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Subscribe for free @www.autolive.co.za Page 5Car of the Year Finalists Raise Some EyebrowsBY STUART JOHNSTONThere were surprises aplenty at the announcementof the finalists for the 2013 Car of the Year, anevent run by the South African Guild of MotoringJournalists, and sponsored, since its inception in1985, by Wesbank.The big surprise for those guild members chosenfor jury duty (the test days for the finalists willbe in early February 2013) was the number of finalistschosen. This year 12 cars were voted in as finalists,and the jury members will be under pressure toget all their scoring done, under the hot sun whentesting gets underway at the Gerotek testing facility,west of Pretoria.There were some other rather controversialchoices too. One of them was the inclusion of theFord Ranger Double Cab Pick-Up 4X4, as somemembers felt that pick-ups have no place in a Carof the year competition. The argument in favour ofits inclusion is that Double Cab 4X4s are bought bySouth Africans these days as daily transport –i.ecars, and therefore it is up to the jury members tomake sure they know where the Ranger fits intoits market slot, what its opposition is like –such asHilux, Isuzu, Mazda, Amarok and Nissan equivalents– and judge it on those criteria.Perhaps an even bigger surprise is the inclusionfor the first time in the competition’s 28-yearhistory of a Porsche. The latest Boxter was debatedat length by the jury members in a pre-finalist announcementdiscussion, and the consensus was thatthe Boxter was such a leap forward in its category,as well as being surprisingly affordable (again in itscategory, it must be stressed) that it was voted in asone of the top-12.Personally I feel that there is a place for carslike this in the competition, as there is for an evenmore affordable sports car which made the finals,the Toyota 86. This car is seen as a breakthroughfor Toyota in terms of excitement and drivability,and indeed, in this class of car. Therefore it meetsthe main criterion of the competition which is: TheCar of the Year must not only be the best car in itsclass, but it must push some boundaries, in otherwords, further the development of the motor car asa species.Looking at the finalists in this light, most of thechosen cars push the envelope in some way or another,although personally I would have preferredto see the BMW 328i manual model chosen, ratherthan its 320i AT sister car.Some appear to be a bit marginal, such as theOpel Meriva and the Hyundai i30, although argumentscould no doubt be made for both, in termsof the bang-for-your-buck factor. That is definitelytrue in the 130’s case, which offers super quality forits category at an excellent price.This year AutoLive’s Scribe-in-Chief is backon the Jury, thanks to being voted on by his peers,which is always a good feeling (in the past fewyears there was a strange system in place wherebyyou gained your place to some degree accordingto the number of manufacturer lunches, err, sorry,launches you’d attended!)Looking at the list of 12 finalists, I have to sayit represents a good spread of the various categoriesof car-types that faces the buyer when he salliesforth armed with a cheque guaranteed by hisbank manager.Of course, the cars are not compared directlyto one another, but according to a system wherebythey are compared to their rivals in their respectivecategories.So roll on 2013. My pick going into the judgingprocess favours the Nissan Juke, the LexusGS350 EX, and possibly the Kia Rio hatchback(although I’ve only driven the sedan versionto date).But I’m open to changing my mind comejudgement day. That’s what those test days are allabout.Here’s the full list of finalists:■ 2012 BMW 3 Series 320i Automatic■ 2012 Ford Ranger 3.2 XLT 4X4 Double CabDiesel AT■ 2012 Hyundai i30 1.8 Executive■ 2012 Kia Rio 1.4 TEC Hatch MT■ 2012 Lexus GS 350 EX■ 2012 Mercedes-Benz B 180 CDI Blue-EFFICIENCY■ 2012 Nissan Juke 1.6 DIG-T Tekna (Leather)■ 2012 Opel Meriva 1.4T Cosmo■ 2012 Porsche Boxster■ 2012 Range Rover Evoque Si4 Dynamic5-door■ 2012 Toyota 86 High Spec 6MT■ 2012 Toyota Yaris 1.5 HSD Xs ■The 12 COTY 2013 Finalists, in all their splendour.

Subscribe for free @www.autolive.co.za Page 6BMW and Hewlett-Packard –Empowering schools for the futureBMW South Africa, in partnership with Hewlett-Packard (HP), Datacentrix and the Tshwane University ofTechnology (TUT), offi cially launched the Computer Applications Technology (C.A.T.) Schools Programme lastweek at the Soshanguve High School, north of Pretoria. The Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Mr Enver Surtypresented a keynote address in support of this initiative.In collaboration with the Department of BasicEducation, eight schools in and around Soshanguveand Garankuwa were identified for the programme.The programme aims to ensure that capacity is builtwithin the teaching component of each school, aswell as encourage and prepare learners to take upICT-related studies in their tertiary education.BMW South Africa has been an engaged andcommitted socially-aware company for the past39 years and has allocated an amount of R3,5 millionsolely for the purpose of establishing a fullyequipped computer centre in each of these schools.“BMW is committed to contributing to thelong-term sustainable development of SouthernAfrica as a whole. By giving communities the toolsrequired to promote long-term development, weare ensuring that this investment is felt for decadesto come,” says Guy Kilfoil, General Manager:Group Communications & Public Affairs for BMWSouth Africa.“Well educated and well trained people are oneof the key success factors for the overall upliftmentof South Africa, which is why this programme – likeso many of our other CSR initiatives – focuses on developingthese scarce skills amongst school leavers.”HP came on board as a partner and providedhighly sophisticated yet suitable system technology,while Datacentrix assisted with the installationof all equipment and refurbishment of thecomputer centres.“Well educated and well trainedpeople are one of the keysuccess factors for the overallupliftment of South Africa, ...”“Education has been a key driver for HP for manyyears starting with the I Community project asearly as 2002. This is yet another opportunity wesaw in enhancing HP’s capabilities in the SouthAfrican Education market, by ensuring key partnershipsin enhancing the real objective which is anenvironment that is conducive for the future of ourlearners,” says Thibault Dousson, HP South AfricaPPS General Manager.“HP has also leveraged the most appropriatetechnologies that is needed for schools reducing thetraditional challenges like security, knowledge andcontrol. We are proud to be part of this initiativeand look forward to more of these ventures in thenear future,” continues Dousson.A project of this nature would only be deemedsuccessful if sustainable and TUT will therefore beproviding focused training and capacity buildingat each of the schools through its Humanities andInformation Communication Technology faculties.This will include overseeing the maintenance anddaily functioning of the centres.Fourth year students will also be deployedas “teacher assistants” in these schools with theaim of assisting the current C.A.T teachers ineach school on mastering the subject and offeringthereof.Another important component of this projectis the research that will be conducted on these eightschools by the Educational Studies Department.The research will serve to deliver results highlightingthe impact and value of this project in theschools in terms of how it could possibly contributeto the pass rate of the learners overall and increaseawareness of ICT-related courses that could potentiallybe pursued by the learners.“HP has also leveraged the mostappropriate technologies that isneeded for schools reducing thetraditional challenges like security,knowledge and control ...”Deputy Minister of Basic Education Mr Enver Surty attended the offi cial launch of theBMW Computer Applications Technology Schools Programme, powered by HP. Picturedhere the Deputy Minister views the equipment installed in the computer centre at theSoshanguve High School.The eight schools who will be benefitting fromthis programme are, Soshanguve High School,LG Holele High School, Makhosini High School,Wallmansthal High School, Kgadime MatsepeHigh School, Central Secondary High School,Lethabong Secondary School and Malatse MotsepeHigh School.Kilfoil assures that BMW South Africa remainscommitted to this social responsibility programmeas it looks to empower the schools for the future. ■

