Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2019 i Leisure Wheels

SURVEYS conducted by American paint manufacturers PPG Industries and Du Pont reveal that the most popular car colours remain greyscale colours with over 70% of cars produced globally being white, black, grey or silver. Red, blue and brown or beige make up around six and nine percent respectively while all other colours amount to less than five percent. Here in South Africa, a 2018 survey reports that 55% of buyers opted for white, while silver and black were the second and third most popular. Fourth to ninth were occupied by slate, grey, blue, red, orange and gold respectively. Some experts believe this trend is due to the influence of the popular gadgets of the day. If you like your iPhone in white or space grey, maybe you want your car…

You started World Rallycross (RX) with your own team before getting official support from Audi. What attracted you to the discipline? I loved that the cars are really, really fast. The Quattro S1 has 450kW and 900Nm and can drive on gravel and tar, and it has a short wheelbase, making it so much fun to drive. The regulation package really interested me. Do you think compact stadium events like RX are the future and that they might replace traditional forms of rallying one day? I don’t think it will ever replace traditional rallying but I think these events can complement traditional rallying. If I were a promoter, I would combine the two and use Rallycross tracks for the super special stages. The stadium feeling for spectators is great but…

Soon after the all-new Mercedes-Benz GLE made its South African debut, the GLE Coupé made its international debut. The GLE follows the same design direction set by its smaller siblings: a roofline that slopes to the rear and the now signature rear lights inspired by Merc’s sedan-based coupés. The change in exterior design hasn’t made much of a difference in terms of space. The Coupé still boasts 655 litres of luggage space with all seats in place. The GLE Coupé will be available with a wide range of engines, including petrol and diesel. The diesel line-up consists of the familiar 350d, as well as the new 400d, which we drove recently. This 243kW/700Nm in-line six-cylinder turbocharged diesel is silky smooth and offers most of its power from low down. There’s…

Toyota South Africa recently announced the roll-out of connectivity features and in-car Wi-Fi on all new Toyota and Lexus models. Known as Toyota Connect, the new connectivity hub will be housed within the MyToyota App which was launched in 2014. The technology allows Toyota owners access to myriad convenience, connectivity and safety benefits. While TSAM is currently the only manufacturer in South Africa to offer a mobile app that is fully integrated with manufacturer and dealer systems, it also becomes the first organisation in the world to offer the convergence of Wi-Fi and connectivity features in one package across the model range. “As of September this year, all new Toyota and Lexus models sold in South Africa will come standard with in-car Wi-Fi including 15GB free data (which you can…

IN my Cape Town student days, there were occasions when my friends and I dissolved into fits of giggles with little cause or reason. Once one of us began shaking with laughter, it was only a matter of time before the rest of us were wiping away tears of laughter, too. So it was that on one road trip, when soon after cresting Sir Lowry’s Pass, we noticed a road sign indicating we were in Lebanon. “Lebanon?” someone queried. “Wow man, I guess this car really flies,” added another, which saw us all collapse into another fit of giggles. It was a simpler time, I guess. This 40-year-old memory returned to me when I passed the just as oddly named Algeria Campsite with my adopted nephew, Raimund, recently. The memory…

The X7 blends lavish presence, exclusivity and spaciousness with the versatile and agile driving properties customers would expect from a sports activity vehicle. The latest and largest model in the X-lineup uses its outstanding powertrain and chassis technology, plus generous levels of space in each of its three rows of seats, a luxurious ambience and advanced equipment features, to deliver an unparalleled driving and interior experience. There is no mistaking the high-impact presence of the X7, which is underscored by its upright front end and the largest BMW kidney grille ever. Together with the slim twin headlights, the width is emphasised and an inimitable presence is created. The X7 comes standard with LED headlights, while the BMW Laserlight with Adaptive LED headlights can be specified as an option. IS IT…

