
C220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY estate R396 000
E250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY sedan R517 000
E250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY estate TBA
Reuben van Niekerk
24 ISSUE 61
LaunchedLexus LX570
If one mentions the word Lexus, you immediately think luxury, because that is all that these cars are about. There isn’t a model in the Lexus lineup that doesn’t ooze luxury.
The World’s Most Luxurious Real 4x4
27ISSUE 61
The introduction of the LX570 marks
the biggest, in sheer size, and argu-
ably the most luxurious Lexus now
available. But it doesn’t stop there,
it’s a serious 4x4 too. By serious I don’t mean
pavement hopper SUV type like one finds all
over on our pothole ridden roads, no this is a
real serious off roader.
“Engineers set out to build the most capable
off-road vehicle ever produced without sacrific-
ing the level of luxury expected of a Lexus. With
the LX570 they have met this challenge. The
LX incorporates virtually everything you could
want from an SUV including space, versatility,
luxury and off-road ability,” says Kevin Flynn,
General Manager of Lexus SA.
So its no surprise then that underneath the
skin, the LX570 has stolen technology from the
Master of Africa, the all conquering Toyota Land
Cruiser. This technology includes state of the
art suspension and full time four wheel drive
systems as well as Crawl Control, allowing the
driver to concentrate on manoeuvering over
rough or difficult surfaces at low speeds without
the need for throttle or brake application.
The LX570’s transfer case provides full time four
wheel drive that is equally adept at handling the
rigors of slippery winter muddy conditions. A
2.618:1 low range ratio is available for helping
you to clear challenging driving surfaces. This
system uses a Torsen limited slip locking centre
differential to distribute power 40:60 front to
rear, directing more power to the wheels with
the best grip, should slippage occur.
Four wheel active traction control (A-TRAC)
employs both brake and throttle intervention to
help control wheel spin. Vehicle Stability Con-
trol (VSC) helps maintain directional control
during cornering and can be disengaged if need
be. All these systems are controlled, by neatly
layed out switches in the centre console.
The LX570, easily conquered all of the 4x4 ob-
stacles we subjected it to, but what was even
more impressive was the manner and comfort
that these obstacles were conquered. This vehi-
cle doesn’t make a fuss of anything, it is effort-
less in its task. Inside the cabin, occupants are
transported in absolute comfort, where other
such vehicles would see their occupants bounc-
ing around the cabin, in the Lexus, the trip is
smooth and relaxing.
With a 5.7 litre engine at its heart the LX is the
most powerful Lexus SUV ever. The V8 deliv-
ers the punch and power demanded in this seg-
ment, producing 270 kW at 5 600 rpm and 530
Nm at 3 600 rpm. 90 percent of this torque is
available at just 2 200 rpm, which is ideal for
28 ISSUE 61
towing applications. The engine is mated to a
six speed sequential shift automatic transmis-
sion, designed and built for heavy duty driv-
ing.
The chassis is equipped with an advanced sus-
pension system. Body on frame construction
provides ruggedness and durability in extreme
driving conditions, plus impressive towing ca-
pability and ride isolation characteristics. Tow-
ing capacity is a massive 3 500 kg. An electro
hydraulic system with four wheel Active Height
Control (AHC) and Adaptive Variable Suspen-
sion (AVS) reacts more quickly and allows for a
greater range of adjustment.
The independent double-wishbone front sus-
pension allows for 228.6 mm of total front
wheel travel for outstanding articulation over
rough roads and obstacles. The four link trail-
ing arm rear suspension retains the solid axle
configuration for strength and durability. Sus-
pension geometry helps promote control, and
spring and damper rates are optimized for ride
smoothness.
The vehicle is equipped with ten standard air-
bags, including driver and front passenger knee
airbags, front and second row seat mounted
airbags in the outboard seating positions and
side curtain airbags for all three rows. All eight
seating positions feature three point seatbelts.
As the Lexus is all about luxury, all the normal
luxury features, that other manufactures often
have on their options list, are standard equip-
ment on the LX570. These features include,
four zone independent climate a control, navi-
gation system, Mark Levinson Sound System
with 19 speakers and six disc DVD changer and
rear seat entertainment. There is also a reverse
rear camera which helps to avoid low obstacles
while reversing.
The front and rear seat occupants can enjoy
different audio-visual modes at the same time.
The rear seat entertainment system features a
DVD player with audio and video inputs as well
as a two prong electrical outlet for powering
your favourite gaming system.
With 28 total air vents, the climate control sys-
tem is designed to bathe occupants in comfort-
able air, even during extreme heat. Individual
settings allow the driver and front passenger to
adjust their preferred temperature, while con-
trols in the second row adjust settings for the
rear passengers.
In terms of design a wide stance and muscu-
lar cabin proportions are accented with subtle
character lines and luxury touches such as
chrome plated door handles and mouldings.
29 ISSUE 61
Pronounced wheel arches add an element of
ruggedness to the elegant profile.
Wide rear combination lights emphasize the
large size of the sculpted rear door that opens
in a vertical split fashion. The rear lights employ
high intensity LED’s and a specially designed
diffusion pattern to project radiance and to give
drivers following behind ample visibility of the
vehicle.
The inside of the LX570 is an inviting space for
up to eight passengers and their cargo. The
front seats are of course adjustable in every di-
rection while the second row of seats move for-
ward and backwards at the touch of a button.
If you are in the market for a vehicle with ex-
ceptional off road abilities to rival that of Toy-
ota’s Land Cruiser 200, but want something a
little more luxurious and with every modcon
you can imagine, this is the vehicle for you.
The Lexus LX570 retails for R1 085 000, which
includes a four year / 100 000 km warranty and
maintenance plan.
Reuben van Niekerk
LaunchedToyota Auris X
Toyota and motorsport go hand in hand in SA, just as do Toyota and volume sales in SA, and I was recently given a taste of both at the launch of the new Auris X in and around the Eastern Cape.
Refinement With A Touch Of Sporty
31 ISSUE 61
Now although Toyota use the Auris
platform for their highly success-
ful and lightning fast S2000 rally
car of the same name in our local
national rally championship, likening this car to
the one you can buy at a dealership is like com-
paring Lady Gaga to the Queen.
Sure, both are women, both ultimately have
some of the same bits and pieces, but can you
really imagine the Queen in fishnets and sing-
ing about disco sticks all night long? If this is
not enough to get the message across then I
can assure you that if you ever get the chance
to go for a spin in a S2000 rally car, you will
know exactly what I mean.
The completely stripped out and tricked out
all wheel drive car makes around 200 kW and
runs through a short ratio fully sequential gear-
box and devours dirt like I imagine Lady Gaga
would choir boys...
But that does not mean that the Auris X is not
sporty in its own right, with the entire range
now getting high powered and class leading
(relevant to their class in terms of output) Op-
timal Drive power plants.
The 97 kW / 160 Nm 1.6 litre engine, which was
the one I got to sample in the SportX model
does a pretty decent job of getting you from A
to B. Toyota also claim a significant reduction
in fuel consumption over the old less powerful
motor.
I never got to sample them but for the record
there is a new 74 kW 1.3 litre Optimal Drive
derivative that replaces the old 1.4 litre engine
and a 2.0 litre D-4D model that is also optimal
friendly and churns out an impressive 93 kW
and 310 Nm.
Moving back to the SportX, obviously, attack-
ing mountain passes via liberal use of the new
six speed manual transmission that is standard
across the range on a launch drive is not the
place to even begin to try and give you a rea-
sonable figure to work with, but I am sure you
will be able to get it comfortably into the 7.0
litre / 100 km bracket without too much effort.
The chassis and suspension have remained
pretty much as is, which is a good thing be-
cause this Auris can really get around a corner
for a front wheel drive car that does not have
any nanny systems to help you out.
Herein though lies my only gripe with the model
range, and that is it does not come with ESP or
even as an option to have it installed at your
own cost. So no EuroNCAP five star rating for
Auris in SA. But in Toyota’s defence, their com-
petition also mostly choose to leave this vital
piece of safety equipment off their cars and we
32 ISSUE 61
as the buying public don’t seem to care or make
a fuss about it either, so life will continue or end
as per normal on our roads.
Getting to the other major part of the refresh
exercise, the exterior. As I already mentioned
I got to drive the SportX, and this particular
model really looks the part with its fully import-
ed yet quite subtle body kit and would be my
pick of the range.
There have also been extensive changes in the
form of revised styling for the bonnet, front
bumper, radiator grille, front spoiler and head-
lamp cluster, along with side mirrors that now
incorporate a turn indicator.
At the rear upgrades include revised styling for
the bumper, tail light cluster, roof spoiler, num-
ber plate surround, and radio antenna along
with new alloys.
Under the skin you also get a side cover for
the fuel tank, a rear under floor cover, and rear
spats along with fin shaped spats that are now
fitted ahead of the front wheels and act to en-
hance brake cooling and smooth air flow around
the front wheels.
The interior is also not left untouched, and now
you get soft-touch and metallic finishes to go
with revised upholstery material and a square-
bottomed shaped steering wheel that comes
with satellite controls for the radio, Bluetooth
and on-board computer to name just some of
the new stuff you can find in the Auris X.
To be honest though, I feel Toyota are missing
a real performance, ala GTI, offering in their
stable, but if going completely gaga is not your
style, then the stylish, sporty and well behaved
Auris X could be just the car you are looking
for.
