Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2018 i Leisure Wheels

Following the successful introduction of the Hilux Dakar Limited Edition, Toyota is rolling out the new ‘square face’ to Raider and SRX derivatives. The refreshed SRX features a new front design similar to the Dakar Edition, while the Raider looks slightly different due its status as the flagship. The SRX specification includes an auto light function with follow-me-home functionality and a four-speaker touchscreen infotainment system as fitted to the previous Raider. A reverse camera rounds things off nicely on the safety front. The 2.4-litre GD-6 turbocharged diesel powertrain (110kW/400Nm) remains the same and can be mated to a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox. On the Raider models, the touchscreen interface has been upgraded to include satellite navigation and DVD playback. Bluetooth telephony, USB interface and six-speaker output remain part…

With each step we take on our trudge upward, our feet sink a little deeper into the loose, cool sand. I stop and look out over the enormous sand dunes. Fortunately, the sun hasn’t made its appearance over the horizon just yet. It’s 5.30am and we are climbing Dune 45, the most famous dune in Sossusvlei. Scrambling up this 170-metre high dune is seriously exhausting, especially after eating only a handful of peanuts for breakfast. Because we camped at the Sesriem Rest Camp – the only campsite within the park’s fences – we were allowed to enter the reserve one hour earlier than other tourists. We are the first today to hike the razorsharp, virgin dune ridge, still untouched by tourist feet. Finally at the top, we sit down and…

Dancing up a storm, she was. Young Kirsty Delport was having a good go at the Zulu dance, doing her impression of a young maiden having a right royal time. It’s all part of Leisure Wheels and Isuzu South Africa’s Great Adventure Series. Or GAS, as we refer to it. Lesedi Cultural Village is where it kicks off on a Saturday morning, you see. Eight families per event will congregate here and depart to conquer several challenges in the area. All the teams return to Lesedi late in the afternoon for the prize giving. Challenges range from navigating between the different venues to completing the set tasks and answering a bunch of general knowledge questions. Topics will cover cars, music, art, sport and fauna and flora – and everything in…

The main thing to remember when it comes to hybrids is they come in different flavours. You get a traditional hybrid, which is an engine and electric motor working together, with the electric motor only able to work by itself for a few kilometres. The next step up is the plug-in hybrid, with a longer electric range. A step further than that is a full-on electric car, or an electric car with a range-extending engine. Whatever model you’re interested in, it’s bound to save you loads of money if you commute into the city on a daily basis. On longer stretches, these vehicles are no more efficient than a small diesel, but in the city, where one can fully exploit the electric motor, they make a lot of sense. A…

OKAY, so I was pleasantly surprised by the modern and eye-catching design and build quality. The Haval H6 most certainly stands out in a crowd and gets plenty of curbside attention. The ergonomic interior is practical and comfortable; the instrument cluster and control stalks include paddle shift steering accessible and visible to the driver. The front seats are form hugging and comfortable, offering the occupants a quality and safe feel with both lateral and spinal support. The cabin is spacious and comfortable, allowing for more than ample leg room for tall passengers in the rear, and there’s still a roomy boot, too. The two-litre turbocharged engine has sufficient and smooth power for all conditions and the automatic gearbox is well matched. Overall driving impression was good. A solid, well-built package…

ZAMBIA LIUWA PLAINS AND THE BAT MIGRATION 20 NOVEMBER – 1 DECEMBER 2018 We will visit Liuwa Plains NP in the western side of Zambia to experience the migration of the wildebeest. Weather permitting, the wildebeest return to the vast plains of Liuwa to feed on the new grass roots after the first rains. Also on the itinerary is a visit to Kasanka NP to experience yet another migration: around eight million straw-colour fruit bats that have migrated from Ghana and Gabon to feed in the area in and around Kasanka. All accommodation, park- and vehicle entrance fees are included in the price. ▪ Price: R15 900 p/p (subject to change) PONDOLAND (TRANSKEI WILD COAST) 20 – 28 OCTOBER 2018 Pondoland, on the Wild Coast, is one of the destinations…