Now Land Rover’s special vehicle operations team has been given free rein and has created a rather special, special-edition model by improving an already great vehicle. Range Rover has taken its most beautiful mid-size SUV to the next level with the exclusive SVAutobiography treatment with the addition of added performance and improved luxury and exclusivity. Now powered by a 5.0 litre V8 supercharged engine that produces 405kW and 680Nm, it morphs from a sedate cruiser to a highway bruiser at the slightest prod of the throttle. This Velar is now capable of a 0–100kmh sprint in 5.0 seconds and can complete the quarter mile in 13.1 seconds at 177.1km/h. That is enough to make hot hatches look silly and embarrass many proper sports cars. Only a limited number of units…

CHEAP STUFF Considering the price of a full-size SUV, a used Nissan Patrol is a fairly good buy. We found a 2012 model with a mere 80 000km on the clock for less than R500k. It’s the luxurious GRX model as well, which means it won’t be a burden to live with. There’s no warranty left on this particular model but the 4.8-litre six-cylinder petrol is generally considered to be bulletproof. A word of caution, however: even though it uses a smaller engine than the current Patrol, it’s not shy at the pumps. Most owners claim an average consumption in the 17 litres/100km region. GOING UPMARKET The current Patrol is a 5.6-litre V8 beast, competing directly with the likes of the Lexus LX570 and Land Cruiser 200. It was launched…

THE D-Max’s fuel consumption has been a source of concern in recent weeks. For some reason we’re struggling to get it below 10 litres/100km, which is odd. Having had a manual KB 3.0-litre around five years ago, we know for a fact it should be averaging between nine and 10. Luckily the recent school holidays gave us the opportunity to see how she does on the open road. From refill to refill, the D-Max consumed 9.2 litres/100km – still not perfect but neither were road conditions. We weren’t the only Vaalies heading down to Durban for a break, which meant a lot of time was spent creeping towards toll gantries. Fuel issues aside, this short break gave us the opportunity to exploit its massive rear end, which is more usable…

IN 1986, Volkswagen presented its first Golf with four-wheel drive. The Golf Syncro was available as a five-door with a 1.8-litre engine initially producing 66kW and then later, 73kW. The four-wheel-drive system had been developed in collaboration with Steyr- Daimler-Puch and featured a viscous coupling between the front and rear axle. Due to its high price, the model remained rare, with only 26 000 units being built between 1986 and 1989. The four-wheel-drive system was fully automatic and minimally intrusive, also in appearance, with only a few discreet Syncro badges differentiating it from a regular Golf. There were no additional gauges or buttons inside either. The gearing was lowered somewhat, to mask performance losses because of the additional 160kg. The rear seat was moved forward by 30mm and the cargo…

For the first time on a Voetspore expedition, we needed support. Not support in the way that vehicles had to be towed, recoveries had to be done or in some way assisted when stuck or broke down. No, for that we have the Cruisers, should the need arise. In our minds this is the most reliable and often most capable of all 4×4s. We needed support for other reasons. As mentioned in previous articles, our current series, Voetspore in South Africa, is filmed as a reality programme. In the past, we recorded an entire series and then began the post-production, editing the programmes for broadcast which takes place six to nine months after completion of the journey. Our current series is different: this time we broadcast as we travel. Two…

This is the all-new Audi Q3 and as you can see, it’s a big departure from the car it replaces. The previous generation model’s design was a bit frumpy and the interior was just too small to make it a reasonable choice for growing families. We’re happy to report the all-new model fixes both these issues, while adding several new and attractive features to lure people towards Audi dealerships. Let’s start with the most obvious difference: the design. In standard trim it’s relatively sedate but in S Line trim it’s striking. Choose the right colour and you’ll make the neighbours jealous. Thanks to smarter packaging and a bigger footprint, the Q3 can now be considered a family vehicle. There’s enough room for five full-size adults, so two adults and two…