Pricing
Toyoya Auris X 1.3 74 kW / 132 Nm
R199 900
Toyota Auris XI 1.6 97 kW / 160 Nm
R216 000
Toyota Auris XS 1.6 97 kW / 160 Nm
R232 400
Toyota Auris SportX 97 kW / 160 Nm
R243 800
Toyota Auris XR 97 kW / 160 Nm
R253 900
Toyota Auris XD 93 kW / 310 Nm
R268 800
Mark Jones
Introducing the new FordBantam. The bakkie that works harder than
any other creature on earth. Now available in the smoothest diesel engine
in its category, the 1.4 TDCi. The DuraTorq TDCi engine develops 50 kW
and 160 Nm, while returning a fuel consumption fi gure of 19.6km/l.* Also
available in 1.3 and 1.6 RoCam petrol engines. *Manufacturer’s fi gure.
www.ford.co.za
JWT55233/E
Now I am not sure if the market-
ing people believe what they are
saying and are then actually genu-
inely more confused by our lack of
understanding of what they are trying to spin
than anything else, or is it a case of them sim-
ply being used to spending lots of money with
the motoring media in the form of advertising,
advertorial or whatever else and thus expecting
whatever they say to be lapped up verbatim.
What I also know, based on firsthand experi-
ence, is that if you don’t play ball, you run the
very real chance of finding yourself and your
publication being left off launch invites lists
along with the orders for advertising also go-
ing A.W.O.L.
So now you will understand what I mean when
I say that one of the few things I enjoy about
Hyundai car launches is that they don’t spend
hours trying to convince you with PowerPoint
slide after PowerPoint slide that their cars are
something that they are not.
Hyundai’s Marketing Director, Stanley Ander-
son, was straight when he said the new i30 is
no GTI and will not get these types of poten-
tial owners beating down his doors. But what
Hyundai have done is bring a C segment hatch
to market that is exceptionally good and well
priced to boot. You can clearly see that this Ko-
rean car is designed and styled in Europe, there
are no frilly bits with the i30, the exterior styl-
ing is clean and functional, and for me this car
looks no better or worse than anything else you
can buy for the same money. This uncomplicat-
ed theme continues on the inside with both the
1.6 and 2.0 litre being very similarly equipped.
This in plain Hyundai speak once again means
that you get just about everything you could
want from a hatch in terms of luxury and con-
venience.
Full leather on both, Radio / CD with USB and
Auxiliary connections, multi function on board
computer, height and reach adjustable steer-
ing column, electric windows and central lock-
ing to name but some of the no cost standard
options. Basically the 2.0 litre only gets a sun-
For my sins I have sat through many hours of boring and expensive marketing talk, laid on seriously thick in an attempt to hype up and position a car nowhere near where it will ultimately perform in the real world.
No Nonsense Top Class Hatch
LaunchedHyundai i30
34 ISSUE 61
roof and cruise control over the 1.6 litre! Out
on the road, both the 89 kW / 153 Nm 1.6 litre
and the 105 kW / 186 Nm 2.0 litre make easy
work of getting around. Claimed top speed is
188 and 195 km/h respectively, not that this is
all that important with a car like this. What is
more important is the claimed fuel consump-
tion and CO2 figures, now with CO2 taxation
becoming another harsh reality, that come in
at a very average 7.5 and 8.6 litres / 100 km
and a very good 165 and 182 grams / km for
the two offerings.
What I didn’t like at this point is that both the
cars come with a rather short ratio five speed
manual transmission only, and this resulted in
them running around 4 000 rpm at an indicated
120 km/h. Although an auto is being considered
at a later stage, I would have preferred to see a
six speed box being used and then being able to
have slightly more relaxed cruising in top gear.
Going this route probably would also see the
fuel consumption claims improving too.
Now where Hyundai have really left most of the
competition for dead is in the safety stakes.
Sure the cars have no less than six airbags,
seatbelt pre-tensioners, ABD and EBD just like
most, so this is no big deal. But what is and
should be a big deal is the fact that both come
as standard with ESP (Electronic Stability Pro-
gram). This little device that finds its way into
similar cars overseas but is left out of the cars
we get by our local manufactures hiding un-
ashamedly behind the excuse of excessive cost
and you the customer wanting sunroofs rather,
is the one invention according to the EuroNCAP
institution in the past few years to make the
biggest impact on reducing fatal accidents.
This alone should make you seriously think
about how much you value your own and your
family’s lives when driving on our roads that
are littered with high speed, unlicensed, drunk
and simply rude and inconsiderate drivers.
The i30 1.6 litre and 2.0 litre can be had for
R189 900 and R229 900 respectively which
alone makes them a very attractive proposi-
tion. This price also includes Hyundai’s unri-
valled combination of a five year / 150 000 km
warranty and a five year / 100 000 km service
plan.
So don’t be surprised to one of these cars in
the finals of the South African Guild of Motor-
ing Journalists Car of the Year competition next
year giving the other finalists a serious run for
their money, just like the i20 did this year!
Hyundai Zambezi1081 Zambezi Drive, Montana Park 0159 TEL: 012 523 2700 EMAIL: [email protected]
Official Partner
Mark Jones
TestedRenault Clio III & Twingo RS
Last year was a big year for Renault, they had an unheard of number of new vehicle launches whilst at the same time running a widespread ad campaign and new service deal. Time will tell whether or not it was successful, but in the meantime we took a look at two of their most important new offerings in the market namely the Clio and Twingo RS.
So You Wouldn’t Buy A Renault?
37ISSUE 61
Let’s start off with the more sensible
(depending where your senses lie) of
the two choices, the Clio III. The Clio
has always been a highly successful
car, since it first appeared on the scene in 1990
it has recorded almost ten million sales. Even
though we only got introduced to the Clio in
1999 with the launch of the second-generation
model, it is clear that South Africans have also
taken to this car; it even won the coveted SA
Car of the Year award in 2000.
And with the launch of the third generation Clio
last year, Renault is looking to cement the Clio’s
reputation as one of the best B-segment cars
around. The latest generation Clio features an
updated look and draws on the distinctive styl-
ing set by the rest of Renault’s new car offer-
ings. But striking new looks isn’t what sets the
Clio apart; it’s the kit you get with it that does
so.
The new Clio is the first B-segment car that
comes standard with a fully integrated GPS
navigation system. This is thanks to a partner-
ship between Renault and TomTom, the Dutch
navigation company. The Carminat TomTom
unit is accessed via a 15 cm colour screen;
positioned high up on the dashboard for opti-
mal driver visibility and it is fully updateable by
means of a supplied 2Gb SD card. Navigation
instructions are transmitted through the car’s
speakers, and volume is adjusted via steering
wheel-mounted satellite controls. In addition,
a separate remote control is provided for ulti-
mate ease-of-use and safer driving. The Carmi-
nat TomTom displays traffic information, speed
restrictions and speed camera alerts, while the
screen also serves as the central multimedia
display for the radio, MP3 playlists and Blue-
tooth cellphone integration.
The Clio 1.6 Dynamique, as the car is officially
called, possesses a multitude of exclusive fea-
tures that sets it apart from the rest of the seg-
ment. The previous Clio’s feature list is carried
over to the new Clio and this is further sup-
plemented with the inclusion of cruise control
with speed limiter, cornering lights, automatic
climate control, a combined rain and light sen-
sor, electric windows all round, and heated
electronic folding mirrors.
In addition to these great technologies Clio
owners will also have access to a MP3-compati-
ble CD sound system which features integrated
Bluetooth capability for your mobile phone as
well as separate connections for an iPod and
USB device.
And as always, safety is one of Renault’s great-
est priorities. You’ll do well to remember that
the Clio was the first car in its class to score
four stars in the Euro NCAP crash test rat-
38 ISSUE 61
ing in 2000, and it was the first to score the
maximum of five stars in 2005. Similarly the
new Clio 1.6 Dynamique boasts ABS anti-lock
brakes with Electronic Brake-force Distribution
(EBD) and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA). The
Clio also sports dual front and side airbags, as
well as curtain and knee airbags to ensure the
highest level of occupant safety.
And last, but definitely not least, let’s take a
look at what’s going on beneath the bonnet.
The new Clio retains the familiar 1.6 litre 16
valve engine renowned for its combination
of performance and economy. The motor will
produce 83 kW at 6 000 rpm and 151 Nm of
torque at 4 250 rpm and is mated to a five-
speed manual transmission. Fuel consump-
tion was a major factor in creating the new
Clio and consequently this unit is credited with
a combined cycle fuel consumption figure of
6.6 litres / 100 km’s, along with a CO2 emis-
sions rating of 157 g/km.
Further value for money is insured when look-
ing at Renault’s service plans. You will receive
a three-year / 45 000 km service plan as well
as Renault’s three-year / 100 000 km warranty,
this is all fully back by Renault Confiance, an
all-encompassing care package designed to
give you continued peace of mind.
All in all, the new Clio is a great little car, its uni-
versally appealing styling and features makes it
a car anyone can drive.
But now let’s take a quick look at the Twingo
RS, a car that may not be as universally ap-
pealing or sensible as the Clio, but still a ton
of fun to drive. As with other Renault Sport
models the Twingo RS continues the tradition
of creating sporty, distinctive cars based on
mainstream production models. And the Re-
nault Sport badge confirms that this isn’t just a
makeover, it’s serious sporting credentials.
With its aggressive hot hatchback styling it’s
obvious to see that the Twingo RS is aimed at
the more youthful side of the market and it’s
sure to be a breath of fresh air in the hotly con-
tested B-segment. Unique elements on the RS
include all-new bumpers, wider front and rear
fenders, sculpted sills, and an aerodynamically
optimised spoiler, so it’s definitely not just a
Twingo with a shiny badge.
In addition to the changes on the outside, the
Twingo RS also exudes a different feel inside
with its Renault Sport-branded seats, orange-
detailed seatbelts, leather-trimmed steering
wheel, sporty (and creative) aluminium pedals
and perhaps the most important and definitely
the most fun, the RS-specific rev counter with
shift light indicator.