Subscribe for free @www.autolive.co.za Page 7Social & Staff IssuesAround the Cape and More in Aid of Children with Cleft PalatesLand Rover has pledged full support forthis challenging paddle around SouthAfrica’s notorious coast line.Land Rover supports this amazingchallenge for a noble causeCape Town adventurer Richard Kohler has embarkedon a second attempt to circumnavigateSouth Africa’s 2 600km coastline by sea in a solopaddle craft. The aptly named Paddling for Smilesfeat aims to raise funds in support of correctivefacial surgery for children born with cleft lipsor palates.Kohler’s single-handed attempt at paddlinga smile around SA’s coast hasonly been attemptedonce before before – when his initial attempt inDecember last year was thwarted by a a shark attackand ultimately demised by a burglary of all theteam’s equipment.With some of the toughest terrainalong SA’s varied coastline,they have arranged to havea Land Rover Defender 130Double Cab to assist them.While Kohler won’t be supported out at sea, wherehe will spend most of his time paddling between40km and 80km a day, his team will have a rivalingchallenge on land to support him. With someof the toughest terrain along SA’s varied coastline,they have arranged to have a Land Rover Defender130 Double Cab to assist them.The specially-equipped Land Rover will bedriven by Kohler’s logistics manager, carrying foodand water, tented accommodation, and electronicequipment including cameras, radios, GPS setsand laptops.“The Defender is the perfect vehicle for ourspecial mission,” said Kohler. “SA’s coastline is astough on land as it is out at sea, and Land Rover hasbrought massive support by dedicating this excellentvehicle to our cause.”Kohler will start his long paddle southwardsat the Orange River mouth, the threat of sunburn,sunstroke, hidden off-shore reefs and sharks alwayspresent.“I’ll be constantly driven by the motto that ‘it’snot about us, it’s about the kids’,” says Kohler, facedwith many days to come of aches and pains, hardtimes, and incredible scenery and adventure. “Itwill be tough, but we’re aiming to help 200 childrenhave life-changing operations and we hope we’ll beable to succeed all the way this time.”“SA’s coastline is as tough onland as it is out at sea, and LandRover has brought massivesupport by dedicating thisexcellent vehicle to our cause.”The Paddling for Smiles adventure expects toreach Saldanha by early November and CapeTown by 10 November, before heading east up theSouthern Cape Coast, and then north-east up toDurban, ending at Kosi Bay on the Mozambicanborder. ■Geely to the Rescue for the Sick and the AgedAutoLive was impressed by Geely’s innovation inpublicising this “social awareness” effort based onan ordinary customer’s experience. So here’s the release,suitably edited to get rid of some of the fluffydetails.A Geely 1,3 LC GT is running around the WestRand on a daily basis, delivering life essential medicationto patients at home and clocking up over3 500 km a month.Pharmacist Charles Kruger, of the OuklipPharmacy, bought the Geely from Herman NelMotors on the West Rand in May this year.“We used to have a half-ton bakkie that wasmore European than Far East, and although it hada perky 1.6-litre engine, it became a thirsty burden,”says Kruger, who also used to have anotherentry-level Japanese runabout that lasted a goodfive or six years.For a replacement vehicle, Kruger used thesame method many buyers of new brands do thesedays – he Googled it and liked what he saw.“I went to kick the tyres and go over the car, andafter going on a short test drive with my driver andthe salesman, decided to buy it on the spot.”Driving all three vehicles for the last 11 yearsin the employ of Ouklip Pharmacy, 49-year oldSydney Montsheng , who also took it for a test run,is suitably impressed with his latest “company car”.“It is not as powerful as the 1600, but it goeswell enough. Maybe I’ll get less speeding tickets,”the ever smiling Sydney said. He should know – hehas been doing deliveries for more than 20 years. ■A Geely to the rescue, with SidneyMontsheng at the helm.

Subscribe for free @www.autolive.co.za Page 8SA Exhibitors Fared Well at Automechanika In FrankfurtRepresenting trade organisations and AutomechanikaJoannesburg at Automechanika Frankfurt were (from left)Dr. Norman Lamprecht (AIEC), Philip Otto (AutomechanikaJohannesburg) and Roger Pitot (NAACAM).South Africa had an imposing national pavilion at AutomechanikaFrankfurt.The 12 companies that exhibited on the SouthAfrican national pavilion at the recent, six-dayAutomechanika trade fair for the automotive aftermarketin Frankfurt, Germany, fared very well.They are projecting to do R32,2-million of exportsales in the six months following this majorglobal event..The exhibitors reported export sales worthR1,6-million concluded during the event. They collected242 trade leads and received 630 visitors totheir stands, which were built around an open centralarea on an impressive display stand. An importantfactor was that an average of 74% of the visitorsto the stands were new contacts. Many of the exhibitorsalso found new distributors for their products.The exhibitors came from four provinces– Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal, Western Cape andEastern Cape. The products showcased included arange of automotive components and services.In addition the pavilion, which was organizedand funded by the Department of Trade andIndustry (dti), hosted two major industry organisations,the National Association of AutomotiveComponent and Allied Manufacturers (NAACAM)and the Automotive Industry Export Council(AIEC). These bodies were represented by executivedirector Mr Roger Pitot and executive manager DrNorman Lamprecht respectively.The South African national pavilion atAutomechanika is part of an ongoing programmeto assist South African companies to promote theirgoods and services in export markets. The objectivewas to promote South Africa as a preferred sourcefor automotive components and related services.NAACAM’s Roger Pitot said that the showagain proved an excellent channel to communicatethe capabilities of the South African automotiveindustry in a show that attracted about 150 000visitors from more than 180 countries over a sixday period.“There was plenty of interest in our exhibitors’stands and I also, personally, received many queriesabout our local motor industry, particularly in viewof the fact that Automechanika Johannesburg willbe staged at Expo Centre in May next year,” said theNAACAM executive.“It was clear that Europe is experiencing aneconomic depression and this resulted in fewervisitors from EU countries, but there were largenumbers from Asia – particularly China – andthe Middle East and I believe this is where a significantnumber of future sales will come from,”added Pitot.“I believe the presence of South African companiesat major showcases such as Automechanikais essential to build export business and in the caseof this trade fair in Frankfurt this is also the centreof our motor industry’s main export market,” explainedDr Norman Lamprecht of the AIDC..“The companies that participated for the firsttime were very pleased with the opportunity givento them by the dti, while those who had been toFrankfurt before were able to build on their priorexperience to further enhance their involvement.The South Africa pavilion was again a most impressiveand user friendly structure and I would like tocommend he dti on the overall success of this venture,”added Dr Lamprecht.The South African companies which exhibitedwere:■ Custom Works Composite: Carbon fibremotorsport and tuning products.■ Quantum Automotive: Engine pulleys formotor vehicles – crankshaft and water pump.■ C & J Services: Manufacturer and distributorof turned, pressed and plastic injectionmoulded products for commercial vehicles.■ CA Components: Automotive componentsand gas-powered engines.■ Creative Graphics International (cgi):Decals, emblems, functional films andchrome injected moulded emblems.■ LMB Euroseals: Brake and clutch rubberrepair kits and seals.■ Newclear: Manufacturer of universal testersfor testing cylinder heads and engine blocks.■ PFK Electronics: Electronics companywhich focuses on the design and manufactureof products such as vehicle security and,telematics systems and alcolocks.■ Pinetown Precision Engineering: Manufacturerof replacement cylinder heads forcommercial vehicle engines.■ QTec Moulding: Manufacturer or injectionmouldings.■ Triton-Leo Group: Manufacturer anddistrubtor of Q20 multi-purpose lubricantand Q range of products.■ XChem Chemicals: Manufacturer ofindustrial and household adhesives andsealants. ■

