Colin-on-Cars - BAIC TEASES THE FUTURE WITH COOL B40 PLUS 4×4

B40 Plus is a four by four that wears its Made in China stamp with pride

There is always that moment when playing with a new four-by-four. The one that happens in the middle of a challenging and critical obstacle. When said 4×4 transitions from ‘it might make it’ to ‘no problem’ and the driver comfort that comes with the inspired confidence.

SAY IT ‘BIKE’

The newly launched BAIC (pronounce it ‘Bike’) B40 Plus sits in that realm. It’s a real off-roader. Built and designed for fun times in a mix of modern, high-tech with some good old school design ideas.

Now BAIC has been an active player in the local market since 2016. Did you know that it even has its own assembly facility in Coega in the Eastern Cape? Where it already builds semi knocked down versions of the passenger cars it markets?

So, while the B40 Plus is fully imported from China, the SA plant is slowly ramping up to its full production capacity of 50,000 vehicles with completely knocked down assembly coming during the next year too. From when it will also supply both left and right-hand drive cars to the Sub-Saharan market.

BAIC IS ALREADY WELL ESTABLISHED IN SA

BAIC already also has eight fully operational dealers around the country with a number of contract service centres over and above. See, while that’s still a small footprint in the local market, BAIC is happy to allow demand from car buyers to dictate the pace of its dealer network expansion.

“BAIC SA is proud to add the B40 Plus to the model line-up,” BAIC SA marketing suit Mr Hu admitted. “We believe this vehicle will be well received by the market and will find quite a following amongst consumers that want to stand out in a crowd.

“BAIC is committed to the people of South Africa. “We are actively working to improve the standard of the local automotive manufacturing industry and creating more local employment opportunities. Our goal is to provide South Africans with a wide range of quality products to suit various lifestyles and needs.”

DON’T COMPARE IT TO A JEEP!

It is impossible not to seek comparisons between the B40 and the Jeep Wrangler – they look similar and, indeed, both have their roots in the military with the original B40 having been designed and assembled specifically for the Chinese army.

The bold and imposing B40 Plus however goes its own way with striking and iconic Great Wall inspired five-slot grill and imposing DRL headlights. It has aggressive bumpers and wheel arches and rear fog lamps. And a vertical windshield, large wing mirrors and a high seating position for great visibility.

B40 Plus has a removable roof with individual panels over the driver, passenger and over the rear passengers. Each can be removed singly or together. They clip into a built-in high plate and pipe roll cage designed to safely withstand a 50-metre hillside roll.

WELL KITTED CABIN

A modern sleek and well-appointed SUV-like colour-coded cabin has dual climate control, 6-speaker audio, chrome accents and reclining rear seats. Add a reversing camera, park distance control and a customisable multi-information display. Latest sound deadening tech reduces weight and vehicle mass.

That display packs in an altimeter, pitch and yaw angles, inclinometer and other settings and the reverse camera has various angle choices. This modern looking dash is however plasticky. The retro passenger grab strap, and door opening chain restraints are cute.

The B40 Plus is available in either a 160 kW 2-litre petrol turbo or a 110 kW 350 Nm 2-litre turbodiesel. The petrol auto came out top on the off road course. The diesel only comes in six-speed manual, but the clutch is quite heavy and the gearbox a tad notchy. Old school, if you prefer.

B40 PLUS PACKS ALL THE FOUR BY FOUR KIT

Its selectable 4×4 system has mechanical central transfer case and rear differential. There’s standard anti-lock EBD braking and an electronic parking brake. Some models add ESP, Emergency Brake Assist, Traction, Hill Ascent Control and Hill Descent Control.

B40 Plus gets double wishbone coil spring independent front and 5-link coil spring live axle rear suspension. Minimal overhangs and 210 mm ground makes for an approach angle of 37 degrees, departure angle of 31 degrees and 23 degree ramp-over angle.

“The B40 Plus is more than capable off-road,” BAIC marketing man Basil Costa pointed out. “Our rigorous ‘5 high and 1 drought’ test included high temperature, high altitude, high humidity, high cold, high salt content and of course, a drought.