Powering this pint-sized beast is a highly tuned
twin-camshaft 1.6 litre engine, this naturally
aspirated 16 valve unit produces a maximum
output of 98 kW at 6 750 rpm coupled to a
peak torque of 160 Nm at 4 400 rpm. This free-
revving powerplant has been designed for both
flexibility and performance, and this is clearly
evident. In relaxed driving it feels like any other
small car, it’s comfortable to drive but delivers
benign performance.
But when you push the revs above 4 500 rpm
you’ll be delighted to find that the Twingo RS
willingly obliges with some punch. And while
this is no M3, it’s still supreme fun flinging this
little RS through the corners, tyres screeching
and all.
The Twingo RS will also propel you from 0 to
100 km/h in 8.7 seconds and will reach a top
speed just short of 200 km/h, not bad at all
for a B-segment hatch when you stop to think
about it. Transmission is provided in the form
of a Renault Sport-optimised version of the JR5
five speed manual gearbox featuring a close-
ratio gear set and a quick, precise gearshift ac-
tion. Estimated fuel consumption is also on the
low end, with Renault claiming 7.0 litres / 100
km while the equivalent CO2 emissions come
to 165 g/km.
While we’re on emissions, the purpose-de-
signed four-into-one exhaust system not only
adds a characteristically sporty exhaust note
to the car, it also plays a vital role in optimis-
ing performance while ensuring low emissions.
Whilst the Twingo RS is focussed on delivering
a sporty driving experience this doesn’t mean
Renault has skimped on other aspects of its de-
sign. The specifically adapted chassis and sus-
pension ensures high levels of comfort whilst
boosting safety for overall driving enjoyment.
Precise handling is one of the Twingo RS’s
strongest points though and the car will retain
its composure even when being pushed a bit.
ESP stability and traction control also provides
additional safety and may keep you on the road
when you run out of talent. However, true to
the performance credentials of the Renault
Sport brand, the ESP can be switched off if you
feel you don’t need it.
In addition to being sporty looking and quick
around the corners, the Twingo RS is however
still a normal everyday car as well. And in keep-
ing up with this ‘normal’ car business it features
dual front airbags, a CD/MP3 player, air condi-
tioning and electric windows.
Furthermore, Renault has recognised the strong
appeal that the Twingo RS has on younger
drivers and now offers a free advanced driving
course with every Twingo RS sold in South Af-
rica, a truly unprecedented benefit in the small
car segment.
The training course is provided by the Renault
Driver Academy and focuses on safe driving
techniques while allowing their owners to spend
some time with their new cars where they be-
long, on the track. So if you’re swayed more by
the practicality of the Clio or the attitude of the
Twingo RS, you’re sure to find something you’ll
like in one of them.
Johan Keyter
SPECIFICATIONSRenault Twingo RS1.6 litre 16v Naturally Aspirated98 kW @ 6 750 rpm160 Nm @ 4 400 rpm10.53 seconds17.55 seconds @ 130.69 km/h32.02 seconds @ 162.82 km/h197.87 km/h @ 6 500 rpm in 5thR195 000
Model: Engine: Power: Torque: 0-100 km/h: ¼ Mile: 1 KM: True Top Speed: Price:
Renault Clio III1.6 litre 16v Naturally Aspirated83 kW @ 6 000 rpm151 Nm @ 4 250 rpm12.69 seconds18.50 seconds @ 121.27 km/h34.13 seconds @ 151.00 km/h183.20 km/h @ 5 750 rpm in 5thR188 000
Model: Engine: Power: Torque: 0-100 km/h: ¼ Mile: 1 KM: True Top Speed: Price:
Apply online atwww.wesbank.co.za
39 ISSUE 60
The Volkswagen family face that has
been specially adapted to the new
Polo emphasises the cars additional
width and conveys an image of the
cars low centre of gravity and at first glance
one can easily mistake it for a Golf 6. The rear
end is characterised by geometric order and
sportiness. The new 1.6 litre engine express-
es itself as maximum power with minimal fuel
consumption, Volkswagen claims a low figure
of 6.4 litres / 100 km, but we got it in the mid
sevens during the combined driving cycle. This
engine reaches its peak power of 77 kW at 5
250 rpm and produces 155 Nm at 3 500 rpm
In the past the 1.6 litre engines that we have
seen from Volkswagen have been rather punchy,
offering formidable performance and zippy ac-
celeration. But this engine coupled to the Tip-
tronic gearbox was a real let down. Hooked up
to our Vbox testing equipment the Polo also did
not break any records. The 0 – 100 km/h sprint
was done in 16.37 seconds and the quarter mile
passed in 20.69 seconds on its way to a re-
spectable 184.76 km/h top speed.
The interior has been redesigned and freshened
up but as far as one can tell it has not increased
in size at all, knee room in the rear for example
was increased by a whole 8 mm. Special at-
tention has been paid to driver ergonomics and
what Volkswagen emphasises is that the centre
console is now turned more toward the driver
for convenience, in reality, and especially in the
automatic, ones left leg is constantly hitting
against the centre console.
But importantly the Polo is still a nice neutral
car to drive, with great handling. VW has re-
designed many aspects of the new Polo’s chas-
sis with its McPherson front suspension and
semi-independent rear suspension, resulting
in an increase of track, resulting in improved
vehicle dynamics and enhanced comfort. Im-
proved directional stability, thanks to complete-
ly redesigned front suspension, ensures a little
car that feels extremely stable at high speeds.
Comfortline specification includes body coloured
outside mirror housings and door handles, dual
headlights and 15 inch alloys.
The Polo, in Comfortline specification, is right
up there with the best in terms of interior con-
venience. It boasts semi-automatic climate
control, electrically adjustable and heated ex-
terior mirrors, additional height adjustment on
the front passengers seat, storage pockets on
the front seatbacks, illuminated vanity mirrors
for driver and passenger and various chrome
accents decorating the cabin.
Overall the Polo is still not a bad buy, especially
if one considers the good looking interior and
exceptional fuel consumption and I am sure
this Polo will be just as popular as the previ-
ous model. Yes, it is no sports car but with this
tiptronic gearbox it is the ideal car for someone
who spends a lot of time battling through the
daily traffic.
Previous generations of the VW Polo were a resounding success, but can the new model live up to this legacy? It certainly looks better, but does it go better?
Reuben van Niekerk
Tested Volkswagen Polo 1.6 Tiptronic Comfortline
Wanna play Polo?
40 ISSUE 61
SPECIFICATIONSVolkswagen Polo 1.6 litre Tiptronic 1.6 litre Normally Aspirated77 kW @ 5 250 rpm155 Nm @ 3 500 rpm 16.37 seconds 20.69 seconds @ 113.49 km/h37.10 seconds@ 145.19 km/h 184.76 km/h @ 5 300 in 5th gear R197 900
Model: Engine: Power: Torque: 0-100 km/h: ¼ Mile: 1 KM: True Top Speed: Price:
Apply online atwww.wesbank.co.za
As the finalists for this competition
are decided by a vote of all the
members of the SA Guild of Motor-
ing Journalists and then by the jury
that ultimately goes out and evaluates these
cars, sentiment does not enter the equation
when it comes to not getting enough votes. And
that is exactly what happened with the Cerato,
and I think this was because quite a few other
motoring journalists also didn’t get to experi-
ence the car.
But back to the car I did get to drive, the Koup.
It is Kia’s first two door coupe, and it is lower,
shorter and lighter than the four door Cerato
sedan, and it shows just by looking at it. I think
the styling is cool, perhaps add a nice set of big
aftermarket alloys to complete the package.
But not only is it good looking, it also has a qual-
ity feel to it when you get inside. Full leather is
the order of the day as is all the other luxury
you expect in the form of a six-speaker audio
system linked to a MP3 Radio / CD player with
AUX / USB and iPod connectivity along with re-
mote controls on the steering wheel, aircon and
power everything else.
What you also get is a decent amount of interior
space for a two door coupe. My young daugh-
ters, aged ten and six, could easily fit in the
back, but it would be stretching your imagina-
tion a bit if you think a few fully grown South
African adults will be comfortable on a long trip
to the coast.
And getting to the coast will be quite a cost
friendly and fuss free exercise as the Kia’s new
2.0 litre 114.7 kW / 194.2 Nm (don’t ask me
about the 0.7 and 0.2 either) ‘Theta II’ engine
that replaces the old ‘Beta’ engine is more pow-
erful and economical.
The Koup got to 100 km/h in just over 10 sec-
onds before going on to record a true top speed
just short of 208 km/h. I also averaged a very
good 7.5 litres / 100 km, with a heavy portion
of town and traffic driving in that mix. No doubt
that will get better the more you use the open
road and the convenient steering wheel acti-
vated cruise control. Being a Koup means that
you would expect it to handle like one, and for
this the 20 kg lighter car features a tweaked
suspension that is also 10 mm lower front and
rear. Braking is also good thanks to 280 mm
ventilated front discs and 262 mm solid rear
disc brakes all running ABS with EBD.
What is also good to see is that despite the at-
tractive pricing of the Koup, Kia has not left out
any active safety systems like TCS (Traction
Control System) and ESC (Electronic Stability
Control), the one feature that is said to have
made the biggest difference in road fatalities in
the past couple of years.
For a Korean car that costs only R209 995, I
think the Kia Cerato Koup has the looks, qual-
ity and ride to be taken seriously by those of
you who want something a bit different from
the norm!
I never got to drive the Kia Cerato Sedan which was a pity because I heard it is a very good car and the Cerato Koup on test here simply reinforced that I had missed out. In fact there were some that felt it was a travesty that it didn’t make it into the 2010 Car of the Year competition.
