Colin-on-Cars - Super luxury styling for new Range Rover

The new Range Rover – only available locally from mid-2022 – has been launched in Europe and the words ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ tell an apt tale of the levels of tech and luxury that are incorporated in the latest iteration.  

With a suite of powertrain options – and a pure-electric Range Rover set to join the line-up in 2024 – plus a choice of four, five or seven-seat interiors available across Standard and Long Wheelbase body designs, the New Range Rover is at home in any environment.

Thierry Bolloré, Chief Executive Officer, Jaguar Land Rover, says: “The New Range Rover is a superb manifestation of our vision to create the world’s most desirable luxury vehicles, for the most discerning of customers. It writes the next chapter in the unique story of pioneering innovation that has been a Range Rover hallmark for more than 50 years.”

Land Rover’s new flexible Modular Longitudinal Architecture, MLA-Flex, underpins every aspect of this luxury SUV that will be available in South Africa in a choice of HSE and Autobiography models.

A First Edition will be available throughout the first year of production, based on the Autobiography and featuring a unique specification. It is exclusively available in a Sunset Gold Satin finish, among a choice of five exterior colours. Both Standard (SWB) or Long Wheelbase (LWB) body designs are available with five seats, while the New Range Rover LWB model is available with a third row for extended comfort for up to seven adults.

The surfaces provide a clean and contemporary appearance – and contribute to a drag coefficient of 0,30, making this possibly the most aerodynamically efficient luxury SUV in the world.

The luxurious interior is underpinned by modern, intuitive and relevant technologies, designed to work harmoniously with the finest materials and wellbeing innovations to create a calm sanctuary for all occupants – turning every trip into an experience to savour.

Nick Collins, Executive Director Vehicle Programmes, Jaguar Land Rover, says: “The New Range Rover takes the lessons learned over 50 years of evolution and combines them with cutting edge technologies to deliver supreme refinement, comfort and wellbeing. It does this through pre-emptive suspension that primes the vehicle for upcoming corners, next-generation noise cancelling with new headrest speakers and clean air technology that can help significantly reduce odours and viruses – creating one of the quietest, most relaxing, modern luxury travelling experiences imaginable.”

The Range Rover was the first luxury SUV to feature Electronic Air Suspension, in 1992, and the New Range Rover continues this pioneering approach with Dynamic Response Pro and pre-emptive suspension that uses eHorizon Navigation data to read the road ahead and prime the suspension to provide perfect responses.

The intelligent technology also works in conjunction with the Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist to smooth out body movements resulting from sudden changes in speed. Fully independent suspension underpins the luxurious ride and features Land Rover’s first ever five-link rear axle, which isolates the cabin from surface imperfections more effectively than ever using advanced air springs.

Advanced hazard detection means the doors can automatically pause until the sweep of the door is cleared.

Drivers can even control the new Range Rover from outside the vehicle using Remote Park Assist, which is operated using a smartphone app. It allows the luxury SUV to manoeuvre into and out of parking spaces while the driver monitors progress nearby – perfect for entering or leaving narrow city spaces or negotiating rural gates.

Every New Range Rover features All-Wheel Steering for an effortless drive with heightened high-speed stability and improved manoeuvrability at low speeds.

The electrically operated rear axle provides up to seven degrees of steering angle and, at low speeds, turns out-of-phase of the front wheels, giving the New Range Rover a turning circle of less than 11 m– the smallest of any Land Rover. At higher speeds the rear axle turns in phase with the front wheels for enhanced stability and comfort.

The New Range Rover is also the first Land Rover to feature Dynamic Response Pro. The powerful new active 48-volt electronic roll control system is faster-acting and more efficient than a hydraulic set-up, with a torque capacity of up to 1 400 Nm fed into the anti-roll bars to keep body movements under control.

The intelligent All-Wheel Drive (iAWD) transmission is controlled by Land Rover’s Intelligent Driveline Dynamics (IDD) system, which monitors grip levels and driver inputs 100 times a second to predictively distribute torque between the front and rear axles, and across the rear axle, for optimum traction on and off-road.

In South Africa the New Range Rover will be available in a choice of new Extended Range Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) powertrains, the P440e and P510e, and the Ingenium diesel D350 engine. A powerful new petrol flagship – the P530 Twin Turbo V8 – delivers increased refinement and performance and is 17% more efficient than the previous Range Rover V8.

The New Range Rover is the first Land Rover to be powered by a new 4,4-litre V8 engine, which deploys two parallel twin-scroll turbos – one for each cylinder bank – to minimise turbo lag and optimise efficiency.