Subscribe for free @www.autolive.co.za Page 9Sasol Sees An Electric FutureCavan Hill, general manager of Sasol New Energy, addressing delegates at the recentPopular Mechanics’ Future Tech conference in Johannesburg.BY ROGER HOUGHTONSasol sees the future of mobility as being drivenby electric power in the medium to longer term,according to the general manager of Sasol NewEnergy, Cavan Hill, who made a very interestingpresentation at the Popular Mechanics’ Future Techconference, held in Johannesburg recently.Hill said that currently far more energy in vehiclesis wasted than used for propulsion. In the caseof petrol, less than 20% of the potential energy isused for propulsion, while diesel engines are slightlymore efficient at just over 20%.He pointed out that all renewable energy sources,such as wind and solar, make electricity andheat. He added that currently more of the earth’sresources such as coal and oil are being used thanthe earth’s regenerative ability and capacityA clear indication of an electric path to the futureas seen by Sasol New Energy was provided inSeptember this year when Sasol announced a strategicinvestment of more than R200-million in theUK-based OXIS Energy Ltd.Sasol says that successful commercialisation ofthe polymer lithium sulphur battery technology developedby OXIS could allow the production of saferand more cost-effective rechargeable batteries, withsubstantially higher capacity than available withcurrent technologies.OXIS Energy’s target markets for the polymerlithium sulphur batteries are two-wheeled vehicles,electric cars, boats, aviation and defence.In the case of petrol, less than20% of the potential energyis used for propulsion, whilediesel engines are slightly moreefficient at just over 20%.According to the MD of Sasol New Energy, HenriLoubser, speaking at the time of the announcementof the deal with OXIS, “This strategic investmentin OXIS Energy will allow Sasol to applyits extensive experience of commercialising andscaling up chemical processes to assist OXIS inrealising the full potential of the technology it hasdeveloped. We believe that energy storage will be acritical link in the success of a low carbon mobilityvalue chain.”Cavan Hill said that although there was a rapidimprovement in technology related to the use ofelectric power it was still not cost competitive withfuel sourced from petroleum, mainly due to thehigh cost of the batteries (US$/kWh). The currentprice of fuel in the US is making petrol-electric hybridssuch as the Toyota Prius competitive and thenext step will be competitive plug-in hybrids.Hill pointed out that the first vehicle in theworld was, in fact, powered by electricity. This wasan electric-powered two-wheel cycle that was put ondisplay at the 1867 World Exposition in Paris by theAustrian inventor Franz Kravogl.The Sasol executive said there is a rapidly growingnumber of hybrid and electric vehicles on salealready or being developed, but battery cost and efficiencyvs. size are still stumbling blocks.Cavan Hill explained that an important developmentfor using power from the national gridfor charging vehicle batteries will require “smartgrids” to handle the variable demand for powerand hence the need to balance power generation,whether by conventional or renewable sources,with demand. He said that costs for electricitywould vary according to the time of day and thedemand at that time.The Sasol New Energy executive said that therewill also have to be a stronger emphasis on publicrather than private transport, with taxation changesbeing used to change behaviour.In closing Hill said it was not beyond the realmof possibility that mobility services bundled thecosts of a vehicle and electricity use as is the casecurrently with a cellphone.It was a presentation that definitely providedplenty of food for thought.■ Most people in South Africa see Sasol as amanufacturer and distributor of fuel andoil. However, it is much more than that asit is an international integrated energy andpetrochemicals company that employs34 000 people working in 38 countries.■ Sasol New Energy (SNE) focuses ondeveloping options and new technologiesfor Sasol to utilise in a carbon-constrainedworld. It is working to ensure that the groupincreases internal electricity generationcapacity in SA using natural gas as afeedstock.■ SNE has already invested in the TechnologyCentre Mongstad in Norway, where carboncapture technologies are being researchedand developed. ■

Subscribe for free @www.autolive.co.za Page 10Single Cab Triton Getsits Call-Up PapersAs Marketing Director for Mitsubishi, Nicholas de Canha is very excitedabout the prospects of increasing Mitsubishi’s footprint in the LCV marketwith the single-cab Triton, launched to the media two weeks ago.Nicholas de Canha, Marketing Director forMitsubishi SA.During his launch presentation to the country’smedia, he pointed out that historically, Mitsubishisold 100 000 Colt pick-ups, and 56 000 of those weresingle cabs, with a lot of them still running around,some of them with huge mileages.“So, we are back in this game, and it is veryimportant for our dealer network,” says De Canha.“”For dealers, volume is important, and so is theservicing opportunities that go with it.De Canha pointed out that the single cabbody type represents about one third of the totalLCV market at present, and the introduction ofthe Triton single cab increases Mitsubishi’s exposureto the LCV market by 30 per cent at a singlestroke.AutoLive cornered him at the launch in theHartbeespoort Dam area for his thoughts on Tritonand other important pick-ups that fall under hismarketing portfolio for the AMH Group.Apart from being marketing director ofMitsubishi South Africa, his other marketing responsibilitieswithin the Associated Motor Holdingsgroup include Imperial Fleet Management,Daihatsu, Chery and Foton.AL: Tell us about the pick-up market, with specificreference to Mitsubishi.NdC: Yes, and I think it’s appropriate that most ofthis will centre about Mitsubishi. Mitsubishicurrently has a line-up that is only DoubleCabs and Extended Cabs. The Double Caband Extended Cab market is currently abouta third of the LCV market in SA. And theSingle Cab is one third of that market.NdC: This year we expect the LCV market toadd up to 200 000 odd units for the year.It’s a big market, historically it is about onethird of the total market for all vehicle salesin South Africa.NdC: This year is quite a good year, so we’llfinish with a total vehicle market of probablyjust over 600 000. The point being, forMitsubishi, we’ve got SUVs, and Light commercialvehicles.AL: Why has the single cab version come solate after the introduction of the TritonDouble Cab?NdC: The designer of the Triton started the designas a double cab. It was conceived as a luxuryvehicle. And the delay getting the singlecab here was in getting the pricing right.The petrol market for pick ups is clusteredaround R180 000 today and those customersare extremely price conscious. If you offerthem a model at R180 000 with no airbags,and R185 000 with airbags, they will staywith the cheaper non- airbag model.NdC: The ratio is about five to one, in terms ofcustomers making that small saving.NdC: So you really want to launch, from a businessperspective, into that R180 000 market.NdC: From a Mitsubishi standpoint, globally,airbags are standard across the entire productrange. In fact in Australia, many statesdon’t even allow a non airbag vehicle tobe sold.NdC: So Mitsubishi couldn’t simply get rid ofthe airbags, from a production numberspoint of view. We said, okay, but please understandwhat our market is saying to us.NdC: We were fortunate that after a couple ofmonths of negotiation, Mitsubishi said okay,here’s a vehicle that you can sell at R180 000,and you can keep the airbags. Which givesus a great advantage.AL: How did you get that right. Is there anythingelse that was de-specced on our model?NdC: We got a special price, and they said that ifsales grow they’ll maintain the price, so thisis a bit of a market experiment.AL: So this is quite a competitive advantage.NdC: Yes, and at the right price, we are right inthe volume area of the market. And we alsohave ABS brakes, and amazingly 40 per centof the vehicles sold in that R180 000 marketdon’t have ABS brakes.AL: That’s amazing, because bakkies are traditionallyskittish under braking, tail-happy,when the rear brakes lock up.NdC: Yes. In the ‘70s the high-tech bit was a loadsensing valve, but ABS is a feature thatshould surely be standard on all of these vehicles.It is just such a price-sensitive market.It seems a lot of our competitors havemanaged to delete the option on their entryone-tonners and save tiny amounts on itemslike ABS.AL: Just a quick dip into the other product thatyou’re involved in, specifically the Tunland.What hopes do you have for that vehicle.NdC: I think the vehicle’s fantastic, I thoughtthe absence of NVH, and the interior isgreat. And the Cummins diesel engineis very good. So the only restriction is theTunland’s configuration. It’s a 4X4 DoubleCab, so immediately you are only playing inone third of the market. Take the fact it isa 4X4 Diesel Double Cab and it is an evensmaller market.NdC: I think the product is very competitivein that market, but it is a small market. Theother challenge we face with Tunland is:When you launch a brand like the single cabwith Mitsubishi, great brand, it’s going towork. When you launch a brand like Fotoninto a luxury and status market, it’s a biggerchallenge. The people are more prone tobuy utility vehicles from a brand they don’tknow, than a luxury vehicle. Because partof the purchase decision is, hey, look at thebadge on the bonnet, I’ve made it in my field,and hence my luxury car.NdC: So that’s the challenge we are going to facewith Foton.AL: So would you say that the strategy of, forinstance, GWM, going with a utility vehiclefirst, is the right one?NDC: I think it’s the easier place to enter. Veryprice competitive, but if your pricing isright you’ll do some volume. But at AMHwe don’t set manufacturer build time-lines,continued on next page