Mark Jones
Tested Kia Cerato Koup
SPECIFICATIONSKia Cerato Koup2.0 litre 16v Naturally Aspirated114.7 kW @ 6 200 rpm194.2 Nm @ 4 300 rpm10.44 seconds17.41 seconds @ 131.66 km/h31.52 seconds @ 168.91 km/h207.91 km/h @ 5 200 rpm in 5th R209 995
Model: Engine: Power: Torque: 0-100 km/h: ¼ Mile: 1 KM: True Top Speed: Price:
Apply online atwww.wesbank.co.za
Klassy Korean!
41ISSUE 61
I have to be honest right up front,
when I saw pics of this Chinese car,
I thought that is was just going to
be another badly made clone of
another manufacturer’s quality car.
I was wrong, well mostly wrong in my opinion.
You would have to be blind not to see that the
Florid (man, what a name too!) is the result
of a Toyota Yaris and a Suzuki Swift sneaking
off late at night to share a bit of forbidden late
braking. But hey, this is a good thing because
it is a car that many South Africans will be able
to associate with on a looks level and this will
help sales.
Where I was completely wrong is that for R109
990 (plus about R10 000 for leather and 17
inch wheels) this Florid felt pretty decent in-
side and will probably change your perceptions
on how you see this Chinese manufactures ve-
hicles. For me it felt and looked as good as a
Yaris inside and that car sells in droves regard-
less of how expensive Toyota makes it. And
despite the price, you are not short changed
on luxury either. You get full instrumentation,
power steering, power windows, power mirrors,
aircon, rear park distance control and CD MP3
player. The only anomaly for me was that you
sat rather high in the front, kind of like driv-
ing an SUV, and the driver’s seat did not go
far enough back for me to get truly comfort-
able. Ladies and vertically challenged people
will probably like the seating arrangement a lot.
Anyway putting the car against the clock saw
a reasonable sprint time to 100 km/h of 14.33
seconds and an impressive true top speed of
175 km/h.
Most of this is thanks to the 1.5i litre Variable
Valve Timing engine that puts out a feisty 77
kW and 138 Nm. It is not exactly class leading
when it comes to smooth, but it will get you
from A to B, and use around 7.0 litres / 100
km while doing it. Now where this not so little
car puts quite a few other cheapies around this
price to shame is in the safety department.
You get ABS with EBD, dual airbags, front elec-
trical pre-tensioning safety belts, rear three-
point safety belts and a collapsible steering col-
umn all as standard. Watch the excuses from
the others that don’t have this equipment on
board! What will you get for the GWM Florid
when the time comes to sell it or trade it? Who
knows? How well will it stand up to everyday SA
living? Who knows? But one thing is for sure,
the Super Lux 15i VVT is worth serious con-
sideration if you want good, sensible everyday
transport right now without breaking the bank.
The new hatch from Great Wall Motors is called the Florid Super Lux 1.5i VVT, quite a mouthful I know, but then so is the car. I have to be honest right up front, when I saw pics of this Chinese car, I thought that is was just going to be another badly made clone of another manufacturer’s quality car.
Mark Jones
TestedGWM Florid Super Lux 1.5i VVT
Carbon Copy?
42 ISSUE 61
SPECIFICATIONSGWM Florid Super Lux 1.5i VVT1.5 litre 16v Naturally Aspirated77 kW @ 6 000 rpm138 Nm @ 4 200 rpm14.33 seconds19.39 seconds @ 116.49 km/h35.79 seconds @ 141.81 km/h174.95 km/h @ 5 400 rpm in 5thR109 990
Model: Engine: Power: Torque: 0-100 km/h: ¼ Mile: 1 KM: True Top Speed: Price:
Apply online atwww.wesbank.co.za
For more information please visit:www.optimum-inc.co.za
Call or Fax us:Tel: 012 345 4904
Fax to email: 086 631 9207Fax: 012 345 4955
Optimum Groep 3 (Pty)Ltd h/a Optimum Finansiële Dienste Groep
Optimum Group 3 (Pty)Ltd t/a Optimum Financial Services Group
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An authorized financial services provider /Gemagtigde verskaffer van Finansiële Dienste
Caring for your assets is our profession, Caring for you is our difference.
But bringing a quicker and more
tractable car to the market was no
straight forward process as the cur-
rent 155 kW car is not just a factory
‘chipped’ version of the older 147 kW Mk 5. The
engine, and more specifically the cylinder head
and valve train are completely different to that
of the previous GTI.
This meant that there were new tuning chal-
lenges to overcome before being able to com-
pletely and safely control the electronics of the
car, and for this a state of the art Uni Q Chip
was used.
A specially made and fitted 306 polished stain-
less steel 76 mm down pipe and catalytic con-
verter free, free-flow exhaust system from De
Graaf was then fitted. This bespoke exhaust
system now not only looks and sounds the part
with the SAC logos professionally engraved on
the tail pieces, but is also now available as a
bolt on system over the counter, with cheaper
mild steel options being available too.
The final puzzle in the Stage one upgrade was
the fitment of an SAC airbox mod that sees
more cold air making its way into the 2.0 litre
FSI turbocharged engine for better all round
performance.
This upgrade sees the power increase by around
15 percent and can be done in a single day at a
recommended retail price of between R12 000
and R15 000, depending on the quality of ex-
haust system fitted and whether you opt for a
removable Power Plug unit over a hard wired in
Uni Q Chip.
The second stage of this project saw the cylin-
der head being removed, the rough edges being
cleaned up, and the compression ratio dropped
from a high 10.3.1 to 9.7.1 by removing a few
cc’s from the combustion chambers. The intake
camshaft also received some attention so that
it was now similar in lift and duration to the
exhaust camshaft.
This option was done more for development
sake than outright power, and there is only a
marginal further 3 percent gain in overall pow-
Steves Auto Clinic have just released a Stage one and two upgrade package that is now available from any one of their nine branches conveniently situated countrywide for the Volkswagen Golf 6 GTI.
ModifiedSAC Volkswagen Golf 6 GTI
40 ISSUE 61
Steves Auto Clinic’s Pocket Rocket GTI
er, and most of this gained by being able to
add some extra timing due to the reduced com-
pression. None the less, you can opt to go this
route if you want the most reliable horsepower
that can be gained from a MK 6 GTI without
adding bigger turbos and intercoolers. The sug-
gested price for the complete full house pack-
age, which includes all the goodies from Stage
one is R22 000.
These upgrades translate into a GTI that makes
around 180 kW and 330 Nm, up from 155 and
280 respectively!
Make no mistake; the GTI is already a very
quick car in standard trim and gets to 100
km/h in 7 seconds, does the 1km sprint at 196
km/h and goes on to a true top speed of 240
km/h. This is quick enough to see off Opel’s As-
tra OPC, Ford’s Focus ST and Mazda3’s MPS, all
substantially more powerful machines.
But the SAC GTI, which was independently test-
ed on The Reef, now puts a potential customer
in a position to tackle the likes of Audi’s mighty
all wheel drive 188 kW / 350 Nm S3 Sportback,
which is exactly what SAC did, and the outcome
was nothing short of impressive!
Test Results
SAC GTI Audi S3
0-100 km/h 6.06 secs 7.00 secs
0-200 km/h 25.16 secs 26.00 secs
¼ Mile 14.35 secs 14.89 secs
1 Km 26.06 secs 26.77 secs
Top Speed 251.46 km/h 252.35 km/h
*All tests were conducted using a full tank
of normal 95 octane pump fuel and standard
factory rubber pumped to the manufacturer’s
recommend pressures.
But for the record and as valuable information
for the more hardcore enthusiast out there,
tests were also conducted on the GTI with 98
octane racing fuel and Av Gas, but this made
no difference as the car has been set-up with-
out a hint of detonation and is properly tuned
to run 93 or 95 octane pump fuel.
A set of Bridgestone 225/40 18 inch semi
slicks were fitted to limit wheel spin and this
saw an improvement of around 0.5 seconds in
the recorded times you see above, so they are
well worth the effort if you are into drag racing
and can live with the extra tyre noise gener-
ated from them when on the road in normal
driving conditions.
So if you also want to be impressed, then visit
www.steves.co.za or contact the SAC branch
nearest you and ask them to tailor a package
to suit your budget and GTI speed needs.
Mark Jones
45ISSUE 61
FeatureAnnual Defender Trophy
The seventh running of the annual Defender Trophy, took place in the scenic mountains of Swaziland from 17-21 February 2010, and proved a tough test for the competitors, and a rigorous proving ground for the legendary Land Rover Defender
Defender Trophy Tests Man And Machine
47ISSUE 61
A total of 18 competing teams lined
up at the official start at Ekhaya
Ranch, some 50 km south of the
Swazi capital, Mbabane, with a total
vehicle complement of 29 Defenders, including
marshals and attending media.
There was an encouraging array of Defender
models, ranging from late-1990 300 Tdis to a
monster 130 V8 conversion (comically called
‘Baby’), several of the current specification Pu-
ma-engined models with the sophisticated trac-
tion control, and even a Defender 90 SVX 60 th
Anniversary special edition model.
Land Rover Centurion in partnership with the
team from Land Rover Experience made sure
that the competition this year would be one
that participants will not forget in a hurry and
that it will be something that competitors will
come back for year after year.
It didn’t actually start in Swaziland this year,
but months before, both for the organisers and
participants. But lets start with how the chal-
lenge unfolded for the participants.
On day one everybody got GPS coordinates and
were said to meet before or at 11:00 am on the
Wednesday. For those that did their research,
they knew before the time that this challenge
would take place in the heart of Swaziland.