B40 PLUS IS STRINGENTLY TESTED TOO

“That stringent testing process ensures adaptability to extreme conditions that is 10% higher than regular passenger vehicles.”

B40 Plus comes in at R549K for the Diesel. The range includes the Petrol and City Hunter Diesel and Petrols up to R629K Champion Petrol. They’re backed by a 5-year/120 000 km warranty and service plans are available. Service intervals are 15 000 km 12 months for both Petrol and Diesel models.

All in all we enjoyed our introduction to the BAIC B40 Plus. This is one time where the ‘Made in China’ stamp can be worn with some pride. And it’s a little peek into the next Chinese auto attack in SA. Bring it on! 

https://bit.ly/30kxl1r

Colin-on-Cars - Navara single cab completes the range

Fleet fans of the Nissan brand and who are safety conscious will be happy the new Navara lineup is now completed with the introduction of the single cab variants offering the same updated specifications and technology as their leisure-orientated double cab cousins.

“The Single Cab comes with an impressive list of best-in-class features that make it the perfect partner to get the job done right,” says Stefan Haasbroek, Marketing Director at Nissan South Africa. “It also offers high levels of safety and security from entry grades, including driver and passenger crash bags standard as well as anti-lock braking and Electronic Brake-force Distribution.”

The new Navara Single Cab 2,5-litre D0HC Petrol Engine (XE grade) has a maximum power of 118 kW and 233 Nm torque.  The 2,5-litre Diesel power-train comes in two levels of output. The high output engine delivers 140 kW of power and 450 Nm torque. The mid-output (XE and SE Grades), has dual overhead camshafts with direct injection, turbo-charged with intercooler diesel engine producing 120 kw of power and 403 Nm torque.

And for those drivers using the vehicle as a work horse, it also features top-class load capacity of up to 1 144 kg and durability with reinforced body and suspension.

Haasbroek adds: “The Navara Single Cab is built on over 85 years of heritage, which will uphold our reputation of reliable and durable light commercial vehicles.”

NAVARA SINGLE CAB - 2WDIncl VATNAVARA 2.5 Petrol XE MT SC316 700.00NAVARA 2.5D XE MT SC355 700.00NAVARA 2.5D SE MT SC430 700.00NAVARA 2.5D LE MT SC461 700.00NAVARA SINGLE CAB - 4WD NAVARA 2.5D 4x4 SE MT SC496 700.00NAVARA 2.5D 4x4 LE MT SC534 000.00  
https://bit.ly/3j0hUSN

Colin-on-Cars - Toyota replaces Avanza with Rumion

The Toyota Avanza is no more as the nameplate bows out in favour of the 7-seater Rumion that marks the third model launched as a result of the collaboration between Toyota and Suzuki.

The newcomer keeps the same product concept, compact dimensions, a four-cylinder petrol engine, seven-seater layout and good ground clearance. A noteworthy change is the switch to a front-wheel-drive layout - which brings with it improved fuel economy, better packaging and reduced mechanical componentry.

The front design employs a trapezoidal radiator grille, with the familiar three-horizontal-slat design and centrally-mounted Toyota ellipse. These are flanked by large tapered headlamps with a large lower apron, which houses stylised air vents and fog lamp surrounds (where fitted). 

The side features a prominent crease line extending from the front fender to the rear taillamps, which is joined by an asymmetric rear window, adding a touch of visual flair. In the rear, large vertical LED taillamps with L-shaped lens extensions create a squared off look. The stylised lower bumper mimics the front design, adding a sense of cohesion and width. 

All Toyota Rumion models are powered by the 1,5-litre K15B engine, which delivers 77 kW and 138 Nm. Both 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic transmissions are offered (grade-dependant). The fuel consumption figure is claimed at 6,2 l/100 km (a slight improvement over the 1.5 Avanza) for both transmission types.

The Toyota Rumion retains the existing three grade line-up; S, SX and TX. The S-grade model is aimed at customers requiring pure functional use at a low price point, the SX offers a balance between affordability and comfort, while the TX grade is aimed at the leisure buyer requiring enhanced comfort and convenience.   