IMAGINE… THERE you are in a conflict situation, in your 6×6 Land Cruiser 79 military truck, which happens to have a 120mm mortar system fitted on the ‘bak’. Some unfriendly folks are shooting at you and you and your henchmen are returning the favour, raining mortars on their position. But then a call comes over the two-way radio: “Get out of there fast. Tank on the way! Move it!” Your Cruiser army truck is pretty cool, but against a tank… well, it’s like going for a swim with a great white shark, thinking ‘ag it’s okay, the shark doesn’t look particularly hungry’. No. Best plan is to hightail it out of there, away from the reach of the tank’s weapon systems. You secure the mortar system, fire up the engine,…

One of our favourite SUVs is set to be replaced shortly but we got a sneak preview of it at the Festival of Motoring. Yes, folks, the new Duster is coming at the end of the month and we’re getting one as a long- termer, so expect to see it in the pages of this mag regularly. At the time of going to print, the final details weren’t yet ironed out but pricing-wise we’re betting on a similar strategy as before. It is basically the same car, if a bit more refined this time around. The engine line-up has been carried over from the previous-generation model. The 4x2 petrol model will be powered by a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, while the 4x4 model will be equipped with a 1.5-litre…

WILD PLACE! Etosha Heights Private Game Reserve shares 65km of border with the Etosha National Park, and is 60 000 hectares in size. It’s a wild, beautiful part of Namibia. Our first encounter with the XC60 was a relatively nondescript one and we didn’t get nearly as much time behind the wheel of the first test unit as we would have liked. Still, we could tell it was a special car. You see, the Volvo XC60 is the reigning World Car of the Year, which is a huge accolade. A jury of international automotive journalists, including two from South Africa, voted the Volvo as the best of the lot. But this whole ‘World Car of the Year’ title got us thinking. It may be an epic vehicle in European countries…

Toyota Hilux Dakar 2.8GD-6 vs Toyota Gazoo Racing SA Hilux V8 Factory driver Henk Lategan appeared to be on a suicide mission. He was clearly pushing the 400 horsepower Hilux V8 too hard, driving over the limit. There we were, hurtling towards a sharp turn at nearly 170km/h (really!). At the last possible moment, he slammed on the brakes, the Hilux scrubbing off speed at a ludicrous rate. Ludicrous because we were on slippery gravel and not sticky tar. The Hilux was momentarily sideways. Then, with but the grace of some clearly undiscovered law of physics, the young Lategan managed to slide the Toyota through the corner, majestically. From the passenger seat on the right, I had a quick peek at the driver, expecting perhaps, the look of a deranged…

Are there any iconic movie 4×4s? While it’s usually only sleek and sexy models which are used for filming, there are more than a few examples of memorable 4×4 castings over the years, so much so that it was quite difficult cutting the list down to just six. Lara Croft’s modified Land Rover Defender didn’t make the list, nor did General Lee from the Dukes of Hazard. Okay, so the 1969 Dodge Charger wasn’t a 4×4 but that car spent 90% of its time going sideways on a country road so it counts. To make the process of narrowing the list down easier, we settled on only using 4×4s from critically acclaimed movies and one television series. In order of cool to positively covered in liquid nitrogen, our favourite movie…

4x4 MUSCLE TRUCKS This 4×4 trail review is brought to you by 4×4 Muscle Trucks, who specialise in creating off-road leviathans. Their most recent builds include the R2 million Hilux called Godzilla and Hellboy, the big and mean Jeep Wrangler featured on these pages. 4×4 Muscle Trucks is owned by Hansie Coetzee, who also owns TJM Pretoria-East. More information: Tel: 012 809 0090; tjmptaeast.co.za In case you missed out on previous issues, we were sent some mail regarding a few old kombis and whether they should have been allowed to go up Sani Pass, since the South African Government allows only 4×4s to give it a go. For the record, the club involved in that particular mission received permission, as do we whenever we take something less qualified up the…