Upon arrival everybody was busy setting up
camp in anticipation for the fun or in other
words, the competition to begin.
After the initial welcome and briefing, the 2010
Defender Trophy got underway with a series of
rotational tasks set out around Ekhaya Ranch,
encompassing precision offroad driving, tack-
ling muddy tracks, zooming down a foofy slide
and carrying spare wheels across the adjacent
river and back – all of which were conducted by
group teams divided into three vehicles each.
The day was planned around the farm and I
must admit that it took some very skillful driv-
ing to complete this course, and to make it in-
teresting it was all ended of with some dirty fun
in a nice big mud hole.
It was on this first day that we realised that
teams are not only here for fun, but are also
very competitive. One could see that in the way
that all obstacles were handled in a profession-
al, yet safe manner.
The day was coming to an end and with that
came a bit of light rain, this meant that it was
just mud everywhere, which didn’t help as we
had to pack up camp and be at the road at six
in the morning
48 ISSUE 60
Day two started off at six in the morning and
we were on the road. Our first stop was a local
orphanage where everybody showed that they
were here to help too. The Defender Trophy has
always played its part in supporting the local
communities and for the Swaziland event, the
competitors donated clothes, computers and
other essentials to the Heart for Africa founda-
tion, while Land Rover Centurion handed over a
cash donation.
From there it was back to a very serious and
competitive competition as well as a bunch of
excited yet nervous competitors. It was the day
that us journalists were warned about as it was
set to be a long, rough day. It started off with
a few tactical obstacles whereafter we drove on
the top of one of the most beautiful parts of this
country along a road that was last used more
than a decade ago for exploration work.
If the steep, rocky climb wasn’t enough to test
the mettle of man and machine, the teams had
to choose whether to opt for maximum points
on a more difficult section of the climb, or for-
feit the bonus and go for the easiest route.
Penalties were applied for touching the danger
tape or the surrounding foliage, wheelspin-
ning or reversing as well as for overall safety
– a theme that would be replicated in all of the
tasks.
Thereafter we heard that we would be eating
pizza for dinner, the trick however was that it
was also part of the competition.
And no it was not a competition about who can
eat the most but rather who can make the nic-
est pizza under the bonnet of your car, with the
absolute minimum ingredients.
Each participant got their ingredients and did
what they thought was best to create the best
tasting pizza, in only 15 minutes.
Thereafter we followed a nice jeep track until
we stopped on the top of a mountain, late at
night, to judge who had made the best tasting
pizza. At this point we were informed that there
was still one challenge to do before we could
call it a day.
The organisers had set up a demanding road-
building exercise for late in the night, that re-
quired all the teams to work together in order
to rebuild a washed-away mountain track, mov-
ing rocks and huge boulders in order to make
it passable.
After all the cars had safely passed the obstacle
we arrived at our overnight spot at about three
in the morning, where we quickly set up camp
and went to bed. I don’t think the ground has
ever slept so comfortably.
Day three started off with obstacles around
the campsite that was located next to the big
Ngwempisi river, that was great to wake up
next to and bathe in.
Tasks included a timed driving test in the river
sand with the latest Puma-engined Defender,
tubing down the rapids, map orienteering and
a mechanical task that involved removing and
refitting a rear shock absorber on a Defender.
Without doubt, though, the most strenuous test
was a timed winching exercise – with an age-old
manual winch. Slow and physically punishing to
the extreme, it had many of the competitors
gasping for breath and absolutely worn out.
The evenings braaivleis party was great, but
finished early as everybody knew they had the
final days competition still to come and with this
the last opportunity to gather some points.
Day four sarted with a combination of man
made and natural obstacles to clear. On this
day, everybody gave their best and in some
cases even more than their best. The unrelent-
ing pace continued on the final competitive day,
with a rigorous regime of driving tests involving
tricky river crossings and points-scoring obsta-
cles that had some of the vehicles teetering on
the edge at times.
Keeping the teams on their toes right to the
end, an important GPS navigation element was
thrown into the mix, which required hunting
for points along the route, including finding the
name of a local school and taking a picture of a
remote waterfall.
This ultimately led to the finish at the welcom-
ing Foresters Arms Hotel, accompanied by an
overwhelming sense of achievement.
I actually couldn’t believe all we had put these
vehicles through, but just like a man’s best
friend, they simply carried on no matter how
tough things got. There was a breakdown or
two but nothing that the experienced team
from Land Rover Centurion couldn’t quickly sort
out.
The evening was ended off with the prize giv-
ing, where everybody got something thanks
to all the generous sponsors. The 1st prize
was taken by Rob Eriksen-Miller, his son Dy-
lan and co-driver Shane Smart that took the
2010 Defender Trophy title in their 130 diesel.
They walked away with the grand prize of a R60
000 Camp Master off-road trailer, sponsored by
Massmart.
So if you are the kind of person that would like
to have the real off road experience of a lifetime
with your Defender, get in touch with the guys
from Land Rover Centurion to book your spot
for next year.
The End
LAND ROVER CENTURION
Tel: 012 678 0044E-mail: [email protected] Centurion, 400 West Street,
Gauteng, 0157
And on the 13th and 14th of Febru-
ary 2010, the beaches of Ponta De
Ouro, Mozambique, were scattered
with every type, colour and size
of Yamaha WaveRunner ever made. The first
competition of its kind in that region and the
biggest so far, the Racetech Yamaha Praia De
Ouro Sul Jet Ski Fishing Classic, saw some 60
odd competitors on their individual skis take to
the open water with newly found enthusiasm.
Under the tropical hot and humid weather con-
ditions and relatively flat sea conditions, both
days’ fishing yielded some great catches.
Competition rules were clear, with all fish be-
ing caught to be measured, photographed and
then released. Each angler received a measur-
ing decal to be placed on the side of the ski
against which the fish would be measured and
then photographed. Points were awarded for
the length of the fish, and not the traditional
weight, multiplied by the relevant points per
species.
Qualifying fish species had to be over three
kilograms and included Billfish, Dorado and
Amberjacks. The drop shot and vertical jigging
angling techniques used mostly to target bot-
tom fish was strictly prohibited as is legislated
in that area. Of course, qualifying anglers had
to produce a skipper’s license to operate their
PWC’s, which is now a legal requirement in SA.
The skipper’s briefing, which took place at the
Praia De Ouro Sul Lodge on the Friday evening,
was festive as was in keeping with the setting
but many of the ardent anglers chose to call it
an early night in preparation of the morning’s
early launch at first light.
Fishing times on both days were open to
5:00 pm at dusk after which some welcomed
sundowners awaited the anglers at the nearby
rustic lodge to draw a conclusion to the day’s
proceedings.
Although the fish weren’t as responsive as ini-
tially hoped for, there was enough activity to
keep the competition alive. A jubilant and en-
viable Clive Murphy sailed past the competition
with nine sizeable catches, from Black Marlin to
Mackeral Couta and even Yellowfin Tuna, to to-
tal a whopping 147.98 points. Byron Kane with
82.69 points and Mike Potter with 55.62 points
were placed 2nd and 3rd respectively and re-
spectably.
As one of the fastest growing sports and most
unconventional angling methods around today,
all the ins and outs of WaveRunner or Jet Ski
fishing as featured in the Racetech Yamaha
Praia De Ouro Sul Jet Ski Fishing Classic will be
broadcast nationally on SuperSport TV soon.
So remember to check your TV guides if you’d
like to see all the action as it happened.
A mere ten kilometres from the South African border you’ll come across the endless beaches of Mozambique’s idyllic coastline. The roads range from dust to sludge; there aren’t any highways or malls, just unending beaches, friendly locals, and the never-ending allure of this tropical paradise.
The End
FeatureYamaha WaveRunner
Landing The Big One
50 ISSUE 61
TestedSeadoo Speedster Wake 430
Ever wanted the thrill of a roller coaster coupled with the joy of boating? Well maybe not, but let me tell you, it’s a lot of fun. And the Seadoo Speedster Wake 430 is the jetboat that makes this kind of thing a possibility.
The Jet Fighter
53ISSUE 61
With its open and sporty design
it’s easy to see that this boat
is aimed at the thrill seeker
within us all. But with its
sportsboat hull, comfortable seating for seven
people, and an engine capable of producing 430
hp coupled to a Seadoo jet unit, this boat is
both safe and a whole lot of fun.
The fun aspect has the obvious upper hand
though, as can be seen in the myriad of fea-
tures designed exclusively for watersport ad-
dicts and thrill seekers. For one there is a 272
litre cockpit-controlled ballast tank, power
is provided via two 155 hp Rotax four stroke
engines and PerfectPass WakeboardPro speed
control comes standard. Power is one of the
things the Speedster seems to be overflowing
with, when supercharged it can hit a maximum
of 430 hp, and this is a lot for such a small craft.
And all this power coupled with the lightness
of the hull equates to agility and performance
on the water that will make your eyes pop out.
When we tested it at Hartebeespoortdam we
started off with a nice slow cruise, but as soon
as the boat warmed up a bit we let it loose on
the dam, and what an experience that turned
out to be.
This boat is one of the few that can boast hav-
ing both the looks and the agility of a jet fighter.
At one moment you might be maxing it out in
a straight line and with the turn of the wheel
you’ll be doing 360 degree turns a split second
later.
And as with all SeaDoo products, the 430
Speedster is a high quality boat with a first-
class finish. Its aggressive styling, while ob-
viously aimed at thrill seekers, has an attrac-
tive design all round. It also provides plenty of
storage space for its users and is fitted stan-
dard with a retractable ski pole, bow and stern
cleats, navigation lights, comfortable seating
and a generous supply of handholds which will
be essential if you plan on staying in the boat.