The S-grade features hard-wearing black exterior mirrors and radiator grille, colour-coded bumpers and high-mounted LED brake light. The interior is finished in durable textile trim with a three-spoke urethane steering wheel, and 60/40 folding second row seating. A feature of the cabin are the ventilated cupholders up front (allowing beverages to retain cold or heat). A 12-volt power outlet (front), power windows, tilt-adjustable steering column and air-conditioner are also provided.

The mid-tier SX adds colour-coded door handles, colour-coded retractable exterior mirrors with power adjustment, chrome treatment for the radiator grille and a rear-window wiper. Remote central locking, a rear-window demister, additional rear 12-volt power outlet, steering switches, park distance control (PDC) and rear air-conditioner amplify the convenience factor.

SX and TX models also boast a double-din audio system with Bluetooth, USB and Aux interfaces playing through four speakers. Toyota Connect is available across the range (even on the S-grade sold without audio) which offers telematics services, Wi-Fi hotspot (including complimentary 15Gb data) and vehicle health status. The above can be accessed via the MyToyota App on any smartphone.

The top-spec TX model offers customers an upgrade to keyless entry with push start, chrome door handles, fog lamps and automatic air-conditioner form the starting point of the TX 'spec' level. The audio system too is upgraded to the touchscreen variety, which brings with it a reverse camera and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto functionality, while the speaker tally is increased to six. Wood-trim finish on the instrument panel adds an air of luxury.

S-grade models are fitted with steel wheels shod with 185-65 R15 tyres. SX variants use the same size with stylised hubcaps while the TX models feature 15" alloy wheels. All models have a full-size spare wheel. 

All grades feature driver and passenger crash bags, anti-lock braking, EBD as well as ISOFIX points. An immobiliser and alarm is also included across the board.

Model Line-up & Pricing

Rumion 1.5 S                               - R 245 600

Rumion 1.5 SX MT                      - R 273 500

Rumion 1.5 SX AT                       - R 289 200

Rumion 1.5 TX MT                      - R 301 600

Rumion 1.5 TX AT                       - R 317 200

A four-services/60 000 km service plan is standard on all Rumion models, with service intervals pegged at 12-months/15 000 km. A 3-year/100 000 km warranty also forms part of the offering.

https://bit.ly/3DE5S9j

Colin-on-Cars - Feisty Fiat fully fitted

The quirky Fiat Abarth hatch has gained a special edition model while the rest of the 595 range features new interiors, new colours and new details for the Abarth 595 Turismo and Competizione hatch and cabriolet models.

The Abarth 595 offers as standard all the equipment needed, including a flat-bottomed steering wheel, updated instrument panel and the pressure gauge now lit in white to ensure better legibility, while polyelliptical headlights and LED daytime running lights are fitted as standard on the Competizione.

Competizione

‘Sport’ mode has been renamed ‘Scorpion’ mode throughout the new range aligning it with the Abarth logo and in recognition of the brand’s founder, Carlo Abarth.

Pressing the button on the dashboard alters peak torque delivery, power steering calibration and engine response to the accelerator pedal, making them sharper and increasing driver engagement. The 595 is also equipped with a high-performance braking system specific to Abarth, providing maximum safety courtesy of the 284 mm front ventilated discs and the 240 mm rear discs.

The Abarth 595 Turismo features refreshed interiors, including exclusive diamond-embossed leather seats available in a number of colour options, including the new heritage brown.

Turismo

As part of the upgrade an all new colour has been added to the exterior Competizione palette, rally blue, a matt colour inspired by the Fiat 131 Abarth Rally of the 1970s. New 17-inch alloy wheels are a nod to those of the 1990s Lancia Delta Rally Integrale, while a body colour body kit is specific to the Competizione in combination with the new rally blue or scorpione black exterior paint.

Inside, in addition to the ‘Scorpion’ mode selector with its new design, a new dashboard covered in Alcantara can be found, alongside new leather seats and gear lever in carbon fibre.

