Car and Leisure Issue 61

Launched Audi A8Launched Ford FigoLaunched BMW 5 Series Gran TurismoLaunched Volkswagen Polo VivoLaunched Toyota Auris XLaunched Hyundai i30

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&

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

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ISSUE 61

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CONTENTSIssue 61

EDITORIAL

PublisherEwald van Zyl082 569 2318

[email protected]

EditorMark Jones

082 553 [email protected]

Deputy EditorReuben van Niekerk

082 837 [email protected]

Staff WriterJohan Keyter083 310 0936

[email protected]

Contributers Mark Holdsworth

Eddy Alberts

Art & Graphic DesignLynne-Mari Vos082 592 8445

[email protected]

Photographywww.motorpics.co.zawww.quickpic.co.za

Amoré Augustyn

MARKETING & ADVERTISING

Willem van der Merwe082 530 0917012 548 5934

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SUBSCRIPTIONS

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Account ManagerLoune van Zyl083 273 5674

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Published monthly byVan Zyl Publishers cc

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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

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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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