AMERICAN Bob Fox started building suspension systems for motocross bikes in 1974. Since then, the company has branched out and split up to cater for various markets… and Bob’s original company became Fox Factory, catering for ATVs, motocross bikes, track cars and trucks (or bakkies, in SA speak). It even makes suspension products for snowmobiles. Now you stand a chance of winning a set of Fox Factory products for your vehicle, worth up to R28 000. All you have to do is the following: head to your nearest Fox Factory dealer (list on this page) with your vehicle, and register for the competition at the dealer (leave your name, vehicle and contact details). Please note, if your vehicle is not supported by the Fox Factory brand, you will unfortunately not…

NATIONAL Association of Automobile Manufacturers (Naamsa) recently released its quarterly review of business conditions in the new vehicle motor manufacturing industry for the second quarter of 2018. Despite individuals facing a tough time with personalised motoring, given the fuel price and rough economic times in general, the manufacturing industry is doing rather well. Over the last few months we’ve seen loads of good news on this page, including large local investments from Mahindra and BAIC. Ford is the latest member to join the club after a R3 billion investment in its Silverton plant earlier this year. The reason for this upgrade came to light recently when it was announced that the Silverton plant would be responsible for building the high performance Ranger Raptor, specifically for the European market. This is…

Johan Badenhorst is probably South Africa’s best-known overlander, with his amazing adventures televised on SABC2. He also knows a lot about patience – probably the best attribute if you plan on travelling the African continent. East Africa, with its abundance of wildlife, is a major attraction for people on safari. Compared to South Africa and even Botswana and Namibia, it is exceptionally expensive. One of the gems of the region is the Ngorongoro Crater, adjacent to the Serengeti in Tanzania. Is this worth the hundreds of dollars, or is this just a massive zoo? The first thing that strikes you about Ngorongoro and Serengeti is that the park fees and method of payment is pretty confusing. Next thing you notice is that it is very expensive. Recently, in an effort…

Three years. That’s how long Ford Performance spent developing the Ranger Raptor. It is no longer a Ranger. It’s a bespoke off-road racing weapon. One that can enter a cross-country rally in stock trim and run head to head with most of the production-class vehicles. It’s also a lovechild of a Ranger and an Everest. A NEW UNION IS FORMED The design brief for the Raptor was to the point: it had to flatter the novice and reward the expert. A standard Ford Ranger ladder frame chassis was designed to offer a reasonable compromise between being able to reliably carry a ton of weight and offering a comfortable ride. To do so, it features workhorse-like blade springs at the rear, which means it can handle that weight and it is…

It’s been a while since we’ve seen something exciting from Peugeot, but that’s soon to change with the introduction of the 5008 seven-seater SUV. The first thing you’ll notice is the stunning styling, which is completely different from anything else in this segment. Peugeot is embracing its quirky French roots but that doesn’t mean this SUV is merely a pretty face. The interior is unlike anything we’ve seen before in this segment. The all-new i-Cockpit is a futuristic bit of kit. You get a small steering wheel, as is the norm in Peugeots these days, a large eight-inch touchscreen dash and a 12.3-inch high-resolution head-up display. It seems the 5008 is aimed more towards comfort than anything else. The wheelbase is an impressive 2.84 metres long, leaving the engineers with…

Now here’s a cool trick to really impress the guests at that next house party: rock-shaped speakers for your garden. That’s right… lifelike landscape aesthetic speakers that provide high performance sound experience while you are in the great outdoors. Meet the Klipsch AWR-650-SM outdoor rock speaker, in granite. It features a 6.5-inch IMG woofer, a one-inch aluminium dome tweeter, a new 105 degree horizontal dispersion pattern, 8 ohm/70V/100V compatibility and all-weather durability. The Klipsch retails for R7 990 per speaker.…