The new Abarth 595 range is equipped with the 1.4 T-jet engine, available in two output levels. The 595 Turismo features 121 kW, while the 595 Competizione enjoys a power rise to 132 kW.

All variants of the 1.4 T-jet engine are paired with a six-speed manual transmission and both the Turismo and Competizione can be fitted on request with an Abarth robotised sequential transmission with shift paddles.

The new 595 range is equipped as standard with the Uconnect system with 7-inch high-definition touchscreen radio and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

The new Abarth 595 Monster Energy Yamaha special series is designed especially for young customers and motor sport fans and is limited to 2 000 units worldwide.

Aesthetically inspired by the livery of the 2020 Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s YZR-M1, the exterior of the new special series features a dual colour blue and black livery bearing the ‘Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’ logo on its lower side, just above the ‘595’ logo.

The special series is finished off with the Monster ‘claw’ on the bonnet.

On the inside, the model features the special new Abarth sports seats with blue finishes and the ‘Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’ logo on the head restraints. The blue lining stands out from the black dashboard. Thus mirroring the dual colour livery, while the numbered plate is placed on the central tunnel.

The Abarth 595 Monster Energy Yamaha is equipped with a 1.4 T-jet engine with Euro6B homologation, with manual transmission, but it can be fitted with an Abarth robotised sequential transmission with shift paddles on demand.

https://bit.ly/3AwzNys

Colin-on-Cars - Maisy gets petrolhead's dream

It is the kind of stuff petrolheads dream about but, for Maisy from Wales the dream came true as she took over as CEO of McClaren Automotive for a day.

Maisy – just Maisy – aged 17, became the Chief Executive Officer of luxury supercar maker McLaren Automotive for the day to celebrate International Day of the Girl and encourage young people, and particularly young women, into science and engineering careers.

Maisy took over the reins from McLaren Automotive CEO Mike Flewitt, as part of McLaren Automotive’s long-term partnership with global children’s rights charity Plan International. 

It comes as McLaren highlights Plan International’s new research showing 1 in 4 (25%) girls aged 11 to 18 have wanted to try out a science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) subject or job but have either been told it is for boys, were worried about being negatively judged, or were unsure since they only saw boys doing it in the media.

It also showed nearly half of girls (47%) have heard through media, friends, or family that ‘girls are not good at STEM’.

“My day as CEO of McLaren Automotive was full of incredible moments but being part of building a supercar was amazing, and that’s not something many people can say,” says Maisy.

“Plan International is about smashing stereotypes, changing attitudes, and unlearning lessons because a lot of girls think they should be playing with dolls and not cars, and that’s not right. This partnership between McLaren Automotive and Plan International is inspiring young women to consider STEM careers and achieve their full potential.”

The day included leading her executive team in strategic decisions as well as collaborating with many of the company’s female business leaders, engineers, scientists, and designers.

CEO Maisy gained an understanding of every aspect of the process of designing, engineering, building and marketing supercars and helped to hand-build a McLaren supercar, including putting on the all-important McLaren badge as the finishing touch to one of the company’s new hybrid supercars, the McLaren Artura.

Maisy also met brand ambassador Amanda McLaren, daughter of company founder Bruce McLaren, at a new ‘McLaren: Driven by Design’ exhibition at Brooklands Museum which features a full-scale LEGO 720S supercar, before having a CEO preview of some of McLaren’s top secret future supercar designs and a passenger test run in a McLaren GT.

“Having Maisy take over as CEO of McLaren for the day to celebrate International Day of the Girl has been both an enjoyable and valuable experience for me and the whole McLaren team. Her ideas, insights and intelligence – as well as clear passion – will help us move forwards even faster on our efforts to achieve even greater diversity and inclusion,” says Mike Flewitt, Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Automotive.