Our test boat was also fitted with a wakeboard
rack and extra speakers to really get the fun
started. And if you’re looking for some qual-
ity wakeboarding, the Speedster 430 is sure to
comply. The tower is of high quality and is sol-
idly anchored into the hull, it also collapses so
the boat can be stored easily.
But the most appealing aspect to watersport
enthusiasts will probably be the ballast tank ca-
pable of holding a full 272 litres of water. The
tank fills within a few minutes and the added
weight from the tank drops the hull deeper into
the water resulting in bigger and better de-
fined wakes. In the front we find the helm in a
side console, a suitable position for this kind of
sportsboat theme. The dashboard has a mod-
54 ISSUE 61
ern and striking design that fits with the rest of
the boat. A full seven dials; both digital and an-
alogue will keep you up to speed on everything
that’s happening in and around your boat.
Being able to seat a maximum of seven people,
the Speedster 430 also offers decent room for
such a small craft. The rear bench is contoured
and can seat three people while two more can
be accommodated on plush bow lounges in the
front. The portside passenger seat is similar
to the drivers seat giving your shotgun driver
that extra bit of comfort from the form-hugging
seats.
The drivers seat itself is very comfortable and
contoured to lock you in as securely as possible
and when seated the separate gear and throttle
levers are easily accessible thanks to their er-
gonomic designs. And a CD player with FM/AM
radio is located in a waterproof casing in the
helm console to keep the tunes playing while
you dash across the waves.
Some other notable features on the Speedster
430 includes the closed-loop cooling system
which keeps raw water out of the engines so
the boat is worry-free in salt water. You also
get ample storage space for your bucks with
a storage space under the bow that is deep
enough to accommodate several bags and gull-
wing storage compartments in the stern that
can be accessed with a security tab under the
port console. All the compartments also sports
finished fiberglass and gelcoats to keep them in
pristine condition for as long as possible.
So if you want as much fun sitting in the boat
as you may have riding behind it, the Seadoo
Speedster Wake 430 is the boat for you, truly a
thrill seekers dream.
Johan Keyter
SeaDoo Speedster Wake 4302 x 155 hp Rotax 4-strokes19 ft. 9 in. (5.97 m)8 ft. (2.40 m)7151 litres2.6 seconds81.7 km/h @ 7 250 rpmR620 000
Model: Test Engine: Length: Beam: Seating Capacity: Fuel Capacity: 0-plane: Top Speed: Price:
SPECIFICATIONS
Apply online atwww.wesbank.co.za
TestedSeacat 565 CC
If you’re in the market for a new boat, and happen to be an avid offshore angler at the same time, the Seacat 565 CC (Centre Console) may very well be the perfect boat for you. The Seacat 565 Centre Console is a boat tailor-made for any serious angler looking for the perfect craft to take on fishing trips.
An Anglers Best Friend
57ISSUE 60
It has been designed with the new four
stroke motors in mind and has high flo-
tation sponsons ideally suited for carry-
ing the extra weight without sacrificing
performance or comfort. The one we tested was
armed with two four stroke 60 hp trim-and-tilt
Yamaha motors, and even though we were at
altitude it achieved planing very easily, I can
only imagine what it would perform like at the
coast.
If you want a bit more grunt though, you can
opt for dual two stroke 70 hp motors. The 60 hp
four stroke motors we used performed excep-
tionally well plus they’re more environmentally
safe and easier on the wallet due to being more
fuel efficient than the two strokes. At the end of
the day it comes down to a matter of personal
preference though, whether you decide on the
two stroke or the four stroke motors.
Either way, you’ll find more than adequate pow-
er no matter which you choose. The controls
are also smooth and easy to operate and a hy-
draulic steering system comes as standard.
The Seacat 565 has a similar hull design to that
of the Unique 575, being wide and having large
shoulders also makes the boat look a lot big-
ger than it actually is. It may look big, but you
shouldn’t have too many problems getting it
loaded or into the water, we managed fine with
only three people.
As far as trailering goes, the Seacat 565 comes
standard with a “Steelcraft” braked, galvanised
break neck trailer complete with spare wheel
that will reliably carry the 565 wherever you
want to go without any trouble.
Once out on the water, the 565 obliges with
ample power and maneuverability where and
when you need it. It is an extremely agile, well-
handling boat perfect for tricky surf launches
yet it will soak up the chop on a long fishing
run.
And performance isn’t all you’ll get out of the
Seacat 565, as we mentioned earlier this is an
anglers boat first and foremost, so you would
expect it to have a few fishing friendly features,
and it does. It features large fish hatches, a
see-through live bait well (which makes select-
ing your live bait a lot easier), an easily accessi-
ble step platform with a stainless steel boarding
ladder between the motors and perspex cov-
ered housing for the echo-sounder and radio.
It also has ample storage space with compart-
ments scattered all around the vessel, so many
that I don’t see how you’ll ever fill them all,
there is even a series of removable drawers in
the front, which I’m sure a lot of anglers will
find very useful. There is also a good amount
of space on the deck, so you have a lot of room
to move around in, perfect for game and fly-
fishing.
The boat measures in at 18 feet (5.6 m) in
length and has a beam of 8 feet (2.3 m) whilst
weighing in at a solid 750 kg. The centre con-
sole version is obviously aimed more at the
angler at heart and less for taking the family
out on the water. If you’re taking passengers
along though the centre console is cushioned
for comfortable seating.
The fuel tanks are situated below deck along
with the fish hatches for more space on deck.
Other features in the Seacat 565 includes a
step platform, self-draining wet deck, stainless
steel keel strips, stainless steel roll bars, an-
chor hatch and bow roller and stainless steel
rail and grab handles.
The deck also has a non-slip finish and the
Flotex-lined super-high gunnels have extra rod
racks recessed into them. To complement the
console area, there’s a windscreen with stain-
less steel trimmings, plus a T-top for sun pro-
tection and rod stowage.
The advantages of the centre console version
also makes itself clear when you have a full 360
degrees of fishability without the angler having
to climb over everything. The 565 is well suited
to all-round offshore fishing, from trolling and
jigging to flyfishing, and with its good perfor-
mance and handling features, spacious layout
and plethora of angler specific features, many
enjoyable hours can be spent fishing to your
hearts content with the Seacat 565.
Johan Keyter
Seacat 565 Dual Yamaha 60 hp, four-stroke18 ft. 0 in. (5.6 m)8 ft. (2.3 m)N/A150 litresN/AN/AR320 000
Model: Test Engine: Length: Beam: Seating Capacity: Fuel Capacity: 0-plane: Top Speed: Price:
SPECIFICATIONS
Apply online atwww.wesbank.co.za
PRETORIA YAMAHA Tel: (012) 751 0830/1/2/3E-mail: [email protected]
Shop No1, Lavender Road West 57 Annlin West, Pretoria
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TestedMastercraft X-35
In recent years wakeboarding has exploded in popularity, interest in the sport has soared, new gear and accessories are continuously updated, and even boats custom built for wake-boarding have made an appearance
Your Design, Your Rules
61 ISSUE 61
And that’s exactly what the Master-
craft X-35 is, a boat for wakeboard-
ing, and perhaps one of the best
out there at the moment. Now for
those that don’t know, wakeboarding is similar
to water-skiing in terms of a boat pulling a rider
behind it. But unlike skiing, wakeboarders use
a single board, called a wakeboard, to skate
across the water. Wakeboarding also relies
more on the shape and size of the boats wake,
as certain moves require certain wakes to pull
off. That is also where wakeboarder orientated
boats like the X-35 come in useful as they have
ballast tanks to effectively control the wake.
But let’s start with the basics, what makes this
boat go? Well the model we tested was pow-
ered by a punchy Indmar LY-6 6.0 litre 400 hp
V8 inboard motor which had more than enough
power on tap to keep any wakeboarder satis-
fied. As standard the X-35 comes with a Mas-
terCraft RTP-1 5.7 litre 310 hp inboard motor,
but you can choose the bigger engine option if
you have the need, and the cash. Both these
motors features multi-port fuel injection and
digital throttle control and have cruise control
fitted as standard.
But the X-35 isn’t made for speed; it’s made for
wakeboarding. For this reason it features a hull
with a deep-V, which creates a great wake at
recreational levels. The ballast tanks can also
swallow up to 700 litres of water if need be.
And this is one of the things that impressed me
most on the X-35, the way the wake can basi-
cally be “customised”.
At first glance the X-35’s instrumentation looks
conventional, but squeezed in between the
familiar analogue dials you’ll notice a crystal
clear six-inch display called the “BIG (boat info
gauge)” or Visual Digital Interface BIG.
This is more computer than gauge though, it
manages and monitors various data including
water depth, trim, ballast and speed, while pro-
viding reminders for servicing and alarms for
low fuel, low oil pressure, low battery charge,
high engine temperature and shallow water.
You can even save custom user data for dif-
ferent riders (ballast and surf tabs settings for
example), and automatically load it again once
needed. This system keeps accurate track of
your ballast levels, allowing you to finely tune
the wake however you see fit.
But let’s take a look at some of the X-35’s other
features and accessories, and it’s got a lot of
them. The optional extras on this boat make it
possible to create a truly unique boat, suited
to your individual requirements. There are new
rear-facing lounges in the bow, so occupants
62 ISSUE 61
can choose if they want to look forward or at
the rider behind. You can also choose to add an
optional fridge, with a sink and a faucet instead
of an extra seat to really turn your boat into a
party vessel.
There is also a cooler box, with its own stow-
age area and the co-captains seat can also be
modified to be front or rear facing. The skip-
per can now also keep two eyes on the rider
by watching footage shot by the optional tower
camera directly on the display. The camera au-
tomatically follows the rider using a very simple
system whereby it swivels along with the rope
extending from the tower.
