Innehållsförteckning för June 2016 från CAR

• Mazda MX-5 World Car Design of the Year 2016, World Car of the Year Awards • Volkswagen Group SA Legends of Empowerment and Transformation Award 2016, Oliver Empowerment Awards, South Africa • Toyota Mirai World Green Car of the Year 2016, World Car of the Year Awards • Mercedes-Benz B-Class Most Reliable Model in Class, DEKRA used car report, Germany • Subaru Best Overall Brand, Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards, USA • Ford Motor Company World’s Most Ethical Company, Ethisphere Institute, USA • Kia Sportage Red Dot Award – Product Design, Germany…

# 1 HPI KEN BLOCK WR8 R7 250 Perform your own gymkhana stunts with this Fiesta-based Ken Block special. # 2 HPI RS4 SPORT 3 SPORT M3 E30 R5 250 Track-ready thanks to a special driveshaft, coilover shock absorbers and full-time four-wheel-drive system. # 3 HPI CRAWLER KING R5 499 Waterproof, full-time 4WD and super-tough straight axles allow it to clamber over virtually any obstacle. # 4 TRAXXAS SLASH WITH OBA R6 499 This little stadium truck comes with a roaring V8 audio track. # 5 HPI NITRO RS4 3 DRIFT D. YOSHIHARA R5 499 Drift this iconic Nissan Silvia S13 with the help of a nitro engine and Falken Azenis tyres. # 6 TRAXXAS STAMPEDE 4X4 VXL R10 699 With an electronic stability-management system connected to all four wheels,…

THE Gumball Rally. This legendary 1976 film comes to mind when encountering Wayne Plit’s astounding collection. Echoing the movie’s eclectic cast of sportscars that take part in an illegal coast-to-coast road race across the USA, Wayne’s colourful range of cars is one of the most diverse and interesting private collections in the country. An older white Lotus Esprit, a newer yellow derivative and a bright green customised Porsche 964 share space with a couple of Ferraris, a Morgan and even a Honda S800. And these are just the cars parked at the entrance to his office. Yes, Wayne’s place of work is right in the middle of this collection. The surprises don’t stop here, though. Next to his office is a small meeting room, but it’s no ordinary one. Parked…

20 sec The time it takes for the vast canvas roof to stow itself behind the cabin 1 AIRCAP This system lessens the effect of wind buffeting on expensive hairdos by raising a deflector on top of the windscreen. It’s supplemented by a windbreaker behind the rear seats 2 AIRSCARF Provides neck-level heating from a vent in the head restraints by gently wafting hot air around the driver and front passenger. 3 THERMOTRONIC 12 sensors and 18 actuators throughout the cabin automatically adjust the climatic-control functions for the perfect interior conditions. roof up or down. 4 BUT IF YOU INSIST The ultra-insulated canvas roof can fold away or raise in just 20 seconds at speeds of up to 60 km/h. Because sometimes you need to hide from the hoi polloi.…

Volvo’s WTCC weapon of choice is the S60 that, unlike any of its rivals, uses an engine sourced from the same production line that supplies Volvo’s road cars. In stark contrast to other manufacturers who have ditched their own powerplants in favour of bespoke equipment, Volvo’s Drive-E engine has proven to be the ideal base for a race motor. Among the shared componentry is the head and block, along with the main bearings, roller cam and injectors. The de-stroked engine falls in line with the mandated engine size of 1,6 litres for all competitors, with a series-standard turbocharger bolted on for added oomph. FAST FACTS VOLVO S60 POLESTAR WTCC Engine: 1,6-litre, direct-injection, 4-cyl, turbopetrol Redline: 8 500 r/min Power: ± 300 kW Torque: n/a Trans: 6-spd sequential 0-100 km/h: 4,5…

KUV100 This compact crossover is the most significant model and will be offered in both petrol and turbodiesel derivatives (read our first drive on page 54). XUV500 Currently the company’s bestselling passenger car in South Africa, this SUV will get a six-speed automatic transmission. THAR This diesel-engined Jeep look-alike will be launched later this year. Visit CARmag.co.za for a driving impression from India. SCORPIO The new-generation Scorpio 4x4 SUV will also be coming. TUV300 A medium-sized SUV crossover will complete this extensive 2016 launch schedule.…