“Maisy also got to see the incredibly exciting and diverse range of talents we depend on to produce our supercars and I hope, in the process, she has helped to dispel stereotypes associated with the automotive industry from a gender and skills perspective. “Our work with Plan International is for the long-term and I’m delighted one of the key decisions Maisy led on as CEO was our pledge to work with Plan International on McLaren’s commitment to holding workshops with 100 girls over the next 12 months, scaling up to 1 000 globally by 2025 to encourage greater take-up of STEM careers. That is a legacy Maisy and everyone at McLaren can be very proud of.”

https://bit.ly/3Dv3MIY

Colin-on-Cars - New Ford Ranger on the road

It’s out and about and hiding in plain sight. It is the new Ford Ranger undergoing final testing processes before it is launched to the public.

Global connectivity took away much of the secrecy automakers used to enjoy with new models so many are now capitalising on that by creating their own teasers.

The designer of the Ranger’s Bronco R-inspired block-style camouflage, Lee Imrie, and his team used the science of optics to mask some of the pickup’s key visual secrets until it is unmasked later this year. And road users will be able to see this truck in action even at night thanks to its unique reflective patterns.

While Ford is not trying to hide the fact this is the #NextGenRanger thanks to the hashtag and QR code built into the pattern, it doesn’t want to fully reveal the final design just yet.

View the camo video here - https://youtu.be/cBYgrVpC1wc

“Inspiration for the camo originally came from the Baja livery Ford has been using. I’m a huge fan of motor sport and it’s hard not to be obsessed with machinery like that,” says Lee Imrie, Exterior Designer: Ranger.

“Because the Ranger is strong and rugged looking, I felt the scattered block design would be a natural fit to help break up the exterior surfaces.”

“When you stand back, the camo has a clear connection to a digitized military-style livery with a connection to nature that echoes the lifestyle orientation of the Ranger.”

The camouflage stickers are not available for purchase.

https://bit.ly/3uMe2JA

Colin-on-Cars: Road Review - Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 2.0

You know that kid. The one leaping up and down in the crowd yelling “pick me! Pick me” but is always the last one to be selected for any team games.

That is kind of the situation for Mitsubishi in South Africa but yet, when picked, turns out to be a much better player than expected.

The latest version of the Eclipse Cross sporting the 2,0-litre powerplant logically comes up against the Mazda CX-3 2.0, Suzuki Vitara 1.6 GLX and the soon-to-be-launched Toyota Corolla Cross hybrid and, while pricier than all of them, does offer some standard features some, or all, do not.

If you add in the individual cost of each item to the opposition list, the price factor evens out quite significantly, making the value for money proposition on the Eclipse much better than a first glance at the price tag would suggest.

Now in its second generation, the latest version has vibrant styling that expresses a fresh sportiness and stylishness – a balance between the sporty wedge shape of a coupé and the practicality, space and comfort of a SUV.

With an increased length of 140 mm, the Eclipse Cross offers improved interior room and the rear has evolved from the previous shape and the split rear tailgate window has been replaced by a sculpted hexagonal design with a single piece of glass.

The rear lamps now have a distinctive three-dimensional Y-shaped design, and extend upward and inward to follow the shape of the outside of the tailgate glass.

Not only was the SUV redesigned but it gained features such as electrically adjustable foldaway mirrors with indicator light, projector LED headlights with levelling device, daytime running lights (DRL), dusk-sensing headlamps, front fog lamps, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, front and rear park distance control, rear spoiler with high-mounted stop lamp, front bumper skid plate, 18-inch alloy wheels and roof rails.

On the inside, the longer length of the body also means a larger boot capacity of 437 litres, increasing to 1 074 litres with the rear seats folded flat without compromising on the spare wheel tyre size.

Luxury and convenience interior fittings include smartphone Link Display Audio (SDA), new premium Mitsubishi power sound system, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, multi-function leather steering wheel with audio and cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity with hands-free voice control, paddle shifts, power windows front and rear, central locking with auto door lock, full automatic air-conditioning with rear passenger vent duct, leather seats, electric seat adjustment for driver and front passenger, heated seats up front, 60/40 split rear seats and accessory sockets and USB ports.

In short, pretty much everything any driver needs.