Subscribe for free @www.autolive.co.za Page 11continued from previous pageand so, as far as Foton goes, the Double Cabwas offered and we went with that.NdC: The big challenge is to get people up to300 000 km in that product, and then theword on how good it is will really spread. Soit’ll take time.AL: As media people in the motor industry,part of our restriction is that we are alwaysexposed to new vehicles, and often we aren’taware of problems that occur down the line.How important is word of mouth?NdC: Word of mouth is probably stronger thanadvertising, pure advertising. Another typeof word-of-mouth is expert opinion, frommedia people like yourself. A good reviewis worth 10 ads. And then word of mouth isequally important from owners. And positiveword of mouth allows you to introducenew models. If you have a good experiencewith this model, you’ll buy another onefrom the same brand. And the more luxuryorientatedyour product, the more of thatyou need.AL: So what’s against it at present is the key fob,the brand statement, you toss on the barcounter?NcD: Ja. And Foton will get over that, but it’ll takea couple of years. ■Mitsubishi’s Triton gets Tough!BY STUART JOHNSTONFor me, the new single-cab version of the MitsubishiTriton addresses the single most important problemfacing the other versions of the Triton, whichto date have been the 4X4 Double Cab and the ClubCab models.Gone, at the stroke of an artists electronic pencil,is the soft curve extending from the sill area justin front of the rear wheel arch, and up into the lineseparating the cab from the load area.To me, that soft curving line indicated exactlythat, a softness in exactly the area where youwant a bakkie to be tough, bang in the middleof the structure, especially with a heavy load inthe backIt seems as if Mitsubishi has realised this, becausewith its single cab, introduced to the mediatwo weeks ago, the Triton is much more aboutstraight lines. In fact Mitsubishi has gone even furtheralong the lines of toughness before style, byspecifying hi-rider suspension and unadorned steelwheels on all three models on offer at launch. Themessage is: here is a bakkie designed to work, and itarrives with its sleeves already rolled up.The three models launched are two petrol variantsusing the Mitsubishi 2,4-litre four-cylinderpetrol engine, and a 2,5-litre diesel.Both these engines are very impressive, and offerreal value to customers wanting a good workhorsein this extremely competitive area of the LCVmarket. Pricing for the base-spec GL model is atR179 900, with the GLX priced at R189 900. TheGLX model gets air-conditioning and electric windows,over and above the standard spec.In addition, the Diesel model also gets theseluxury items (in a single cab pick-up market,these are still perceived as luxury items!), as wellas a rear diff lock. The diesel variant is priced atR239 900, quite a hefty premium of R50 000 overthe petrol GLX.Mitsubishi’s single cab, with straight upright lines in the middle of the body structure, theway things are meant to be.The petrol engine produces 97 kW at a leisurely5 250 rpm and 202 Nm of torque at 4 000 rpm, whilethe diesel produces 100 kW at 4 000 and a strong 314Nm at 2 000 rpm. Both engine variants use a fivespeedgearbox, and all three models come standardwith ABS and airbags (see Nicholas de Canha interviewin this issue).Mitsubishi were careful to spec this model for avery utilitarian end of the market, hence all modelshave vinyl seat covering, and the bench seat offersaccommodation for three people (two passengersand a driver).The launch drive was extremely short, hardlylong enough to form any lasting impressions of thevehicle as a whole, but both engine derivatives feelvery strong. The turbodiesel is particularly strongfrom low in the rev range.The fitting of the hi-rider suspension makes thevehicle very stiff when un-laden, and it is certainlynot comfortable, even over smoothish roads. Thesteering is also geared very low, which takes somegetting used to when first negotiating turns. Butthe overall impression is one of solidity, more thanenough to back up the stronger, more macho linesof the Triton single cab.The load box measures just over 2,2 metres inlength, and is 1,47 metres wide. All three models arerated at one ton, with a towing capacity of 1 200 kg.Mitsubishi built up a very strong following withits tougher-looking Colt, with over 100 000 unitssold over the period of just over a decade, and thecompany needs to get back to those sorts of volumeswith its Triton. At present Triton sells about 120 to150 units a month, way, way off Colt volumes.All the new single cab Triton bakkies come witha three year/100 000 km warranty and a five-year/75000 km service plan for petrol derivatives. The dieselversion has a five-year/70 000 km service plan,due to shorter service intervals of 10 000 km (thepetrol models need servicing every 15 000 km). ■

Subscribe for free @www.autolive.co.za Page 12Kia Rio SedanThe sedan version of Kia’s Rio isan oft overlooked model, becausehatchbacks are the eye-catchers inthis close-to-entry level of the newcar market. But like the Rio hatch,which is up for 2013 Car of theYear kudos, the sedan is one sweetlittle package.I think Kia have done a remarkable job in the stylingdepartment. Giving the car a sharp wedge orarrow-head shape, rather than being a hatch witha boot tacked on.The model we had for test was the Rio 1,4 TECmanual, which sells for R179 995, while there aretwo cheaper versions on offer too. These are the1,2, which uses a smaller engine and has steelwheels (but still comes with air-conditioner, electricwindows front and rear, dual airbags and abuilt-in audio system) and this sells for R146 995.The plain 1,4 at R165 995 is the next model up andis distinguished by 15-inch alloy wheels, while theThe sedan version of the Rio is quite a styling feat.The Kia Rio sedan looks great from any angle. We particularly like the crinkly mainradiator grille.TEC model we sampled is instantly identified by17 inch alloys and 205/45 R17 tyres.The 1,4-litre motor produces 79 kW and whileyou have to work it a bit to get the best out of it, itis a sweet-revving little honey of an engine. It is notthat strong on torque (the claimed figure is 120 Nmat 4 000 rpm) but there is sufficient to carry the topgear of the six-speed manual transmission in mosthighway cruising situations.This results in a day-to-day consumption varyingbetween 5,8 litres/100 in highway use to anoverall traffic-highway mix of 6,5 litres per 100,which is quite outstanding.The handling is okay without being totally satisfying.In fact I felt the car was a bit too sensitive toslight steering wheel movement at highway speeds,and generally I would like to feel more weight inthe steering wheel, a criticism that applies to manyKia products.On the other hand, so to speak, the lightsteering is a boon in complex turning situations,such as you’d find exiting shopping malls andthe like.Inside the overall fit and finish levels are verygood for a car in this price bracket, and personallyI could do without the few extras that the TECmodel bestows, such as tinted glass, a cooled glovebox,rain sensors etc and save R14 000 on the price.Okay, if I did that I’d also have to dip out on theTEC’s side and curtain airbags which make upsome of that extra cost, but I don’t have too manypassengers to worry about.A very good car this, with a five-year/100 000km warranty and a four-year/60 000 km serviceplan as part of the deal. ■To advertise incontactBruno Lupini on 081 354 7212 or email him at bruno.lupini@gmail.com

Subscribe for free @www.autolive.co.za Page 13SA’s Transport Ministry SettingGreat Store By RTMSSeen at the RTMS workshop in Polokwane were (from left) Paul Nordengen (CSIR), Kathy Bell (Standard Bank), Keir Gild (WabcoAutomotive), Deputy Minister of Transport, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga, Gert Brits (Unitrans Mining), Oliver Naidoo (Judith Auditing), SteveCornelius (Indwe Risk Managers) and Adrian van Tonder (Barloworld Logistics), Date:29 October 2012The South African Transport Ministry is settinggreat store by the increasing roll out of the RoadTraffic Management System (RTMS), judging bythe remarks of the Deputy Minister of Transport,Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga, speaking at a recent RTMSworkshop in Polokwane, which had Hino SA as itsmain sponsor and several other interested companiesas co-sponsors.“I urge all industry stakeholders to embracethis visionary system which will not only improveefficiencies in the South African logistics valuechain, but also enable best practice sharing withinthe Southern African Development Community(SADC),” said the Deputy Minister.“The (Road Transport) Department sees theimplementation of the RTMS strategy as a responsibilitythat needs to be driven by industry, while thedepartment will continue to participate and supportthe National RTMS Committee and its varioussub-committees. I therefore commend the pro-activityshown by the leadership of this initiative (tostage a series of workshops) and have no doubt thatit will lead to a tremendous improvement in the performanceof the logistics value chain.”The five-hour workshop in Limpopo was theeighth in a series of RTMS national road showswhere Hino SA has been the key sponsor. The roadshows have taken place over the past two years witha positive response from the industry and muchgreater awareness of the benefits of RTMS to transportoperators.A five-year RTMS strategy was announcedby the minister of transport in October 2006 afterlengthy deliberations with many involved parties.The SA Bureau of Standards was tasked with settingout the requisite standards. Now the task is to getmany more companies in the transport industry toobtain RTMS accreditation.The RTMS is an industry-led, governmentsupportedvoluntary self regulation scheme whichuses compliance to a set of standards as its methodof operation. These standards include adheringto road traffic regulations, contributing to thepreservation of the road infrastructure and promotingroad safety, with one of the positive outflowsfor the accredited operators being increasedproductivity.The workshop in Polokwane was very wellattended, with almost 100 delegates from localtransport companies and commercial vehicle dealerships.What made the enthusiastic turnout particularlysatisfying to the organisers was the factthat a truck drivers’ protest march took place inPolokwane at the same time.During her address the Deputy Minister ofTransport told the delegates there are plans to implementthe National Road Traffic Amendment Act,after which the consignee and consignors of goodstransported by road will be also be held liable foroverloading and other traffic offences related to therelated freight transport operations.“The implementation of the self-regulatoryRTMS standards will, therefore, assist the accreditedcompanies to comply with the Road Traffic Actand make our roads safer,” said Deputy MinisterChikunga.“I must stress that government, the RTMS andthe road freight industry have to work together tounderstand the pressure being exerted on our roadnetwork and how the deterioration of the networkcan lead to increased congestion, destruction of theroad network itself and subsequently these factorswill derail the development of the very effectivetransportation system that we desperately need forsocial and economic development.”The workshop was multi-faceted and provideda wealth of information for the attendees. Besidespresentations on various aspects of the RTMS, includingthe benefits for insurance and financing,there were also people talking about the role of theRTMS in mining and the operation of the so-calledextra-long Smart trucks.This was the first time that a representativefrom the Minister of Transport’s office had attendedone of these workshops and Barloworld Logistics’Adrian van Tonder, speaking on behalf of the RTMSNational Steering Committee, said that the attendanceof the Deputy Minister “will go a long way inpromoting RTMS.” Van Tonder also expressed hiscommittee’s gratitude to Hino SA for the role it wascontinuing to play in promoting RTMS. ■