The new engine produces 390 kW and 750 Nm of torque, and powers the New Range Rover from 0-100 km/h in 4,6 s with Dynamic Launch engaged, and to a top speed of 250 km/h.

The D350 diesel produces 257 kW and 700 Nm of torque, and powers New Range Rover from 0-100 km/h in 6,1s.

The new Extended-Range PHEVs combine the in-line six-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine, in a choice of 323 kW or 375 kW outputs, with a 38,2 kWh lithium-ion battery – with usable capacity of 31,8 kWh – and a 105 kW electric motor integrated with the transmission. Together, the powertrain provides up to 100 km of near-silent pure-electric driving. With instantaneous electric torque the new P510e (375 kW) accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 5,6s.

The PHEVs can reach up to 140 km/h allowing customers to enjoy the New Range Rover as an EV-only model for most journeys in town and country, with overall CO2 emissions lower than 30 g/km9. Typical Range Rover customers will be able to complete up to 75% of trips using electric power onlyif they begin each journey with a full charge.

The New Range Rover will be produced exclusively at the Solihull Manufacturing Facility in the UK, using a state-of-the-art production line housed in the building used to produce early Series Land Rovers. The historic building is the spiritual home of Land Rover and its reimagining as a new, ultra-modern centre for Range Rover production showcases the way the company protects its heritage.

https://bit.ly/2ZsX5YX

Colin-on-Cars - Corolla Cross comes off line

The first hybrid model to be produced locally is now, officially, a reality as President Cyril Ramaphosa waved off the number one Toyota Corolla Cross to leave the production line in Prospecton, Durban.

The President – accompanied by a delegation of public officials, including the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Ebrahim Patel joined Toyota in celebrating the opening of the Corolla Cross production line.

TSAM’s newest production line is a result of the company’s investment commitment to the South African economy and the local automotive sector. Established some 60 years ago, Toyota in South Africa has grown significantly over the years and now manufactures Hilux, Fortuner, Corolla Quest and Hi-ace at its Prospecton Plant, while selected Hino and Dyna models are produced as SKD or semi-knocked-down assemblies.

President Cyril Ramaphosa waves off the first Toyota Corolla Cross

“If you tally up the investments we have made in this plant spanning the last five years – of which Corolla Cross accounts for R2,6-billion, we arrive at a cumulative figure of more than R6,5-billion. So, we are therefore committed to further developing and strengthening our business in South Africa and making a difference in the country, our communities, our suppliers, dealers, customers and of course in own employee’s lives,” says Andrew Kirby, President and CEO of Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM).

The introduction of the Corolla Cross model has generated a total of 575 new jobs at the TSAM plant while some 1 200 direct jobs were created in the component supply base. Another significant focus during the project was to maximise the local content for this model. This resulted in the localisation of 621 parts with 56 local suppliers – 16 of which are Black-owned. TSAM has also onboarded five new Tier-1 suppliers (all Black-owned) and 12 new Tier-2/3 suppliers. The economic contribution with TSAM’s local suppliers for this project is more than R1,4-billion a year.

According to Ramaphosa: “I had called upon Japanese carmakers to strengthen their investment in South Africa. A few months later at the second South Africa Investment Conference, Andrew Kirby came up to stage to announce Toyota’s new investment (R2,6-billion)… I am particularly pleased to see the announcement that was made has led to the creation of so many jobs – a total of 1 775 jobs made through the announcement of the investment .”  

The new Corolla Cross is based on the Toyota New Global Architecture platform, or simply the TNGA platform. As of August 2021, 32 Toyota and Lexus models are using this platform and now account for approximately 70% of global Toyota sales.

From a regional marketing perspective, the Corolla Cross is produced in both right and left-hand drive variants and is also the first model to be produced en masse on the continent. It will be exported to more than 40 countries in Africa.

The introduction of hybrid technology in the Corolla Cross line has required altogether new assembly processes as well as vehicle testing systems, and these are now part of TSAM’s standard operating systems at the Prospecton Plant.

For the Toyota customer, hybrid technology has the obvious benefits of lower emissions and significantly reduced fuel consumption while reinforcing the overall driving performance – but for TSAM, the introduction of the low-emission Corolla Cross in hybrid guise is significant in that it is integral to the company’s roadmap towards Carbon Neutrality.

The launch of South Africa’s first locally-produced, volume Hybrid Electric Vehicle not only allows many more local customers the opportunity to accelerate their own change to green mobility far quicker than what was previously possible, but also establishes the building blocks for TSAM’s long-term sustainability as a globally competitive and relevant exporter. TSAM is committed to the adoption of New Energy Vehicles in the South African market and will keep pace with the green regulations in our export markets such as the European Union and the United Kingdom.