The 2,0-litre MIVEC DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder engine uses a multipoint fuel injection system and offers 110 kW of power at 6 000 r/min and peak torque of 198 Nm at 4 200 r/min.

Coupled to this engine is Mitsubishi’s six-step INVECS-III CVT. I still dislike CVT gearboxes but at least this one does a lot less whining as it searches for a suitable ratio. With the paddle shifts the driver regains control and can manually ‘select’ a gear, making the process of moving more briskly or overtaking more positive.

Of its peers, the Mitsubishi is not the most economical and my test average came in at 8,3 l/100 km (7,9 claimed by Mitsubishi). However, it is bigger than those peers so size and space need to be weighed up against the fuel figures and how the vehicle is going to be utilised.

Out on the road, though, the suitably high seating position provides a commanding view of the world at large and the power seat adjustment allows for fine-tuning of the seat position for maximum comfort on both long and short haul journeys.

Mitsubishi, for me, has always to build in a comforting sense of solidity to its vehicles and the Eclipse Cross sits firmly on the tarmac, yet is still nimble enough to pedal quickly when the occasion arises. It stays firmly fixed even through rapid directional changes and is more than happy to take on lesser travelled dirt roads without faltering.

In terms of safety, it comes fully kitted with Mitsubishi’s reinforced impact safety evolution (RISE) body construction, seven crash bags, side-impact protection bars, ISOFIX child seat anchors, anti-lock braking with brake assist (BAS), electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), active yaw control, hill start assist (HAS), active stability and traction control (ASCT) and a rear-view camera on the list.

Enhancing the value proposition is a 3-year/100 000 km warranty, a 5-year/90 000 km service plan and 5-year/unlimited mileage roadside assistance. Service intervals are set at 15 000 km.

https://bit.ly/3lcIWYm

Colin-on-Cars - Sporty addition to Sportage range

With a sizeable list of tech and comfort extras, the new limited edition Kia Sportage GT-Line variant eases into showrooms with a R649 995 price tag.

“Sportage has a nearly three decade-long heritage, and remains Kia’s best-selling model globally,” says Stephen Crosse, Sales and Marketing Director, Kia South Africa. “Now, with the addition of the GT-Line derivative at the peak of the range, the Sportage is at its most expressive, dynamic and luxurious, and offers a distinguished last hurrah before the fifth-generation model debuts next year.”

The fourth and current-generation Sportage, which debuted locally in 2016 and set a record for The World’s Longest Test Drive, is considered the most popular Sportage yet, recording more than five-million global sales in 28 years. 

The GT-Line gains LED combination lamps front and rear, dual exhaust outlets in chrome trim, model-specific skid plates and 19-inch alloy wheels. Inside is a two-tone, diamond-patterned and perforated artificial leather trim on the seats, a glossy finish on the centre console, a GT-Line-specific flat-bottomed steering wheel, and a 4,2-inch colour instrumentation cluster. 

Additionally it gets:

- Smart entry with push-button start

- Dual-zone automatic climate control

- Auto-folding mirrors

- 8-inch HD touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

- Electrically adjustable front seats, including lumbar support

- Seat heating for front and rear passengers

- Bi-LED headlights with an auto-on/off function

- Height-adjustable powered tailgate

- Panoramic sunroof

- Wireless smartphone charging

- Electro-chromatic rear-view mirror

- Cruise control

The Sportage GT-Line offers as standard anti-lock braking with Electronic Brake-force Distribution and Downhill Brake Control, six crash bags, Electronic Stability Control, Hill-start Assist Control, ISOFIX child-seat anchor points and rear-view camera with front and rear parking-assist sensors.

It is powered by a 1,6-litre T-GDi turbo-charged petrol engine developing 130 kW of power at 5 500 r/min and 265 Nm of torque from 1 500 r/min to 4 500 r/min, driving through a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

“Whoever said family comfort and sporty performance don’t gel, clearly hadn’t driven the Sportage GT-Line yet,” says Crosse. “It’s a no-compromise SUV offering a fuel-efficient, turbocharged engine, a dynamic driving experience and a spacious cabin with class-leading technology that ensures the comfort and safety of your family.”