It’s even more handsome than its dapper predecessor Price: R664 518 0-100 km/h: 6,67 sec Power/Torque: 180 kW/370 N.m Top speed: 250 km/h CAR fuel index: 8,2 L/100 km CO2: 157 g/km LOOKING at the C-Class Coupé’s elegant hindquarters, you have to give Mercedes-Benz a good deal of credit for allowing the sheer sense of theatre conveyed by many of its flagship cars to filter downwards to its more attainable wares. The key question, then, is if the hard-working mechanicals beneath this range-topping model’s S-Class Coupé-flavoured aesthetic bestowments can come anywhere close to matching the sheen of its shapely shell. Benz’s ability to micronise the aesthetic virtues of the flagship two-door’s sporty looking, boat-tailed rump and tack it onto the back of a car that’s 60 mm longer than its…

The bike’s ergonomics favour track time over long-distance touring comfort THE long, straight stretch of tarmac ahead is too much to resist. I take a deep breath, lie flat on the tank and pin the throttle in third gear. Some 145 N.m of torque hits like a sledgehammer as the bike shoots forward in hyper drive, the electronics working hard to keep the front wheel on the ground. As the revs rise, the thrust builds to space-warping levels and, snicking through fourth, fifth and finally sixth gear, the bike accelerates to infinity and beyond. It’s hard to curb the whoops and yelps bouncing around inside my helmet … not that I can really hear myself, so severe is the windblast. This bike is stupendously quick. The 1299 Panigale S’ exact…

FUEL-CONSUMPTION TEST It takes a set amount of energy to propel a car at a constant speed, equating to a certain amount of fuel. Therefore, I feel it would be interesting to do comparisons between different vehicles on a level road at 120 km/h in both directions to get an average fuel-consumption figure at that speed. Although these figures will vary owing to the size, weight and shape of the vehicles, it will make for interesting comparisons. Having worked in the motor trade all my life, I would predict that a lot of small cars would fare rather poorly against much larger and more powerful vehicles in such a test. Some vehicles with larger engines (for example, a V8) are now able to employ cylinder deactivation to improve fuel consumption.…

The starter drains power from the battery to fire up the engine and the alternator has to replenish the lost energy FLAT BATTERY Eugene McCallum is a swallow. He spends British winters in South Africa and remains in Britain during the warmer months. During his second stay in our town, people started to call him Eugene in person and Genie behind his back because they noticed he often appeared when somebody opened a liquor bottle. Human swallows have to cope with the problem of what to do with a car that is used only for about six months in a year. Genie buys a second-hand car every time he returns and sells it just before he leaves. This year, he bought a 2003 Mazda that seemed to be in a…

Luxury passenger car 1 Lexus ES 2 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupé 3 Audi A5/S5 Coupé 4 Audi A3/S3 Sportback 5 Audi A3/S3 Sedan 6 Mercedes-Benz A-Class 7 Audi A1 Sportback 8 Audi A1 9 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 10 Audi A3/S3 hatch Passenger car 1 Toyota Auris 2 VW Scirroco 3 Nissan Sentra 4 Toyota Corolla 5 Toyota Avanza 6 Chevrolet Sonic Sedan 7 Kia Rio Hatch 8 Nissan Almera 9 Chevrolet Cruze Sedan 10 Opel Corsa Hatch Recreational vehicle 1 VW Tiguan 2 Audi Q7 3 Kia Sorento 4 Audi Q3 5 Audi Q5 6 Toyota Fortuner 7 Toyota RAV4 8 Nissan X-Trail 9 Honda CR-V 10 Kia Sportage Light commercial vehicles 1 Nissan Hardbody DC petrol 2 Nissan Navara DC diesel 3 Toyota Hilux SC petrol 4 Toyota Hilux DC petrol…

SCORING championship points in your first Grand Prix is a double-edged sword. Obvious pleasure within your team is matched by resentment beyond it. Newcomers are not supposed to be successful. They should know their place and learn to suffer in the same way that everyone else did – and, in many cases, continue to do so. That’s the point, of course. Gene Haas and his small team walking into the Melbourne paddock as newcomers and leaving it with eight points was one thing. But to go one better and finish fifth in the next race in Bahrain came close to showing a lack of respect for F1’s apparent need for stress and struggle. The small degree of luck attached to the Australian race was negated by a performance good enough…