Subscribe for free @www.autolive.co.za Page 15Peoplecontinued from previous pageas a language practitioner, and she has worked asa translator, a technical writer, and on many custompublishing titles. She says she has a passionfor classic cars and is “impatient” to begin work onthe RMI publication. She replaces previous editorTim Brink, who now edits RamsayMedia’s sistertitle, Ride. Previous editors of AutoMobil includeWynter Murdoch and Mike Monk.Zille’s Green LeafIn support of the Western Cape’s ambition to positionitself as Africa’s Green Economic Hub, theV&A Waterfront hosted the first integrated sustainabilitySustain Our Africa Summit between24 and 28 October. Western Cape Premier HelenZille arrived in the 100% electric Nissan LEAF,planned to launch in South Africa in 2013. Aimedat eliminating harmful CO2, Nissan’s LEAF is atthe forefront of zero-emission mobility. One of themain goals of the summit is to re-invent sustainabilitygatherings in a way that creates new solutions,builds new markets, drives practical actionand provides the tools to address critical environmentalissues.Western Cape Premier Helen Zille and Nissan’s Leaf.Onwell Msomi beefs up Ford boardFord Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA)has appointed of Zwelakhe Onwell Msomi as anIndependent Non-Executive Director of the Boardof Directors of FMCSA (Manufacturing) effective 1November 2012.Msomi holds a BA (Hons) Economics &Political Science degree from the University OfDelhi in India and has held various positions withbeverage giant Coca-Cola.A recent highlight of his career was as GeneralManager 2010 FIFA World Cup Project Team.Restructuring in Hino marketingThere has been some restructuring at Hino SA inthe wake of the job rotation move from Hino tothe Toyota Academy of Learning by former seniormanager of Hino Marketing, Ignatius Muthien.Marketing Management is now the responsibilityof senior manager Dewald Olivier, who alsolooks after customer service and marketing planning.He reports to the vice-president of Hino SA,Dr. Casper Kruger.Sameera Khan has been appointed Hino SAMarketing Manager. She has been on the Toyotagraduate trainee programme for the past two years,concentrating mainly on marketing aspects of thebusiness. Sameera has been on rotational trainingwith Hino for the past five months. ■Tania de Kock, new Editor of Automobil.Sameera Khan.Onwell Msomi.Dewald Olivier.

Subscribe for free @www.autolive.co.za Page 16SnippetsFord’s Graham Hoare receives the trophyfrom Dewar’s John Wood.ANOTHER BOOSTFOR ECOBOOSTFord’s new 1.0-litre three-cylinder EcoBoost enginehas notched up another accolade with the award ofthe The Dewar Trophy 2012. The trophy, for outstandingBritish technical achievement in the automotiveindustry, was presented to Graham Hoare,Head of the Ford Dunton Technical Centre, andmembers of the EcoBoost engineering team at theRoyal Automobile Club this week.Ford triumphedover 35 other companies and organisations to gaina unanimous verdict from the judging panel. TheFord team was recognised for setting themselveschallenging targets and bringing together a significantnumber of advanced technologies to push theboundaries of engine design.“Ford‘s engineers at Dunton have producedan outstanding downsized powertrain that deliversexceptional economy while achieving the hightorque and relaxed driving characteristics normallyassociated with a diesel and the smooth, free-revvingqualities of a petrol engine, that has won acclaimfrom everyone who has driven it,” said JohnWood MBE, Chairman of the Dewar TechnicalCommittee.Steve Cropley, Dewar Technical Committeemember and Editor-in-Chief of Autocar magazineadded: “Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine sets extraordinarynew standards of efficiency, refinementand driver appeal — and brings them to the mass ofBritish drivers who buy and drive affordable cars.”The engine – small enough to fit on an A4 sheetof paper – was designed at Ford’s Technical Centrein Dunton, UK. The three-cylinder engine is availablein the Ford B-MAX, the Ford Focus and theFord C-MAX. In addition to the Dewar Trophy,Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost was recently awarded thetitle of “International Engine of the Year.” ■1.0-LITRE ECOBOOSTINNOVATIONS■ An exhaust manifold, cast into the cylinderhead, lowers the temperature of exhaust gasesto enable the optimum fuel-to-air ratio acrossa wider rev band■ A unique cast iron block warms the enginemore quickly than a conventional aluminiumblock to cut by 50 per cent the amount of“warm-up” energy required, and reduce fuelconsumption■ Two main engine drive belts are immersed inoil to ensure quieter, more efficient operation■ Offsetting the engine configuration bydeliberately unbalancing the flywheel andpulley instead of adding energy-drainingbalancer shafts to minimise vibration. ■GM AND PSA QUICKOUT OF THE BLOCKSGeneral Motors and its alliance partners, Peugeot/Citroen have been quick to announce a strategy towork together in developing plans for joint purchasingoperations and four vehicle projects.The four common vehicles selected are:■ A compact class multi-purpose van for Opel/Vauxhall (in the UK) and a compact classcrossover utility vehicle for the Peugeotbrand.■ A multi-purpose vehicle for the small carsegment for Opel/Vauxhall and the Citroënbrand.■ An upgraded low CO 2emission small carsegment platform for the next generation ofOpel/Vauxhall, Peugeot and Citroën cars.■ A mid-size car for Opel/Vauxhall and thePeugeot and Citroën brands.The alliance aims to launch the first vehicle resultingfrom these common programmes by the endof 2016.There has also been a rumour that SergioMarchionne, CEO of the Chrysler/Fiat alliance,has been talking to GM and Peugeot/Citroën aboutthem joining forces with Fiat to make a Europeanalliance that would surpass the Volkswagen Groupas the region’s biggest vehicle manufacturer, but thishas now been denied by Marchionne. ■FORD SLUMPSFord has plunged down the US ConsumerReports’ rankings of car reliability for the secondyear and has landed up 27 th out of the 28 brandslisted. (Jaguar, formerly part of the Ford empireand now owned by Tata, is rated worst). Ford haddropped from 10 th in 2010 to 20 th in 2011. Ford’sluxury Lincoln brand fell from 14 th in 2011 to 26 thlast year.In June the Ford brand had placed 27 th in theannual JD Power Initial Quality Study. In 2010 ithad been ranked fifth in the same survey.According to the magazine the fall in Ford’sranking came from problematic new models andthe expansion of the MyFord Touch system into awider range of vehicles and the technology had been“problematic so far”.Toyota Motor Corporation’s Scion, TOYOTAand Lexus brands ranked first, second and third inthe 2012 list which continues to be dominated byAsian brands. The 2012 Consumer Reports reliabilitysurvey was drawn from the experienced of itssubscribers with 1,2-million vehicles.Four other Japanese brands were ranked behindthe Toyota top three. They were Mazda,Subaru, Honda and Acura |(Honda’s luxury brand).Audi was the best-placed European brand at No. 8(up from 26 in 2011). Infiniti and Kia rounded outthe top 10. ■HYUNDAI GOING FORDUAL CLUTCHWhile many motor manufacturers are developingcontinuously variable transmissions as a means tostretch fuel economy, Hyundai Motor is headingin the opposite direction according to an article inAutomotive News.Inefficiencies in the CVT’s basic design hascaused Hyundai to chase dual-clutch transmissiontechnology instead, said Mike O’Brien,Hyundai Motor America vice president ofproduct planning.Dual-clutch transmissions give the immediacyof a manual transmission without the choreof manually rowing through the gears. “Dualclutchhas a better future with us. It has better fueleconomyadvantages. It’s better for the enthusiastdriver. It matches [our product philosophy] better,”O’Brien said.While a “smoother” transmission withoutdefined shift-points, CVTs suffer frictional lossesfrom dragging the transmission’s steel belt aroundits pulleys in its search to find the optimum operatingrange. Meanwhile, a large hydraulic pump isrequired to clamp the pulleys together to deliver thepower to the wheels.Both those create parasitic power losses thatdegrade the CVT’s performance and fuel economy,