The pricing includes Kia’s Unlimited Kilometre / 5-year warranty (inclusive of Roadside Assistance), as well as a prepaid 5-year / 90 000 km service plan.

https://bit.ly/3Fgbp7H

Colin-on-Cars - Ford boosts title hopes

The Ford Castrol Cross Country Team’s challenge for the 2021 South African Cross Country Series title received a significant boost as Lance Woolridge and Elvéne Vonk (334) took a hard-fought victory at the second race of the 4x4 Mega World 400, held at NAMPO Park near Bothaville in the Free State, at the weekend.

The busy cross country weekend featured back-to-back races over the two days, covering approximately 370 km each – and it was in the Saturday event where Woolridge and Vonk secured their second win of the season in the new EcoBoost V6-powered Ford Ranger, designed and built by Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM).

The pair were on track to finish second overall in Friday’s race around the Free State farmlands, despite gusting winds, dramatic thunderstorms and heavy downpours playing havoc with the conditions.

Unfortunately, they were caught out by a tricky mine dump section on the second of the two loops, beaching the car and losing over six minutes in the process. They had to settle for a disappointing sixth place, but team-mates Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer (377) kept the Ford flag flying high, finishing on the podium in a well-deserved third place overall.

The scene was set for a thrilling, completely new race on Saturday, with dry and hot conditions replacing the miserable weather from the day before. The short 15 km sprint qualifying session placed Gareth and Boyd second, just three seconds ahead of Lance and Elvéne – and the top three covered by a mere nine seconds.

Gareth and Boyd soon picked up a cooling fan issue on their vehicle and were slowed as the engine power was reduced, resulting in Lance and Elvéne completing the first loop in second place, with their team-mates dropping to fifth on the timing sheets.

A last-minute decision to replace a driveshaft due to a damaged CV boot on Lance’s car during the 30-minute service break was completed in record time, and the two Ford Castrol NWM cars headed out together for the second loop very close together, although Lance was ahead on cumulative times. They matched each other’s pace throughout the second loop and trading fastest times with the other front-runners, but they switched positions to give Lance and Elvéne the best possible chance at taking the win – and it paid off as they claimed the top step of the FIA-class and overall Production Vehicle podium, beating the Toyotas of Chris Visser/Albertus Venter and Henk Lategan/Brett Cummings.

“It was a fantastic day for us today,” Woolridge said. “I woke up this morning feeling very positive after the disappointment of Friday’s result, and the moment we got out onto the route I really enjoyed it. The car was faultless and never missed a beat. Scoring maximum points this weekend was essential for us to keep our championship hopes alive, so we’re appreciative of Gareth and Boyd letting us past, as that made the difference between winning or losing today.”

After their first-lap cooling system troubles were sorted during the service stop, Gareth and Boyd produced a tenacious drive and made up considerable time on their rivals to cross the finish line fourth overall – a solid result to complement their podium in the first race.

“We had a very good qualifying on Saturday morning and were well placed in second just six seconds off Henk, but the cooling fan problem occurred just 20 km into the first loop, and we battled through to the service stop with the car almost in limp mode, so we lost about a minute and a half,” Gareth said. “We pushed very hard on the second lap to claw back time, and moved back up to fourth. It is disappointing missing out on the podium as we had hoped to do better, but third and fourth places for the weekend aren’t too bad, and hopefully we’ll improve at the next race.”

Class T

The Neil Woolridge Motorsport-supported Ford Ranger privateers proved the class of the field in Class T, giving the team a clean sweep of podiums in both of the 4x4 Mega World 400 races this weekend.

Championship leaders Malcolm and Frans Kock (T4) looked set to further consolidate their points advantage during Friday’s race in the blustery and unexpectedly wet conditions, but a broken suspension lower control arm just 5 km from the end of the race put a devastating halt to their charge. Wors Prinsloo and Andre Vermeulen (T41) took the win, ahead of Bernard Johnstone/Jan Harm Hugo (T22) and Christo Rose/Arno Olivier (T58). This success handed NWM the event’s Team Award.