JORDAN Grand Prix arrived in F1 25 years ago and is likely to remain the last small team to win a Grand Prix; although, given a bit of luck and problems for the top runners, Haas might change that. Jordan built its own chassis, outsourcing specialist parts and relying on a customer agreement with Ford and exclusive arrangements with Yamaha, Mugen-Honda and Peugeot for the supply of engines. All of this was made possible by Eddie Jordan’s (pictured) ability to wheel and deal while finding the finance to build his own car, as required by the regulations as he understood them in the Nineties. “People ask if there is any similarity between when we came in and the situation facing Haas right now,” says Jordan. “To be honest, I don’t…

Over to you... Please include your physical address and telephone number. Diverse ideas and opinions are welcome, but publication of your letter doesn’t necessarily mean we agree. Please stick to a maximum of 300 words. CAR reserves the right to edit and shorten letters owing to space constraints. Email: car@ramsaymedia.co.za Mail: CAR, PO Box 180, Howard Place, 7450 Fax: 021 530 3338 PRICE CHECK I recently came across these magazines – together with three others – and thought that your readers may be interested to see what car magazines looked like, and what they cost, way back in the days of their fathers and grandfathers (1931). I have no idea of the value of sixpence way back then, but the mags sure look like bargains to me, as does the…

THESE WE UNDERSTAND CITROËN C6 The French carmaker has brought its cosseting oddball, the C6, back to life for a Chinese market where German luxury sedans are often prohibitively expensive. DS 4S Citroën’s luxury arm has introduced this China-exclusive model replete with watchstrap-aping seat trim, LED headlamps and a trio of turbopetrol engines. THIS WE DON’T MAZDA CX-4 This Mazda Koeru crossover concept-inspired SUV cuts perhaps the shapeliest figure in the company’s CX range and rides on the CX-5 platform. We can see it biting chunks out of the lucrative crossover/SUV market and so can’t fathom why it will never get to do so.…

#1 It’s the largest tractor producer in the world. #2 Tech mahindra IT PURCHASED THE REVERED ITALIAN DESIGN AND STYLING HOUSE PININFARINA IN DECEMBER 2015. #3 Mahindra Racing is one of only 10 teams – and the only Indian team – to compete in the FIA Formula E Championship. It was also the first Indian team to participate in the FIM MotoGP World Motorcycle Racing Championship series in 2011 and the Italian National Motorcycle Racing Championship (CIV) in 2012. #4 MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA IS MADE UP OF OVER 120 INDIVIDUAL COMPANIES. #5 It dominates the Indian light-commercial-vehicle market with a 69% market share and a 39% share in the SUV segment. #6 IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, MAHINDRA SOLD 3 411 VEHICLES IN SOUTH AFRICA. ALTHOUGH MOSTLY COMMERCIAL, THAT WAS…

ABS Anti-lock brakes, or ABS, form a part of the vehicle’s electronic stability control (ESC) system. The main components of the ABS are: four wheel-speed sensors; a hydraulic pump; and an electronic unit with control software. The electronic unit monitors the individual wheel speeds during braking and can bleed pressure to an individual wheel if the system determines that wheel is about to skid. This allows the driver to stay in full control of the vehicle during emergency braking by allowing steering during the event.…

Rover started in 1877 by building Penny Farthing bicycles and tricycles (it was originally called the Rover Cycle Company). It made its first car in 1904 – a mighty 8 hp model. These days, Rover, together with MG, is owned by Nanjing Automobile. No Rovers are currently being produced, although its parent company still manufactures MGs. The reason for the name change is that, thanks to some rival shenanigans, Jaguar Land Rover retains the Rover name and logo and there is even talk of JLR reviving the brand. Interestingly, Nanjing has a production history dating back to 1947, so it’s not exactly a spring chicken.…

ATTITUDE CHANGE How do we prevent more deaths on South African roads? Change driver attitudes – that basically sums it up. Here are just some of the many examples of poor driving: 1. Tailgating: drivers do not want to see gaps between themselves and the car in front. As a result, if something happens, there is no time and space to do anything. 2. Drivers speeding to a red traffic light: what is the point? 3. Fast-lane driving before taking an off-ramp: these drivers push you out of the fast lane and then cut in front of you to exit in the far-left lane. How can you not cause accidents? 4. Authorities’ obsession with speed trapping: shouldn’t those resources be better utilised in removing unroadworthy cars and trucks from the…