A few months ago, Mercedes introduced the all-new GLB, which fits in below the GLC and is available with a seven-seat option. Last month, Mercedes revealed the GLB 35 AMG 4Matic, which is set to be a more practical alternative to the more traditional hot hatch offerings. The 35 is equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that develops 225kW and 400Nm. Thanks to the AMG Performance 4Matic all-wheel drive and an eight-speed DCT gearbox, the GLB 35 can get to 100km/h in 5.2 seconds. It’s the first compact car by Mercedes-AMG optionally available with a third row of two additional individual seats, plus fore-and-aft adjustment of the second row and the easy-entry feature. The second row has a 40:60 split. Convenience features include two drink holders between the…

The armoured vehicle industry is big bucks, especially in South America, Africa and Russia. The armour plating is usually done after the purchase of the vehicle and by a third party but BMW will now offer an armoured X5 as part of its local line-up. It’s called the BMW X5 Protection VR6. And before you ask, the answer is no, it doesn’t have a Volkswagen VR6 engine. The VR6 refers to its resistance class; in other words, how much of a beating it can take. A VR6 level car can withstand shots from weapons like an AK-47, hand grenades and 200 grams of C4. It can also withstand a blast of 15kg of TNT from a distance of four metres. To get this level of protection, BMW adds high-strength steel…

Explore the finer details of iconic engineering with the Lego Creator Expert 10269 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy motorcycle. Developed in partnership with Harley- Davidson, this highly detailed Lego motorcycle captures the magic of the real-life machine, from its solid-disc Lakester wheels with beefy tyres to its teardrop fuel tank with printed logos and inbuilt speedometer. Other features include a Milwaukee-Eight engine with moving pistons, dual exhaust pipes, handlebar steering, moveable gearshift pedal and brake levers, kickstand and a sturdy display stand. It measures over 20cm high. One lucky reader can win this set by answering an easy question and completing their details online at www.leisurewheels.com. More information: greatyellowbrick.co.za…

“THE incredibly steep incline facing the short bonnet of the Stuttgart-designed, American-built, four-wheel drive challenger from the Mercedes-Benz stable looked impassable, to say the least.” That was how the original Mercedes- Benz ML feature kicked off in 1997. Writer Adri Bezuidenhout seemed to be rather perturbed by the fact that the Germans wanted him to drive this new SUV in the unforgiving terrain in the Huntsville area, in Alabama. Back then it was believed that every second SUV owner would, most likely, prefer to tackle such terrain on every given weekend. So the original ML came with a transfer case, sufficient clearance and, amid much fanfare, Merc’s 4ETS traction control system; at the time, said to be the most advanced in the world. Accordingly, the ML managed to safely deliver…

As motoring fans, we tend to associate highly specific qualities with certain brands. BMWs are sporty. Audis and Volkswagens have exceptional interiors. Mercedes-AMGs make beautiful noises while Alfas are renowned for being prettier than a Karoo sunset. These virtues (whether deserved or not) are well known among motoring fans, young and old. Opel doesn’t have that. To everyone older than 35, it’s the famed maker of brutal hot hatches and the winner of many local production car races. To anyone under 35, it’s just another manufacturer of cars. German probably, since the words wir lieben autos appears under the logo. We’re all over 35, so Opel means something to us. We remember Opel going head to head against the mighty 325i and, years later, driving the latest iterations of the…

FIVE years ago, drones were still a novelty. Only the wealthy could afford this entertaining hobby. The turning point occurred in 2017 in China when manufacturers realised there was a significant market for civilian drones. The idea of an unmanned aircraft that could be controlled remotely had more applications than military missions and wildlife reconnaissance. The most apparent evidence is aerial photography. Only a handful of photographers used to have access to opportunities that would allow them to shoot from above. These days, though, any amateur snapper with a drone and a smartphone can do the same. Some simply purchased a drone for the sheer joy of operating a flying object, while more serious drone owners competed at high-stakes racing events. With so many applications, it was only a matter…

Nature’s VIEW offers two kinds of vistas. From the front of the property you look down on the valley, which is covered in orange orchards and the Olifants River that trickles past peacefully and has never run dry. Behind the property is the mountainous area where you are greeted with formations begging to be climbed and played on. For the more adventurous, there are hiking routes between the rocks and the higher you go, the better the view. The routes are well marked with different coloured markers. Some parts are quite steep. After a hour or two of climbing between the rocks, cool off in the swimming pool or walk all the way down to the river where you can frolic in the cool river water while taking in the…