Kirby adds that TSAM has set a “very ambitious” target of selling more Hybrid Corolla Cross models than traditional internal Combustion Engines (ICE) models by 2025.  To put this into perspective, in 2020 the local industry only sold 324 New Energy Vehicles (155 of them being HEV, 77 PHEV and 92 BEV), and this year to-date, only 322 have been sold (169 of them being HEV, 46 PHEV and 107 BEV).  Incidentally, most of these have been Lexus models.

“We plan to fundamentally change the NEV landscape in South Africa from a few hundred NEV’s a year to well over 10 000 units per year,” says Kirby. 

His sentiments are echoed by Toshimitsu Imai, General Manager Africa Support Division in Toyota Motor Corporation and Chief Operating Officer at Toyota Tshusho Corporation: “We are trying our best to make a significant contribution to reduce carbon emissions. We are currently proposing hybrid technology for South Africa as it is important for local vehicles to have proper range or mileage.”  

As a final step towards carbon neutrality, TSAM is investigating ways to eliminate or off-set the balance of its carbon emissions, especially those originating from the use of natural gas in its production processes. The company plans to invest over R2-billion to realise these goals in the next seven years.

“This isn’t just limited to reducing vehicle emissions; our activities span the entire value chain, which includes our suppliers, manufacturing facilities, offices, parts warehouse as well as our dealer network. For example, since 2006 we have reduced our total factory carbon emissions by 34%, improved our energy efficiency by 29% and already achieved carbon neutrality at our Hino Manufacturing Facilities and at some of our other office sites… In fact, we are targeting to be 100% reliant on renewable energy by 2028,” explains Kirby.

- To watch the highlights of the Corolla Cross Line-Off Ceremony, please click here: Corolla Cross Line-off Ceremony - YouTube
https://bit.ly/3CeGaIh

Colin-on-Cars - Isuzu tops fleet awards

Isuzu Motors South Africa has swept the boards at the annual Southern African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (SAVRALA) Manufacturer of the Year 2021 (MOTY) Awards by winning just about everything.

It emerged as the overall winner in both the Rental and Leasing categories for the the second consecutive year and scooped the Value Award for the manufacturer scoring best in the financial section of the Leasing category survey.

“Isuzu is proud of its performance for the 2020/2021 period despite the challenges presented by the pandemic,” says Craig Uren, Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing, Isuzu Motors South Africa. “This is a direct result of our ability to be agile. Our organisation has worked closely with stakeholders and adapted the way we do business to ensure excellence through the turbulent times our industries have faced.

“We are honoured to accept these awards, and truly appreciate the recognition of Isuzu’s efforts to provide support to our rental and leasing partners. We have had to rethink and reshape how we do business, taking into consideration our goals and understanding our customers’ needs while we adapt to the new normal.”

SAVRALA noted Isuzu’s continued and consistent delivery of good service, which was boosted by the company’s level one B-BBEE score, the best achieved to date by any participating manufacturer.

Isuzu Motors South Africa has been successful in retaining all staff during the pandemic. Through adjusted shifts, four-day work weeks and salary freeze for management, the organisation did not suffer a single job loss.

Isuzu recently announced it had maintained an automotive industry-leading level one in its Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment audit for a second consecutive year.

https://bit.ly/3ElnaZq

Colin-on-Cars - Seat time in the new Chery Tiggo 4 Pro

In describing things that are vastly different, there are many superlatives and expressions such as ‘poles apart’ or ‘as different as night and day’ to name but two – yet none really described the quantum leap made by Chery between the last Tiggo sold here and the new Tiggo 4 Pro I got to drive briefly ahead of its official launch next month.

Design, style, fixtures, fittings, comfort, noise levels, performance have all risen to new heights. True, that is just making the comparison between the old version and the new. The acid test will come when it is compared directly against its competition such as the Haval Jolion and Ford EcoSport among them.

This, however, is not the time for such comparisons as the drive experience was fairly limited – just a taster.

The Tiggo 4 Pro will be the first model to launch in South Africa, with deliveries to customers scheduled for late November, shortly after the opening of the first 30 dealerships.

Says Tony Liu, Executive Deputy General Manager, Chery South Africa: “The Tiggo 4 Pro will be one of the most advanced SUVs in the compact urban SUV class when it is launched to the public in November.