THERE’S no doubt that the VW Kombi is a favourite around the globe and not just here in South Africa. In Brazil, for example, the original was built and sold in large numbers until the end of 2013 when safety legislation finally killed it off. In South America, it lived on because it was functional. The government bought thousands, converting them into school buses, postal delivery vans and small fire trucks. In the USA, it was a symbol of freedom, just like its little brother, the Beetle. It was even a musical icon, transporting various rock bands and their fans to and from venues. Both Bob Dylan and the Beach Boys honoured it by placing it on their album covers, which meant a great deal back in the day when…

ALFA ROMEO STELVIO Alfa’s first-ever SUV was named after the Stelvio Pass, which is probably the most famous mountain pass, if you’re interested in cars at least. It’s 20km long and features 75 hairpin bends so it’s odd that a brand would name its SUV after it. A tad over ambitious, perhaps? You need only drive a Stelvio for a day to realise that it’s unlike any other SUV out there, mostly thanks to the steering. It’s so quick and direct that it feels disconcerting at first but then you realise just how much fun it is. Couple that with a 206kW/400Nm engine, all-wheel drive and a rapid eight-speed automatic and you have a recipe for some serious entertainment. All of this does, however, make it tricky to drive on…

THERE’S an old saying that says clothes maketh the man. In the world of 4×4ing, one can certainly go wild with the dressing-up part. Take our Ford Everest, for interest. Since we got it with only a couple of hundred kilometres on the clock, we’ve been adding a few accessories. Like the ARB bullbar and ARB Intensity LED driving lights. And the Front Runner roof rack, with plenty of extras. The Everest looked grand – Chuck Norris grand – but with the standard rims and tyres (265/60 R18s), this Chuck was wearing a pink ballet tutu. Those wheels, as cool as they are on a stock Everest, needed to make way for some upsized items. We were in luck. BFGoodrich recently received the first batch of the company’s new KM3…

HENDRIK was a real farm lad. Tough he was, and not scared to get down and dirty and do some real hard labour. He was in matric when he was visiting a game farm with his best friend. It was school holidays, and after a week of riding horses, shooting at some cans, swimming in the farm dam and doing some work, too, Hendrik needed to go to town to buy some smokes, since he had run out. Yes, Hendrik had a rebellious streak about him, too. On that day, Hendrik was alone on the farm, his friend and his friend’s mom away for the day. Now, anyone who has been addicted to cigarettes knows that craving for nicotine can cloud (excuse the pun) one’s thought process. Instead of being…

THERE we were, on a mountain in Lesotho. It was 11pm and we were utterly lost. We were driving a shiny new Volkswagen Amarok 2.0BiTDI 4Motion AT and a Nissan Patrol 3.0TDi. We had taken a 60km track which supposedly led to Semonkong, a road labelled ‘bad road’ on a Lesotho map. In the beginning, it was indeed a bad road. Later, it evolved into a ‘very bad road’. As the hours ticked by, the going got increasingly tricky, and the track turned into a grade four 4×4 obstacle course. By then it was dark. We were on the side of a mountain on a track that made Sani Pass look like a four-lane national highway. It was not quite what we had in mind with the whole ‘bad road’…

It doesn’t make sense but think about all the 4×4s that spawned as a result of warfare: Jeep Wrangler, Toyota Land Cruiser, Land Rover Defender and Mercedes G-Class. There seems to be a fairly simple psychological explanation for this and the best example to use is the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, colloquially shortened to Humvee. The Humvee’s story starts where the original Jeep’s story ends. The Jeep had served America well during WWII, so it was obviously worth keeping around. Unfortunately, it got old and the military kept on replacing its fleet with temporary solutions until it finally signed off on a new all-purpose vehicle. The result was the Humvee. It may seem like it followed down the same path as other military vehicles, which were put on sale…