Subscribe for free @www.autolive.co.za Page 17SnippetsO’Brien said. What’s more, the “rubber band” feelingof the CVT as it hunts for its best ratio is notconducive to enthusiastic driving. Also, CVTs arelimited to smaller engine displacements with lowertorque, limiting their applications. ■CLIPPED WINGSVJ Mallya, the billionaire Indian owner of a majorshare of the Force India F1 team as well as owningthe Indian Premier League cricket team RoyalChallengers Bangalore and nicknamed “The \king of Good Times” has had his wings clipped.Literally. His financially crippled KingfisherAirline has been grounded by the Indian aviationauthorities pending Mallya coming up with a viablerevival plan.Kingfisher has debt of US%1,4bn and his fleethas been cut from its earlier 64 planes to 15 as itbattled financially. Employees have not been paidfor several weeks. This has resulted in Mallya sellinghis Cape Town mansion for R100m. His otherassets in SA include the 12 000ha Mabula GameLodge in North West and the Cape Milner Hotel inthe Western Cape.Forbes has recently estimated Mallya – renownedfor his fabulous parties at the MonacoGrand Prix when he sponsored the Toyota F1 team– as now being worth US$800m. ■KIA’S LUCKY ONE-DIRECTIONAL WINNERWith its on-going sponsorship of the Take 40 SAchart show on 94.7 Highveld Stereo and 94.5 KFM,KIA Motors South Africa ran a competition involvingthe SA-based boy band One Direction, wherea lucky listener stood the chance to win an all-expensespaid trip to watch them live in New York inDecember this year.Kia Thorsen was chosen as the “big winner” outof 1 713 entries received. Could it be that her firstname was the deciding factor? ■Proton already assembles Hondas so now it will beinteresting to see what happens in the future.DRB-Hicom, the consortium which ownsProton also owns UK-based Lotus, so now therecould be collaboration between this famous sportscar manufacturer and Honda which will roll outits next generation NSX supercar in 2015. The NSXplatform could be used by Lotus, which is strugglingto survive and has recently fired its CEO. ■AFRICAN 6-HOUR RACEThere is great interest in the African 6-Hour Racewhich is to be held at the Phakisa circuit, Welkom,on February 23. Already 43 entries have been receivedby organiser Roger Pearce. Cut off will be60 entries. The race will start at 14:00 and finishat 20:00. Cars entered range from Porsches, a FordGT40, a Chevron, Backdrafts and Shelby CanAmsto Lotus 7s. ■TAYLOR RETIRESAnthony Taylor, one of South Africa’s most successfulsportsmen, has retired from circuit racing andwill concentrate on off-road racing for the CastrolToyota team and his engineering business. Hehas been involved in motorsport for more than 31years, first in karting and motocross and then inall forms of circuit racing, from single-seaters toproduction cars.He says the main reason for quitting the AfroxBMW production car team is frustration with thecontinual changing of the rules during the season.“In nine races in 2012 there were 14 rule changes,”said the West Rand businessman. “It is very difficultto remain focussed and committed when the goalpostskeep getting moved.”It is reported that another former racing championwill take Taylor’s place in the Afrox BMWteam for 2013.WRC IN TURMOILThe World Rally Championship for 2013 is in turmoil.Although Volkswagen and Hyundai will bejoining the series there have been shock announcementsrecently with both Ford and MINI withdrawingdirect factory support from the end of 2012.Citroën, the dominant brand in rallying in therecent past with its nine times champion driverSebastian Loeb, is also likely to be less involved nextyear. The company has said it will support Loeb inhis favourite events in 2013, with his rally drivingcareer coming to an end after the Rally of Francenext October.It has been announced that Citroën is investigatingthe possibility of contesting the WorldTouring Car Championship in 2014, with Loeb asone of its drivers. ■WESBANK BOWS OUTWesbank has bowed out of SA motor racing aftermore than 29 years’ involvement as one of motorsport’sbackbone sponsors. In recent years it hasbeen the sponsor of both the circuit racing seriesand the Wesbank V8 championship.There is a deathly silence from Motorsport SAregarding any possible sponsorship replacementfor Wesbank, which has been racing’s lifebloodsince the heydays of the 1980’s and ‘90’s throughthe increasingly lean years of the 21 st century untilit folded up the tent after the recent Kyalami racemeeting. (It had relinquished its iconic Kyalami entertainmentboma a couple of years ago). ■HONDA SIGNS WITH PROTONHonda, the third-ranked Japanese motor manufacturer,has signed a collaboration agreement withMalaysian vehicle maker Proton. It will includejoint projects on an engine as well as hybrid andelectric vehicle development.Volkswagen has been in negotiation withProton since 2004 but has never finalised a jointventure until production of CKD VW Passats beganat a Proton plant in Malaysia in March this year.Ben Morgenrood won the fi nal V8 race at Kyalami last weekend, a series that has itsroots in Wesbank sponsorship which began in 1983.

Subscribe for free @www.autolive.co.za Page 18Working WheelsMBSA Jump-Starts Imperial Logisticswith its Fuso Canter Eco-HybridMitsubishi Fuso Eco-Hyrbid.Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) recentlyhanded over a Fuso Canter Eco-Hybrid toImperial Logistics in Germiston for a 3 monthtest period. The vehicle will circulate among keencustomers and will run as part of the fleet in normalapplication. MBSA premiered the light duty truckat the 2010 Johannesburg International Motor Show(JIMS) in South Africa.Godfrey Hani, divisional manager Freightliner,FUSO & Western Star says, “For the FUSO stableand MBSA as a whole, this represents an advance inour quest to play a leading role in the field of greeninnovation and cements our commitment to sustainablemobility solutions.”When compared to the current Fuso Canter,with its conventional diesel engine, the hybrid versionuses up to 30 percent less fuel and consequentlyproduces up to 30 percent less CO2 and other emissionsin a stop-start city delivery environment,claims MBSA.The Fuso Canter Eco-Hybrid combines a Fusotwo-pedal Inomat automated mechanical transmission(AMT) with a 23kW electric motor.The same electric motor doubles as a generatorto recharge the Lithium Ion battery pack duringbraking thereby storing or recycling energy for thenext pull off.As a result, the “recycled energy” effect producesa significant reduction in fuel consumptionthat increases the more the vehicle stops andstarts. The fuel saving on long distance type workis not that significant, however, most trucks in theCanter-type commercial vehicle class are employedin distribution application over, short distance. ■Tata’s Ace Pick-UpTata Super Ace.Tata recently introduced the Super Ace one-tonmini truck. The DLE version of the forward-cabpick-up comes well-equipped with what were oncedeemed luxury features in this class of vehicle, suchas power steering, power windows, air-conditioning,and engine immobiliser and remote centrallocking.Other handy features include fully adjustableseating, headlamp levelling adjustment, and a batteryguard.The pick-up uses a 1,4-litre indirect-injectiondiesel engine, producing 52 kW at 4 500 rpm and135 Nm at 2 500 rpm. The engine drives through afive-speed manual gearbox.The Super Ace is available in DL spec too, whichcomes without air-conditioner and power windows.Prices start from R109 995 for the base model, andthis will include a free maintenance if the vehicle isbought before January 31, 2013. ■