With over 220 000 units sold since its market introduction in March 2010, the Volkswagen Polo Vivo Hatch is a common sight on our roads. It offers safe, reliable affordable transport and has become the choice of many first-time car buyers. As with any popular car, it is a favourite among those who like to tinker and modify their vehicles. Up until now, nobody had really modified one of these for off-road use but with the whole safari car thing being in fashion, it was only a matter of time. We were really surprised when it was Volkswagen South Africa that lifted the covers off the Polo Vivo Dune at the recent SA Festival of Motoring. As the only locally built model in the competitive A0 segment, the Polo Vivo…

✓ THE GOOD: We’ve got the biggest, baddest Duster in South Africa × THE BAD: Fuel consumption has gone up a bit THE new Duster is pretty much the exact same car as the previous model, mechanically speaking. The engine, gearbox and all-wheel-drive system were carried over, as Renault rightly decided not to mess with a perfectly good recipe. The main focus with the new car was to enhance those areas in which it was lagging behind. As much as we loved it, we’re the first to admit the interior quality was slightly below par and the sound system was rubbish. Both problems were addressed thoroughly, making the new Duster an endearing and easy-to-live-with day-today runabout. Perhaps too much so because one tends to forget about the off-road ability. Sure,…

Peugeot recently re-introduced itself to the South African market in an attempt to increase its dwindling presence in this country. In addition to streamlining its dealer network and parts availability, Peugeot introduced a new five-year/100 000km comprehensive service plan and warranty, which is standard across its entire range. The other big news is the all-new 5008. It’s Europe’s favourite SUV, last year outselling every other competitor in its segment. Over here it will have a harder time persuading prospective customers out of Japanese products, but it comes prepared with an arsenal of niceties you won’t necessarily find on competitor vehicles. The standard seven-seat configuration is the best example. The second row consists of three individual seats that can be adjusted separately, while the third row consists of two small seats…

Toyota’s Land Cruiser 70-series can rightfully claim icon status by now, given how many miles they have collectively travelled in some of the harshest places on the planet. One of these places is the Namib, one of the oldest and largest deserts in the world. “The Namib Desert presents some of the most challenging terrain and surviving in these extreme conditions requires the right preparation and equipment. I am proud to announce we have created this special Land Cruiser model to offer customers a ready-to-go vehicle prepared and equipped to tackle the most daunting challenges,” says Calvyn Hamman: senior vice president of sales and marketing. The front grille has been changed to a simple mesh design with prominent Toyota lettering, leveraging the design of Land Cruiser heritage models. Unique stylised…

WHEN the ML was introduced in 1997, the motoring world gasped in unison. The world’s oldest carmaker had defied the rule books and created a premium sports utility vehicle (SUV). Today, the wisdom of that original decision is obvious: Mercedes-Benz has sold more than two million MLs (and subsequently, GLEs). Now, 22 years later, the latest GLE is here… and, as befits a trendsetter, it is absolutely loaded with the latest technology. Merc has, traditionally, pushed the bounderies in terms of safety, technology and cutting-edge design. The latest GLE is no different. In fact, it’s now a clear trendsetter in the premium SUV segment. One of the most impressive additions to the GLE is the E-Active body control system. Standard on the GLE 400d and GLE 450, and optional on…

“IT takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent fritters.” The pay-off line from Motel Hell, a low-rent horror film from 1980 that was, astonishingly, ranked number one in US cinemas for an entire weekend, was on a continuous playback loop in my head. In case you missed this cinematic gaffe, Farmer Vincent ran a motel in the middle of nowhere. His famous smoked meat drew visitors from far and wide. As it turns out, the smoked meat was actually human visitors which Farmer Vincent had planted in his garden to ‘ripen’, only the heads, covered in bags, above ground. Finally, he would turn the tongue-less hominids into, well, smoked meat. And here I am, in the middle of the Karoo, my Ford Ranger 2.0 Turbo XLT parked in…