FOUR-POT CROC AS expected, soon after launching its 718 Boxster (see page 34 for a driving impression), Porsche has shown its fixed-roof sibling, the 718 Cayman. The updated styling cues first seen on the 718 Boxster have now filtered through to Porsche’s mid-engined coupé and include revised headlamps, new sills, dual-louvre side air intakes and gloss-black trim bridging the new taillamps. The naturally aspirated flat-six engines step aside for new four-cylinder turbopetrols. Interestingly, where previous Caymans were always bestowed a handful of extra kilowatts above the Boxster, the 718 becomes the first Cayman with outputs mirroring those of the Boxster. However, in an interesting move, the Cayman’s sticker price sits marginally below that of the Boxster. 718 CAYMAN PDK Price: R854 000 Engine: 2,0-litre, 4-cyl, turbopetrol Power/Torque: 220 kW/380 N.m…

It’s hard to believe that 17 Formula One drivers went out together in China, paid for dinner with 17 separate credit cards and asked for 17 receipts. It’s not as if the vast majority is short of a couple of million. I guess it was the F1 competitive thing, where nobody wanted to be first to offer to foot the bill and then be seen as kind and caring, and therefore weak. But unless they had caviar and were dining in Shanghai’s equivalent of London’s Le Gavroche, the final figure even then would have been petty cash; the merest blip on substantial bank balances. The trouble is, F1 drivers are spoiled. Wherever they go, people trip over themselves to pick up the tab. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if…

Most enthusiasts are au fait with the German Touring Car series – DTM – or even the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), but fewer are aware of the World Touring Car Championship. The WTCC has been in existence for nearly 30 years, but its most recent form was instituted in 2005. Manufacturers compete on a level playing field with production-based machines that feature identical, turbocharged 1,6-litre powerplants. This year, the title chase will be contested over 12 race weekends held on no fewer than four continents. I attended the opening round of the season at Paul Ricard in France that heralded the return of Volvo to European motorsport. At the start of 2016, Volvo registered an entry into WTCC with the factory-backed Polestar Cyan Racing outfit. In this FIA-approved series,…

WHILE the prestige associated with global car-of-the-year awards results in much marketing fanfare, the biggest challenge the winners of these competitions face is their relevance to the buying public. That’s one of the reasons CAR publishes its annual Top 12 Best Buys awards, where we select best-in-class model ranges rather than single, usually unattainable or otherwise impractical winners. One of the most respected annual competitions that mirror our approach is the 52-year-old European Car of the Year (ECOTY) awards. Judged by leading publications representing seven European markets, it has gained a reputation for favouring a model range that not only impresses in terms of engineering and innovation, but crucially also offers immense market appeal. It would come as little surprise then to learn that all seven generations of Volkswagen’s perennial…

The DCT ‘box has a decidely zesty feel in manual mode Price: R408 995 0-100 km/h: 10,75 sec Power/Torque: 100 kW/300 N.m Top speed: 188 km/h CAR fuel index: 6,48 L/100 km CO2: 141 g/km “BE careful what you wish for,” they say, “you may get it.” With this latest-generation Kia Soul, we wished for two things: a slightly more torquey engine and a better automatic transmission. Having tested the 1,6 petrol (April 2015), where a desire for more low-down grunt was among few criticisms, a subsequent sample of the 1,6-litre turbodiesel left us more satisfied but sceptical about the six-speed torque-shifter. Earlier this year, however, a low-key press release announced that the Soul range-topper would feature an updated 1,6-litre turbodiesel and a new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. As the Soul…

The software update changed the power characteristics I purchased a new Ford Kuga 1,5 EcoBoost in September 2015. In November 2015, a software update was done on vehicle, but after that tweak, I felt the vehicle’s power delivery characteristics had changed and asked the dealer if it could provide me with updated power and torque graphs. It couldn’t. Stating that I no longer believed the vehicle was still producing 240 N.m of torque at 1 600 to 4 000 r/min and specifically not at 1 600 r/min, the dealer then did a series of tests on the vehicle. This included a comparative dyno test of my vehicle with another vehicle [the results are in the table below]. Ford has now closed my complaint, stating that since my vehicle performed better…