Subscribe for free @www.autolive.co.za Page 19Working WheelsHino Dominates Satisfaction RankingsReliable – Hino’s 300 series medium sized truck.Hino has become the first truck manufacturer ordistributor to make a clean sweep at the top of allfour tables in the Scott Byers Network’s comparativecustomer satisfaction survey of truck fleetownersin South Africa. These surveys have been conductedsince 1986 – for 26 years – and they have toldan amazing tale of improving levels of customer satisfactionduring this period.Speaking at the recent Scott Byers &Econometrix Truck Seminar in Johannesburg, thefounder of the research company, Ian Byers, saidthat in the beginning customer satisfaction levelsranged from about 52%-58%. Now Hino has averagedfar more than 93% in all four tables: Sales,Service, Parts and Overall and the national averagein the overall rankings exceeds 91%.The annual awards are based on a full year’s results,from October 1 of one year to September 30 ofthe following year. Each of those companies whoseresults are included in the comparative evaluationmust have had at least 100 interviews conducted perdepartment – Sales, Service and Parts. The final listis made up of those companies with scores greaterthan the national average.During interviews the fleetowners are asked togive their ratings of companies that are either theirfirst or second choice supplier and with whom theyhave had dealings within the past three months, soas to ensure the survey is up to date and relevant.“We are absolutely delighted tobe the first company in history tohave topped all four tables andI would like to congratulate ourdealer network and our own aftersalessupport teams for theseoutstanding results on all fronts,”“We are absolutely delighted to be the first companyin history to have topped all four tables and I wouldlike to congratulate our dealer network and ourown after-sales support teams for these outstandingresults on all fronts,” said Hino SA’s vice president,Dr Casper Kruger.“We are particularly proud that we were able tocome out top in the Parts segment of the survey asthe research was conducted while we were movinginto our massive new parts warehouse in Benoni,which has meant transferring large amounts ofstock from our previous warehouse in Sandton anda number of satellite hubs in Gauteng.The rankings of the various companies whichhave scored higher than the national average for2011/2012 are:■ Overall: Hino, Freightliner, Mercedes-Benz,Isuzu and Volvo.■ Parts: Hino, Freightliner, Mercedes-Benz,MAN and Volvo.■ Service: Hino, Isuzu, Freightliner and UDTrucks.■ Sales: Hino, Isuzu tied with Volvo, Freightliner,International and Mercedes-Benz. ■To advertise incontactEstelle van Staden on 083 267 1669 or email her at estellevs@telkomsa.net

Subscribe for free @www.autolive.co.za Page 20Disruptions Hit Motor Vehicle Production in OctoberDisruptions at various automotive manufacturingfacilities in SA, caused by the transport workers’strike and the two strikes that hit Toyota – one at itsown factory and one at its seat and door panel supplier– affected production and exports in October.Nevertheless new car sales maintained upwardmomentum according to the latest NAAMSA figuresand showed a 13,1% improvement over salesin October last year. LCV sales were up 7,1%, butthe overall truck and bus market only rose 1%, witha 15,1% drop in the sales of extra-heavy trucks.(These figures include estimates for sales by MBSA,which does not currently give a total breakdown ofits monthly figures).Total domestic sales for the first 120 monthsin calendar 2012 saw a 10,1% growth compared tothe situation a year ago. The market was split upat 77,9% (43 091 units) sold by the dealers, 13,6%rental sales, 4,9% to the government and 3,6% tocorporate fleets.Export sales of 24 904 vehicles represented adecline of 3,3% compared to the 25 763 units exportedin the same month last year.NAAMSA said that the strong performanceof the SA automotive sector continued to surpriseagainst a backdrop of weak momentum in the overalleconomy.NAAMSA believes the industry is on track torecord annual growth of around 10%. Negative factorsthat could influence the news vehicle marketover the balance of this year and going into 2013 includerising inflationary pressure despite subduedeconomic growth as well as the impact of Randweakness on modes vehicle price increases experiencedfor the year to date, which may not be sustainablegoing forward. ■South African Vehicle Sales Figures at the End of October 2012Disclaimer:* For the time being, as a result of a global directive by Daimler AG (Germany), Mercedes-Benz South Africa (Pty) Ltd will only report aggregated Passenger andCommercial sales data.Please note the disaggregated MBSA volumes are estimates based on historical trends and forecasting techniques.Source: NAAMSA www.naamsa.co.za.RGT SMART is the independent provider of the new vehicle sales information to NAAMSA and AutoLive. For more information on the RGT SMARTproduct line view www.rgtsmart.co.za.TOTAL MARKETYTD 2012 524 758YTD 2011 476 726Increase of 10,1% between YTD 2012 and YTD 2011OCTOBER 2012 57 845SEPTEMBER 2012 55 093OCTOBER 2011 53 326Increase of 10,5% between sales in October 2012 and October 2011PASSENGER CAR MARKETYTD 2012 370 288YTD 2011 331 645Increase of 11,7% between YTD 2012 and YTD 2011OCTOBER 2012 41 636SEPTEMBER 2012 39 489OCTOBER 2011 36 826Increase of 13,1% between sales in October 2012 and October 2011LIGHT COMMERCIAL VEHICLE MARKETYTD 2012 131 052YTD 2011 122 341Increase of 7,1% between YTD 2012 and YTD 2011OCTOBER 2012 13 667SEPTEMBER 2012 13 286OCTOBER 2011 12 985Decrease of 5,3% between sales in October 2012 and October 2011OVERALL TRUCK AND BUS MARKETYTD 2012 22 968YTD 2011 22 740Increase of 1% YTD 2012 and YTD 2011OCTOBER 2012 2 542SEPTEMBER 2012 2 318OCTOBER 2011 2 515Increase of 1% between sales in October 2012 and October 2011TOTAL VEHICLE EXPORTSYTD 2012 229 618YTD 2011 233 843Decrease of 1,8% between YTD 2012 and YTD 2011OCTOBER 2012 24 904SEPTEMBER 2012 26 646OCTOBER 2011 25 763Increase of 3,3% between exports in October 2012 and October 2011PASSENGER CAR EXPORTS (YTD)2012 125 4272011 161 815continued on next page

Subscribe for free @www.autolive.co.za Page 21continued from previous pageDecrease of 22,5% between YTD 2012 and YTD 2011LIGHT COMMERCIAL VEHICLE EXPORTS (YTD)2012 103 2392011 71 418Increase of 44,6% between YTD 2012 and YTD 2011TRUCK AND BUS EXPORTS (YTD)2012 9522011 610Increase of 56% between total truck and bus exports YTD 2012 andYTD 2011NOTE: This data includes fi gures for Associated Motor Holdings (AMH),and for Mercedes Benz SA (MBSA), which are both currently reportingonly aggregated fi gures. In the case of MBSA this is due to a globaldirective from Daimler in Germany. (The MBSA commercial market fi gureshave been allocated to the various vehicle type categories as estimates byRGT SMART, based on historical trends and forecasting).THE FIGURES PROVIDED BY MBSA FOR OCTOBER ARE:Passenger 1 763Commercials 731Exports 4 660THE FIGURES REPORTED BY AMH FOR OCTOBER ARE:Small cars (1 400cc or less) 3 537Medium cars (1 400 – 2 500cc) 2 116Large Cars (over 2 500cc) 164x4 Recreational vehicles (SUV) 711Light commercial vehicles 956Medium commercial vehicles 60TOTAL 7 396In addition GWM (Great Wall Motors) reported an aggregate sales fi gurefor October 2012 of 787 units, which is not included in these fi gures.Figures courtesy of NAAMSA / RGT SMARTSandero helped Renault to an overal market total of 1 127 unitsin October.TOTAL VEHICLES BY MANUFACTURER FOR OCTOBER 2012RSAEXPORTTOYOTA 12 139 4 141VOLKSWAGEN GROUP SA 10 125 5 553GMSA 6 716 406NISSAN 4 641 1 376FMC 4 474 4 057BMW GROUP 2 838 4 580RENAULT 1 127 17CHRYSLER SA 749 10HONDA 652 18TATA 608 0PCSA 534 0JAGUAR LANDROVER 506 0FIAT GROUP 415 12MAHINDRA 393 0SUZUKI AUTO 364 0MITSUBISHI MOTORS SA 355 0UD TRUCKS 305 18VOLVO CARS 227 0MAN 184 20VOLVO TRUCKS 124 9PORSCHE 107 0IVECO 94 9SUBARU 81 0SCANIA 76 9POWERSTAR 47 8NC2 TRUCKS SA 34 0RENAULT TRUCKS 25 1MASERATI 7 0BABCOCK 5 0VDL BUS AND COACH SA 3 0SUB TOTAL 47 955 20 244AMH & AAD 7 396MBSA 2 494 4 660Disco 4 was Land Rover’s best-selling model in October with animpressive 174 unitsINDUSTRY TOTAL 57 845 24 904Figures courtesy of NAAMSA / RGT SMART