The Ford NWM Development Team had a good outing too, as Bapi Rubuluza and Fanifani Meyiwa (T49) brought their Ford Ranger V8 home in fifth place.

Saturday’s race saw fortunes reversed for the recent Class T winners, as Malcolm and Frans Kock proved unassailable and claimed the victory, while Prinsloo/Vermeulen encountered gearbox trouble that saw them retire on the second loop.

In turn, Rubuluza and Meyiwa produced a confident drive to earn their first Class T podium in second place, with Rose/Olivier rounding out the top three once again – handing NWM another Team Award trophy.

“A podium on our third race finish is really great for Fanifani and I,” an elated Rubuluza said. “We’re still learning the ropes and getting used to the car and working with each other. Friday’s race was very difficult, especially in the wet conditions, but going into today’s race we set out to give it our best and we worked on a different strategy. It was a good race, and although the dust was challenging at times, we focused on getting to the finish and not risking anything.”

NWM team principal Neil Woolridge was very satisfied with results from the action-packed 4x4 Mega World 400 race weekend: “It has been a hectic weekend having two full races in two days, but I’m very happy that we got the win and third place overall, plus first, second and third in Class T in both races and the Team Awards.

“Gareth had a great run on Friday and finished third, while Lance was unlucky getting beached on the sand. Today the situation was reversed, as Lance had a great run and pushed very hard without any problems. He kept the Toyotas honest the entire day and taking the win is a fantastic result for him and the team,” Neil said.

“Gareth was unlucky with the fan not working properly and the temperatures ran a bit high on the first loop. On the second lap, he was fighting back hard, but unfortunately I had to ask him to play the team game as we had a chance of winning, and eventually it all worked out perfectly with Lance taking the victory. To come away with the win is very special, as our opposition is really strong, and they aren’t the world cross country champions for nothing. So to beat them twice in four events is a fantastic result.”

The next race is the Vryburg 400, round 6 of the SA Cross Country Series, which takes place on 29 and 30 October 2021.

Colin Mileman

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Colin-on-Cars - Promising research to prevent aquaplaning

Rain, as every South African driver knows, brings with it a host of additional on-road dangers, not the least of which is aquaplaning when heavy rain outweighs the drainage capability of the road surface and leaves large stretches of water.

Coventry University researchers are hoping to save lives through a new device they have developed to prevent vehicles from aquaplaning and losing traction control due to adverse road conditions. 

Professor Mike Blundell and Ravi Ranjan from Coventry University’s Research Centre for Future Transport and Cities have produced the Run Dry Traction System (RDTS) following a two-year research project.  

The prototype product aims to prevent aquaplaning and loss of traction in a variety of road conditions. Aquaplaning, also referred to as hydroplaning, happens when a layer of surface water builds up between a vehicle’s tyres and the road surface, leading to a complete loss of grip. This can occur with as little as 2-3 mm of standing water on the road surface when vehicles are travelling at a variety of speeds and is a leading cause of road traffic accidents. 

The RDTS presents a novel potential solution to aquaplaning and the loss of traction by preventing water and other contaminants from reaching the tyre. The device works by firing a jet of compressed gas close to the front of the wheel, removing surface water in front of the tyre to ensure the vehicle has a dry patch of road ahead. This effectively ensures grip is not compromised by road contaminants such as water, sand and gravel. 

Professor Mike Blundell, Professor of Vehicle Dynamics and Impact at Coventry University, said: “Our tests demonstrate that RDTS has the potential to make a huge impact on vehicle safety in a whole host of conditions. The prospect of producing something that could even save lives on the road is extremely exciting and after some initial success with testing, we’re now eager to look into manufacturing potential and further research to take this concept to the next level.  

“A device like this really could be the difference between life and death if it can help vehicles to stop safely within certain distances and that’s why we’re so keen to continue developing this concept.” 

The RDTS has been designed to be fitted to a wide range of vehicles, including cars, buses, trucks and motorcycles and with further development, it could even have the potential to be used to improve aircraft ground operations and rail transport safety. 

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