WHERE do you start when planning a trip in a camper? We suppose a destination would be a good idea but the allure of meandering down the coast with no particular plan in mind was just too strong. We’d know what the destination was when we got there, we told ourselves. There was no ‘where’ in mind, but we had access to the ‘what’ that would take us there. It’s called a Bobo Campers Discoverer 4 and it’s a locally built camper. Bobo Campers’ most successful model, in fact. It’s not hard to see why people tend to gravitate towards it. It’s large enough to accommodate four people with ease but not big enough to be intimidating to drive. After a quick tour of the camper and all its features,…

The compact SUV segment is a popular one that shows continued growth. Volkswagen has been a dominant player in the compact car market with its Polo and Polo Vivo so it was only a matter of time before it joined this SUV party. The Volkswagen SUV range has traditionally offered only larger models so there was a definite need for an SUV contender in the A0 segment. Although this vehicle has just been launched, this decision has already been justified in South Africa with dealers securing 1 400 real orders before the car had even arrived on our shores. The T-Cross offers a practical, cool and versatile addition to Volkswagen’s fast-growing SUV range. It is roomier than a Polo and it certainly feels that way. Built on the MQB 27…

TOYOTA Gazoo Racing SA’s Giniel de Villiers and navigator Dennis Murphy claimed victory at the Lichtenburg 400, ending the run of bad luck that has plagued the pairing during the championship so far. Teammates Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings finished in second place and clinched the FIA and overall SACCS championship. Lategan is the youngest driver ever to do so. Lategan finished ahead of De Villiers on the road by a mere 11 seconds after 400km of racing, however, most of the field, including Lategan, was penalised for speeding in a controlled section, handing victory to De Villiers. The final results saw Jason Venter and Jaco van Aardt secure third place overall in their 4×4 Mega World ARB Toyota Hilux and take victory in Class T. Class T championship leaders…

The Nissan Patrol is a legendary vehicle and has gained this status in 4×4 circles thanks to unprecedented reliability, exceptional ability and the fact that it is easy to customise and modify. Like a Toyota Land Cruiser, it retains its value exceptionally well as people who own them tend to hang on to them for a long time. Red Lined Motoring Adventure managed to find a 2006 Nissan Patrol 4.8 GRX for R140 000; that’s a lot of car for very little money. The guys at Red Lined are well known for turning Nissan Navaras into FIA Class Rally Raid vehicles so it was only a matter of time before they used this expertise and contacts and turned this bargain off-roader into the ultimate overlander. In Africa, two of the…

WE have a pimped Renault Duster. We have a tough-as-nails double cab Isuzu D-Max. And now a suave new Subaru Forester has joined the long-term ranks, offering a refined, comfortable and safe adventurer option. Powered by a two-litre 16V Boxer engine that delivers 115kW of power and 196Nm of torque, sending the power to all four wheels via a continiously variable transmission, this Scooby is no roaring WRX STi. Instead, it offers a refined and economical package that is equally at home in the city as it is out in the sticks. Well, we still have to confirm the part about the sticks but we will tackle some rough and tough mountain passes to see if the Forester’s X-Mode off-road system can do the business. NEXT MONTH: The Scooby embarks…

THE general line-up of bakkies comprises single cabs, xtra cabs and double cab models, but these sales are all lumped together. In a quest to see who leads each sub-segment, we dug a little deeper into the figures. The month of August was a bit of an anomaly, as the Ford Ranger lost its usual second place to the Nissan NP200 in the overall bakkie sales ranking. It’s not as clear-cut as that, however. While Toyota usually leads in terms of the number of units sold, the Ranger tends to lead as far as the double cab market is concerned. The figures for the first seven months of 2018, courtesy of Lightstone Auto, provide a clearer picture as to who is really at the top when it comes to selling…