Subscribe for free @www.autolive.co.za Page 22MARKET TOTALS BY MANUFACTURER FOR OCTOBER 2012PASSENGERLIGHTCV16 500KGBUS>8 500KGRSA EXP RSA EXP RSA EXP RSA EXP RSA EXP RSA EXPTOYOTA 8 013 604 3 724 3 537 219 0 158 0 25 0 0 0VOLKSWAGEN GROUP SA 9 426 5 553 617 0 82 0 0 0 0 0 0 0GMSA 3 458 48 2 994 328 112 17 112 12 39 1 1 0NISSAN 1 831 68 2 810 1 308 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0FMC 2 664 0 1 810 4 057 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0BMW GROUP 2 838 4 580 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0RENAULT 1 103 8 24 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0CHRYSLER SA 749 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0HONDA 652 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0TATA 282 0 183 0 61 0 47 0 28 0 7 0PCSA 501 0 25 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0JAGUAR LANDROVER 449 0 57 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0FIAT GROUP 337 6 66 6 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0MAHINDRA 155 0 238 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0SUZUKI AUTO 364 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0MITSUBISHI MOTORS SA 234 0 121 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0UD TRUCKS 0 0 0 0 89 1 143 11 73 6 0 0VOLVO CARS 227 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0MAN 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 0 133 20 34 0VOLVO TRUCKS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 124 9 0 0PORSCHE 107 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0IVECO 0 0 0 0 55 8 5 0 34 0 0 1SUBARU 81 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0SCANIA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 57 0 19 9POWERSTAR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 47 8 0 0NC2 TRUCKS SA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 34 0 0 0RENAULT TRUCKS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 25 1 0 0MASERATI 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0BABCOCK 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0VDL BUS AND COACH SA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0SUB TOTAL 33 478 10 895 12 669 9 245 638 26 482 23 624 45 64 10AMH & AAD 6 380 0 956 0 60 0 0 0 0 0 0 0MBSA 1 763 4 660 57 0 215 0 64 0 380 0 15 0INDUSTRY TOTAL 41 621 15 555 13 682 9 245 913 26 546 23 1 004 45 79 10Figures courtesy of NAAMSA / RGT SMART

Subscribe for free @www.autolive.co.za Page 23SA’s Fabulous Homologation SpecialsThis country is world-famous for producing some exciting home-grown models, developed right here in SouthAfrica. To be able to race them, manufacturers had to build a certain number for the road, and the cars on thispage are just some of the classics that stirred the blood of enthusiasts in the 1980s and ‘90s. We need more ofthese sorts of cars today, where guys can sit on the grand stands and really relate to what’s happening out thereon the track, or on rough rally roads. See next page for story – Stuart JohnstonAlfa Romeo’s GTV6 3,0 with special alloys and bonnet bulge.BMW’s E30 series Shadowline remains a cult car to this day.Ford’s Sierra XR8 had V8 power, but the 5,0-litre mill needed bigportheads to really make it go.XR8 was distinguished by massive dual-plane rear wing,developed for the Sierra Cosworth Turbo in England.Opel’s Superboss came with a limited slip diff in the boot!

Subscribe for free @www.autolive.co.za Page 24Back PageSA’S Homologation SpecialsMike Briggs was a national media starback in 1992, thanks to the Superboss.BY STUART JOHNSTONThere’s nothing like a home-grown factory-builthomologation special to get the blood racing, whenyou are talking about performance cars from thepast. These are cars that were built in South Africain numbers sufficient to homologate special modelsfor racing, the cut-off production figures for thesecars being 250 units in the 1980s and early ‘90s, theera when the Alfa Romeo TV6 3,0, Ford Sierra XR8,Opel Kadett Superboss and BMW 325i Shadowline2,7 were poster cars for countless teenagers aroundthe country.What grabbed the youth market so hard, sofast in those days? The battles on the track, thetremendous, heroic tussles between Ford, AlfaRomeo, BMW and Mazda (RX7) in the 1983 to1985 seasons, and then the titanic Superboss versusShadowline clashes of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.Anyone who sat at Clubhouse corner at theoriginal Kyalami circuit back in late ’84 andthrough 1985 will remember the pack of GTV6sdriven by the likes of Nico Bianco, Abel d’Oliveira,George Fouche and the Moni brothers, and the FordXR8s of John Gibb and Serge Damseaux haring intosight out of Sunset, all leaning on each other, wingmirrors flying off, dust and chunks of grass beingspewed onto the track, and tyre smoke obscuringthe view.Or maybe, sitting at Hoals Hook at Killarneyas the likes of Mike Briggs, Roddy Turner, GrantMcCleery and John Craig threaded their SuperbossOpels amongst the howling straight six BMWs ofTony Viana, Geoff Goddard, Shaun van der Lindeand Grant van Schalkwyk , the BMWs on twitchyoversteer and the Opels almost bending their bodyshellsas their front wheels scrabbled for traction.The great thing about these four cars mentioned(and there were others too, like the BMW 745i, theChev Firenza Can Am and the Capri and CortinaPeranas from earlier eras) were that you could walkinto a dealer and buy one for the road.Some were better conceived than others. Theoriginal Ford Sierra could have been a much morepotent car, except that Ford personnel at that timespecified a five-litre V8 that was only rated at 150kW. This gave it a 0–100 km/h time in the sevensecondbracket, but it could have been much, muchquicker if they had only specified some big port cylinderheads for the car when they ordered the enginesfrom America. Most enthusiasts did this afterthey’d bought the car anyway, that and wilder camsthat made the car a real rocket. It handled well in alurid, over-steery manner, and it looked cool in itssmart blue and white Ford Motorsport livery.The Shadowline made use of a big-bore kit toincrease capacity to 2,7-litres over the standard325iS’s 2,5 litres.This, with factory-fit BBS rims, and a lot ofsuspension development made the Shadowline actuallyeasier to drive than the stock 325i, becausethe Rosslyn boffins had given the car a mild understeercharacteristics, whereas the stock car was verymuch on over-steer-tippy-toes on the limit, with apropensity to switch into a huge tank-slapper oncethe front end found grip.The Alfa GTV6 used special Autodelta pistonsand other internals to increase the Alfa V6’s capacityfrom 2,5 litres to 3,0 litres, and the South Africancrew, led by the legendary Sampie Bosman, junkedthe restrictive fuel injection and specified six individualsingle-choke DellOrto carbs, a master strokeas it made the three-litre so much more tune-able.Other items like a glassfibre bonnet with a massivescoop and Compomotive rims made the SA versiona classic that, today, is highly sought-after in placeslike the UK.The Opel Superboss was a wild little numberthat came from the factory with a limited slip diff inthe boot, enabling the owner to fit it for road use ifhe was really hardcore. Of course, what this strategyreally achieved was for the factory race team to runthe Superboss with the LS diff on the track, and thusmake it a contender against the BMW Shadowline.I remember being at Car magazine when wetested the Superboss, with its wild cam that ratedthe engine at around 121 kW, some six kW up fromthe standard 16-Valve two-litre fitted to what wasknown as the Big Boss.We used to do roll-on acceleration tests in thosedays from quite low speeds ion top gear, and I rememberthe Superboss trundling down the road,refusing to ramp up onto the powerband during theroll-on test from low revs, the engine simply going“blap-blap-blap-blap” for about a kilometre, andmyself and the late John Wright (who was workingthe test equipment), laughing delightedly at thisstrange phenomenon, the only car in my eight-yearstint with the magazine that refused point blank topull at all, from 60 km/h in top gear!Ja, those were the days, and SA manufacturersand race promoters should do a case -study on thesecars and uncover why they captured the public’s imaginationso strongly.They were halo models that did wonders for thebrand, and they backed up the image with real performanceon the road and on the track. Wouldn’t itbe nice to get an SA –specific rally-spec Ford Focus, or Toyota Auris, and a track-orientated, Audi, GolfGTi or Mini with some SA motorsport-specific tuningand styling, so that youngsters could relate moreclosely to what they see on the track with the carsthey see on the road?Back then there were 250 or more private streetdrivers who were inspired by the likes of SergeDamseaux, Nico Bianco, Mike Briggs and TonyViana, and as proud as punch to drive the cars thattheir heroes were using for track dust-ups.And if you couldn’t afford the special model, atleast it would draw you into the dealership, and maybeyou’d walk out the proud owner of a 1,3-litre demomodel, but at least you were now part of the family.Relationship-building, I believe it’s called. ■Comments? Complaints? Suggestions?E-mail stujohn@autolive.co.za