There is even a recorder with an SD card in
the front so you can download and share your
favourite homemade wakeboarding videos. One
can also add extra wakeboard racks, lights and
speaker to the tower to turn it into a veritable
array of fun.
A Clarion radio/CD/MP3/DVD player completes
the entertainment package. Another interesting
aspect of the X-35, and for other MasterCraft’s
for that matter is that you can customise your
vessel online, choosing specific colour schemes
or layout changes. You can then order your boat
exactly like you customised it from MasterCraft
(more on this in the marine news section). The
X-35 can also seat up to 16 people, depending
on your configuration, so it’s great for a day
out on the water with friends or family. An eas-
ily deployable cockpit table can also be added
if you wish to entertain your guests with a bit
more style.
And no more worries about wet clothes and
cold water because you can even order your
X-35 with both a heated helm seat and hot air
registers in the cockpit to take the chill out of
the air.
But in conclusion, let’s take a look at some of
the basics that make this boat into a winner.
The X-35 continues the infamous MasterCraft
pickle fork design, originally created to supply
more bow room and make entry easier.
If you’re wondering what the blazes the “pickle
fork design” is, don’t worry, because it’s re-
ally a lot simpler than it sounds. In traditional
boat designs the hull comes together at the
bow sharply, but using the pickle fork design
the bow is broadened significantly allowing
more space for passengers and gear. It’s not
that easily noticeable, but take a good look at
some of the photo’s and you’ll see the bow isn’t
needle shaped, like on most speed boats.
So whether you’d like to wakeboard, wakeskate,
wake surf, cruise, ski or even invent a new
sport, the X-35 is surely the boat for you.
Johan Keyter
MasterCraft X-35 Indmar LY-6 6.0 litre 400 hp V823 ft. 5 in. (7.1 m)102 in. (2.5 m)16227 litresN/A66 km/hR1 265 000 (as tested)
Model: Test Engine: Length: Beam: Seating Capacity: Fuel Capacity: 0-plane: Top Speed: Price:
SPECIFICATIONS
Apply online atwww.wesbank.co.za
4002
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The Ultimate Boat & Engine Packages
www.SuzukiSA.co.za
For Trade & Dealer Enquires call + 27 11 974 1200E-mail: [email protected] or visitwww.SuzukiSA.co.za
Suzumar inflatable boats have been designed and built to specifications laid-down by Suzuki to meet the demands of South African boating enthusiasts for a range of quality inflatable boats which are offered as highly competitively priced Suzuki powered packages. Designed in the Italian style for good stability and handling the three models include tenders, family run-abouts and sports inflatables from 2.9m to 3.9m.
Constructed from heavy duty material with inflatable keels for good stability and control and aluminium or glass fibre floors providing the strength needed for more demanding performance and conditions. Each craft comes with stainless steel fittings, wooden seat and oars, repair kit, foot pump, painter and carrying bag. Suzumar and Suzuki are the Ultimate combination
LaunchedBMW S 1000 RR
The long awaited BMW S 1000 RR definitely lived up to its hype, after an impressive debut in the unforgiving world of SBK in 2009. It was clear that BMW was here to play. My name is Eddy Alberts, and I am a national superbike racer, and I was fortunate enough to ride the BMW S 1000 RR around Zwartkops Race Track for as long as I liked.
A 600 On Steroids
65ISSUE 61
The road model is based on the race
bike that Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus
rode last year. This means that the
floor model is as close to a World Su-
perbike as it gets for the general public. But
when you switch on the key and go scream-
ing down the road you can’t help but to ask
yourself if you are riding Xaus’s spare bike? You
can’t blame yourself for thinking you’re not rid-
ing an everyday superbike, because the truth
is... you are not.
This superbike is a true milestone in the world
of sports machines combining an engine output
of 142 kW (193 hp) with overall weight of just
204 kg. Giving it a power-to-weight ratio that
is out of this world. So don’t blame yourself for
thinking that it’s Ruben Xaus’s spare race bike
with some road fairing slapped on.
The BMW S 1000 RR comes with loads of ex-
tras that you would only find on full race bikes.
Things like a free choice of engine character-
istics as well as Race ABS, Dynamic Traction
Control (DTC), anti-wheelie, quick-shifter and
launch-control.
Which are combined with the respective riding
modes and coordinated with one another to en-
sure a supreme standard of performance and
safety all in one. What the DTC does is it sup-
presses any undesired slip on the rear wheel
when accelerating.
It does this by using the ABS sensors to com-
pare the running speed of the front and rear
wheel as well as data supplied by the side angle
sensor. The electronic control unit recognises
whether the rear wheel is spinning and reduces
engine power accordingly by taking back the ig-
nition angle and intervening in the throttle but-
terfly position by way of engine management.
What this means is you can change how the
bike reacts every time you open the throttle
when facing various riding conditions with the
touch of a button. So when you’re on your Sun-
day breakfast run and you suddenly hear the
sound all motorbike riders fear, yes that’s right,
the sound of lightning, which means there’s
rain on the way, you have nothing to fear.
When facing wet roads you simply have to put
the bike in Rain mode. Which turns the DTC all
the way up and changes the characteristics of
the ABS to prevent the bike from spinning up or
sliding and spitting you off.
The BMW also has three other modes. For a
regular road experience you simply have to put
it in Sport mode. This makes it perfect for ev-
eryday commuting and if you find yourself at
your local track day with some track tyres on
you simply have to put it in Race mode.
66 ISSUE 61
Race mode basically makes you go faster with
minimal effort. In Race mode the BMW turns
into a machine of wonder, giving you all the
horsepower, performance and braking you
would ever need to do blazing lap times around
any given track.
And then there’s the mode for people like me
that are looking for every little bit of perfor-
mance a motorbike has to offer. Slick mode
turns the BMW into a pure race machine. In
Slick mode the Dynamic Traction Control is
turned down to ensure there is no electronics
slowing you down.
To enable Slick mode the rider is required to
first insert a little red plug beneath the rider’s
seat. You might find this kind of strange. But
after riding the S 1000 RR you might under-
stand why BMW wanted you to ride with all the
electronics there to keep you in control.
I ventured to Zwartkops for a hands on test of
one of the most anticipated bikes of 2010. Driv-
ing to Zwartkops I found myself thinking. Can
a German car manufacturer really make a bike
capable of keeping up with its Japanese com-
petitors? My question soon got answered.
When I saw the bike for the first time I could
not help but stare and admire its curves and
natural racer looks. It was definitely one of the
most beautiful bikes I have ever seen and most
would agree. But I was there for one reason
and one reason only. To put it through its paces
and see if it has what it takes to be called a
Superbike.
After a briefing and some stuff about safety I
was ready to hit the track. During the first ses-
sion the bike was set to Wet mode. After exiting
the first corner I smacked the throttle expect-
ing the normal superbike spin out of the corner.
But nothing, no wheel spin at all.
As I started picking the bike up I could feel the
horsepower kicking in at different stages. Only
when the bike was completely upright for about
two seconds the BMW released its awesome
power. Wow! It really works. After a couple of
laps I came in and asked them to set it to the
next mode. It was a simple procedure of press-
ing a button and pulling in the clutch. Switching
modes is really that easy. Now in Sport mode I
went back out.
After the first corner the difference was clear. It
felt like someone slapped a turbo on, the power
response was more instant and spontaneous
while cornering was simple and effortless.
My braking was getting later and later with
each lap as I felt the duel ABS and slipper
clutch doing its job. I felt a lot more comfort-
able. I entered the pits ready for race mode.
This time I switched the modes myself and back
out I went. Like usual exiting the first corner I
could immediately feel the difference. The bike
was even more responsive and powerful. After
a couple of laps the times started coming down.
Every corner became more and more fun as I
tried to find the limits of braking and traction.
While exiting a corner I would smack the throt-
tle and let the DTC sort out the rest. Braking for
the last corner I found myself in shock and awe.
I just used the same braking marker I used on
my 600cc national race bike.
But how could this be? I’m on a motorcycle that
weighs slightly more and makes almost double
the horsepower.
I kept on riding only to find the same thing hap-
pen at other corners. While changing direction
trough the right-left chicane I came to a inter-
esting conclusion, considering my late braking
and the ease of changing direction through
every corner, the BMW S 1000 RR is simply a
high-tech 600 on steroids.
Eddy Alberts
ZAMBESI MOTORRAD Tel: (012) 523 3600/3700E-mail: [email protected]
501 Cnr of Zambezi and Breedt Str,Montana Tuine X2, Pretoria
LaunchedKawsaki 1400GTR
Reuben van Niekerk
For 2010 Kawasaki very sensibly left
the engine and frame of their potent
sports-tourer essentially untouched
and focussed on elevating safety,
comfort and convenience features way above
those of the earlier model that was in its own
right very well equipped. After all, the first gen-
eration GTR collected a sizeable number of wins
in sports-tourer shootouts, so why change any-
thing you don’t need to?
The new Kawasaki offers traction control and
improved second-generation linked ABS brakes
that are lighter than the previous ones and of-
fer the rider two modes to choose from.
There’s also a Fuel Economy Assistance Mode
for the engine management system than can
be manipulated by the rider for leaner-running
fuel mapping to prioritise fuel economy over
performance, an improved keyless access sys-
tem that allows the bike to be operated without
the key fob leaving its owner’s pocket or bag,
and a taller and wider electronically adjustable
windscreen that now offers either stepless ad-
justment or four preset positions.
There are standard handlebar grip warmers,
and a deeper 0.9 litre stowage bin that locks
automatically when the ignition is turned off.