A WORD OF CAUTION Complicated cases aren’t allowed in the SCC. The matter must be debated in fewer than 30 minutes THIS next part actually happened: I know someone who was acting on behalf of a non-profit organisation and was looking for a suitable vehicle. Let’s call him John. His requirements were at least seven seats and as much traction as possible to cope with poor-quality, slippery gravel roads. After scouring Gumtree for something suitable from a dealer specialising in off-road vehicles, John identified what was supposedly a reputable organisation with a great vehicle on its forecourt. It had seven seats, four-wheel drive with low range and a diesel engine for reasonable fuel consumption. The vehicle was rather old, but had low mileage and, surprise-surprise, a complete service history for…

Toyota Fortuner 3,0 D-4D 4x4, 2008, silver, 252 000 km, Centurion R165 000 Toyota Fortuner 3,0 D-4D 4x4, 2007, gold, 287 000 km, George R169 900 4361 Total number of Toyota Fortuners currently for sale on Gumtree Mitsubishi Pajero 3,2 Di-D GLS, 2006, black, 174 000 km, Helderberg R169 995 Mitsubishi Pajero 3,2 Di-D GLS, 2007, silver, 217 500 km, Strand R179 995 Ford Everest 3,0 TDCi, 4x4 AT, 2009, white, 182 500 km, Port Elizabeth R169 995 Ford Everest 3,0 TDCi 4x4, 2009, brown, 125 000 km, Randburg R179 995…

NOTES The PRICES shown are the latest available at the time of going to press. Our deadline occurred before 29 April 2016. Readers should check with a dealer before making a decision. The HP payment calculations are based on a 10% deposit, the current interest rate and a 54-month repayment period with no residual at the end. Under ENGINE we list the number of cylinders and the cubic capacity in cm3 . Here, V = V-shaped engine layout; H = horizontally-opposed engine layout; The absence of an initial symbol implies an in-line engine layout. FUEL SUPPLY abbreviations are P = petrol-engined; D = diesel-engined; T = turbocharged, a compressor driven by exhaust gases; S = supercharged, a compressor driven by the engine; P/H = petrol-hybrid and E = electric. POWER…

Mitsubishi Motors East Rand was strategically moved to their new premises on the corner of Rondebult Road and K94 (next to Imperial Nissan East Rand Mall) earlier this year. This prime and well-known location in the heart of Boksburg’s motoring mecca offers easy access off both the N12 and R21 highways and is perfectly situated to offer you their Mitsubishi products and services, all at one convenient location. Mitsubishi Motors East Rand has for years built a reputation as the one-stop Mitsubishi shop, through their uncompromising service levels and different monthly special offers. Their showroom houses the entire range of new Mitsubishis; from the budget beating Mirage, through to the legendary Triton, Outlander and Pajero models. The ASX (Active Smart Crossover) is also living up to its namesake and is…

MAY 21 Sat Drag racing/Short-circuit racing and Drift Karting 27 Fri Super GP – Round 3 – Practice 28 Sat Super GP – Round 3 JUNE 3 Fri Street2Strip 4 Sat Streetcar track day/ Motorcycle track school 11 Sat Power Series practice/Sports & GT track day/Motocross/Karting 18 Sat Power Series – Round 4 25 Sat Drag racing/Short-circuit racing and Drifting JULY 2 Sat Streetcar track day/Motorcycle track school/Karting 9 Sat Drag racing/Short-circuit racing Killarney info: If you want to take your own car around the track or do an advanced-driving course, contact Killarney on 021 557 1639, email info@wpmc.co.za  or visit www.wpmc.co.za…

TONY Stewart (pictured) co-owns a Nascar team with Gene Haas and the Nascar legend was not surprised at the F1 team’s immediate success. “Critics need to understand that Gene has put a lot into the F1 team,” says Stewart. “It’s not something where he’s just writing cheques and expecting things to happen. I’ve been lucky enough to go across to the F1 factory and see some of the stuff that they’re doing on computers and the technology that’s involved is mind-blowing to me. Knowing Gene as I do and how he works, I wasn’t surprised that the results came as quickly as they did. “We watched the Bahrain Grand Prix on the Sunday morning before the Cup race at Martinsville and I was jumping around on the pit road. When…