Add the slew of other standard electronic giz-
mos carried forward from the 2009 model, like
low tyre pressure indicators that compensate
for temperature variations, an all-purpose
40 W accessory socket, electronically adjustable
headlight beam height, and the multi-function
information display.
There’s no doubt that you have one seriously in-
telligent motorcycle here. The most significant
of the new features of the GTR is the Kawasaki
Traction Control (KTRC) that was designed, not
to turn mediocre riders into Rossi clones around
a racetrack, but to provide rider assurance and
stability on the slippery road surfaces that litter
the real world.
The system utilises the latest ABS wheel sen-
sors to monitor differences in speed between
the front and back wheels, and when the rear
tyre suddenly spins faster than the front, it dis-
creetly juggles ignition timing, fuel delivery and
airflow to reduce power until things are back on
kilter again.
Those who love doing wheelies will lament the
fact that KTRC interferes when the front wheel
achieves lift-off, but if they really want to do
stunts on a 304 kg (sans panniers) supertourer
they’ll be pleased to discover that KTRC can
be activated or deactivated with a flick of the
left thumb. By default, the system will switch
on once the engine is restarted, sparing the
rider possible embarrassment further down the
road.
The rest of the winning formula stays the same.
The legendary 1 352 cm3 four-cylinder fuel-
injected engine, developed from that of the
ZX-14 hyperbike, delivers 117.6 kW (157.7 hp)
of power (with Ram-Air) at 8 800 rpm and a
whopping 139 Nm of torque at 6 200 rpm to the
rear wheel via Kawasaki’s patented Tetra-Lever
shaft drive, with a slipper clutch preventing
wheel hop during heavy deceleration. The crisp
six-speed gearbox features a tall top gear to
keep revs low during high-speed cruising,
and the dual 310 mm petal discs up front are
clamped by twin four-pot callipers, while a two-
pot calliper bites down on a single 270 mm
petal disc at the back end.
And the aluminium monocoque frame and fully
adjustable suspension remains much as it was,
although the upside-down 43 mm front forks
have been slightly tweaked for 2010.
Kawasaki’s new 1400GTR transcontinental highway muncher gets smart with traction con-trol and a Fuel Economy Assistance Mode to go with its heated handgrips, tyre pressure monitoring system, latest generation linked ABS brakes and keyless proximity activation.
Ninja King
68 ISSUE 61
K1209/12446/2506
SL 750 Shiver
Tuono Factory 750 Dorsoduro Pegaso 650 Trail
RS 125 850 Mana
Tuono 1000R Pegaso 650
SXV RXV
www.aprilia.co.zaContact your nearest dealer for a demo ride
bike
me
Aprilia Durban-Tel: 031 566 5464, Shop 156, 6 Aurora Drive, Umhlanga Rocks, Durban • Aprilia Randburg - Tel: 011 791 1077, Unit 2, Commercial City, Malibongwe Drive, Strijdom Park, Randburg • Eurobike - Tel: 021 461 0991, 117 Roeland Street, Cape Town • Fourways Motorcycles - Tel: 011 465 1540, Unit 1, cnr On The Straight, The Straight Rd, Fourways • Holeshot Motorcycles - Tel: 011 823 5830, Shop N5, K90 Centre, North Rand Rd, Boksburg • Power Bikes Namibia - Tel: 00 264 61 262139, 18 Kallie Roodt St, Namibia • Race Preparations -Tel: 012 342 6994, 1212 Pretorius St, Hatfield, Pretoria • Remitech - Tel: 041 586 0503, 361 Govan Mbeki Ave, North End, Port Elizabeth • Ultimate Performance -
Tel: 012 643 1110, Building 13, C/o Akkerboom & John Vorster Dr, Centurion • X Rated Motorcycles - Tel: 011 953 1777, 20 Commissioner St, Krugersdorp
After the 50 km time-trial, Mahoney
started the main race with a six
second lead from his team-mate,
Jade Gutzeit and kept his lead to
beat Gutzeit by just over three minutes. The
two DCM Yamaha riders were followed by Spen-
cer Kriel (ORD/Insurance Zone/Pro Action KTM)
who started the main race in third place and
finished less than a minute behind Gutzeit after
an incident free, but dusty 400 km.
In the quad category Pienaar broke his spell of
nine DNF’s (Did Not Finish) to beat the Namib-
ian time-trial winner, Dirkie Baard (Windhoek
Honda) who competed in this event for the first
time – a mere 40 seconds separated them.
After an intense three-horse battle, Brian Ba-
ragwanath (EMD Racing Lonestar Pep Yamaha)
finished 30 seconds behind Baard to round off
the overall podium.
Jacques Struwig (Boesman Racing Suzuki)
finished fourth (second behind Pienaar in the
Open Q2 Class) followed closely by Dirkie’s
younger brother and team-mate, Philipie, who
lost power due to a broken exhaust pipe on the
last loop. He rounded off the 450 Q1 Class with
his brother and Baragwanath joining him on the
Q1 podium. The battle in the bike category was
nail biting with fourth-placed Theo Potgieter
(Ramco Cayenne Honda) and fifth-placed, Clay-
ton Enslin (KTM) separated by just over a min-
ute while Juan”Bollie” van Rooyen (The Roost/
Out of Africa Dev Kawasaki) finished only 12
seconds behind Enslin after starting way down
on the grid. The first six positions belonged to
Open OR1 Class competitors competing with
more powerful bikes with the consistent Riaan
van Niekerk (Brother KTM) claiming the 250cc
OR2 Class victory and finishing in a deserving
seventh place overall.
The top ten was rounded off by Christopher
Webster (Mick Motorcycles Yamaha – 8th) for
who the Kalahari desert race was a first experi-
ence; the specialist enduro racer, Altus de Wet
(Brother KTM) who finished ninth and Swazi
racer Laurence Murton (Ramco Cayenne Hon-
da) who struggled through the dust after start-
ing the race in 25 th place.
In the quad category Juan Coetzee (Quad
Revolution Honda) was his consistent self and
finished sixth overall. He was followed by An-
dré du Plessis (EMD Racing Lonestar Pep Su-
zuki) who lost time with an overheating en-
gine. Two young and upcoming junior off-road
racers, Jurie Meyer (Yamaha) and Keegan da
Silva (Belcherbuilt HST Yamaha) strut their
stuff between the big boys and finished eighth
and ninth respectively with Leonard dos Santos
(EMD Racing Lonestar Pep Suzuki) rounding off
the top ten. Other class results in the motor-
cycle category include Zac Botha (Shimwells
Yamaha) who was second in the 250 cc OR2
Class (13th overall) – he beat Marius Venter
(JCP Steel KTM) by a mere 21 seconds on the
overall results as well as in the OR2 Class.
The 200 cc OR3 Class was won by Swaziland
racer, Jonathan van Wyk (Ramco Cayenne Hon-
da) who finished 12 th overall, just three sec-
onds behind Botswana MX-racer, Ross Branch
(Bad Boy Honda).
Four 125 cc OR4 Class competitors survived
the gruelling Kalahari 400 with Michael Creevy
(Dirt Sure Racing Yamaha – 27 th overall) tak-
ing the victory ahead of Dominic Mantle (Ya-
maha Support – 28 th overall) and Kent Plescia
(Mafikeng Dirt Riders Yamaha).
Competitors in the national championship
will tackle more sandy tracks when they start
the third round of the 2010 SA national off-
road motorcycle and quad championships at
Mafikeng in the North-West Province on 7 and
8 May.
After an absence of four years, off-road bike and quad racers returned to the Kalahari with the 2005 motorcycle winner, Louwrens Mahoney (DCM Yamaha) claiming the 2010 Kalahari 400 victory in the Vryburg area while Leander Pienaar dusted off the Can-Am Desert Storm 650 to win the quad class.
The End
FeaturedKalahari 400
Louwrens Mahoney And Leander Pienaar Take Kalahari 400 Honours
70 ISSUE 61
The first thing insiders will tell you
is, only a hand full of people in the
world make a decent living off racing.
If you wake up one day and decide
you want to be the next Rossi, there are some
things you have to take into consideration.
Racing isn’t just another sport, it’s a way of
life. And not everyone has the skill and natural
talent that is required to become a champion.
With the cost and effort involved there’s no
such thing as racing for fun. Fun is reserved for
track-day riders.
Racing is a serious sport that requires nothing
less than a 100 percent commitment. But rac-
ing’s fun aspects come in different shapes and
sizes. Fun is when you just lapped under the
lap-record. Fun is when you make a daring pass
on the last lap leading to a race victory. Fun is
when you brake so late you can feel the rear
wheel pick up.
Racing is more than just strapping a helmet on
and seeing if you can put your knee down. It’s
an art of precision and focus. Racing surely has
its rewards, but it comes in the form of an up-
and-down rollercoaster. You have good week-
ends and you have bad weekends. There’s an
old saying, “For every good weekend there’s
three crappy weekends”. Which is pretty true.
But you can enhance your winning potential by
training hard and making some sacrifices. Go-
ing to the gym and not eating McDonald’s isn’t
nearly enough. You have to dedicate about 20
years of your life to staying in shape and eat-
ing right. You have to be able to handle the
natural pressure that comes with racing. Spon-
sors have certain expectations that you have
to meet, which puts a great deal of pressure
on you.
Before every session you go out, you have to
put your game face on. Remember one little
mistake could cost you your life. Going out, hit-
ting your brake markers and finding the very
limit of traction out of every single corner is
only the basics...
Eddy Alberts
Motorcycle racing is a hardcore adrenaline fuelled sport loved by millions. The pursuit of speed, fame and glory is one few people in the world truly understand. What does it take to be a road racing champion?
MotorsportNational Superbike Racing
Living On The Edge
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