“At the same time, it will be one of the most competitively priced models in its class. It is only fitting that it will be launched first in South Africa, which incidentally is the first country on the globe to launch the right-hand drive version.”

Price will naturally be a major player in this new equation but that will be announced only at the official launch in November.

The Tiggo 4 Pro is the first ambassador of the modern Chery design language. It includes a large grille with integrated LED headlamps and LED daytime running lights. If nit-picking, this grille is, perhaps, a little too similar to the Hyundai style.

Depending on the specification level, the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro will be shod with 16-inch or 17-inch machined alloy wheels. I drove only the Tiggo 4 Pro and the entire external package sitting on those wheels presents a very neat looking vehicle, proportionately accurate and rather neat looking.

The Tiggo 4 Pro is powered by a 1,5-litre petrol engine and a choice of two manual and a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Entry-level models will be fitted with the normally aspirated variant of this four-cylinder engine, sporting intelligent variable valve timing. This engine is rated to deliver 85 kW and 141 Nm of torque. Power is delivered to the front wheels through a five-speed manual transmission or CVT.

The flagship version of the Tiggo 4 is equipped with Chery’s TCI turbo-charged engine. This turbo-petrol engine delivers 108 kW and 210 Nm of torque to the front wheels through either a six-speed manual transmission or CVT.

The Tiggo 4 Pro offers a choice of Eco or Sport driving modes, the latter injecting a suitable measure of urgency into the vehicle. For a CVT gearbox, the Tiggo version works a lot better than many on the market, helped by the fact the engine is turbo-charged so the hunt for the right ratio is swift and not the long-winded whine often associated with these gearboxes.

There is a touch of turbo-lag but nothing too serious or that would impact a driver in the normal use of the car in and around town and on the annual holiday trip.

In terms of handling, as expected there is a bit of front-end push into tight corners but even on the standard fit Chinese tyres, it behaved with impeccable manners. Kitted with tyres more specific to our roads (especially urban dirt roads) this would improve even more.

While aimed at the compact SUV category, the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro has a 2 610 mm wheelbase and an overall length of 4 318 mm, placing it much higher against larger SUVs and crossover vehicles.

“The Tiggo 4 Pro is also one of the first models to ride on our new six-dimensional beam platform, which we call the 6D Longitudinal Beam Structure. More than two thirds of the vehicle’s frame and structure is built with high- and ultra-high strength steel, and the 6-dimensional design gives it unmatched tortional rigidity and crash safety,” says Liu.

All models of the Tiggo 4 Pro will be equipped with passive and dynamic safety systems, including two or six airbags (depending on the model), vehicle stability control on all models, hill hold control and, on higher specification models, hill descent control and cruise control.

As one of the newest models in the Chery global family, the Tiggo 4 Pro will introduce dual-screen luxury as a standard feature in the compact SUV class.

Entry models have a 3,5-inch TFT full colour screen in place of a traditional analogue instrument panel, while higher specification models increase the size to a full 7-inch screen.

Taking centre stage in the cabin is the second large full colour screen. This screen is a 10,25-inch capacitive touch screen that incorporates most of the vehicle control and is equipped – throughout the range – with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity and a DVD player.

All models also have air-conditioning, power windows all round and automatic headlamps, to name but a few luxury features. Luxury versions add even more specifications, including a powered sunroof, an intelligent voice command system and climate control.

However, on the Tiggo 4 Pro the one truly cute feature is the voice control that even allows you to command the system to open or close your window.

I look forward to some extended seat time in the newcomer.

https://bit.ly/2ZonWpk

Colin-on-Cars - Full Lotus jacket

It is so undeniably British. The idea of having jacket to suit the occasion – the smoking jacket, the car coat and the driving jacket, this latter piece of outerware the subject of a collaboration between Lotus and globally renowned Savile Row tailor Norton & Sons.

It is arguably the world’s most exclusive driving jacket and is available only to customers of the Lotus Evija, the world’s first British all-electric hypercar, who will spend in the region of £2-million to have the chance to buy the garment.

The jacket’s classic design draws on the core values and DNA inherent in every product that both Lotus and Norton & Sons create – performance-oriented, lightweight contemporary design, advanced technical materials and sporting durability.

Norton & Sons was founded in 1821, exactly 200 years ago, and in the 1860s moved to its current address at 16 Savile Row, in the heart of London’s Mayfair district. Every Lotus Evija customer, male or female, is offered a personal appointment at the shop, where they will experience the unique luxury of the Norton & Sons bespoke service.

They will be measured and fitted and a unique pattern for their driving jacket will be drafted by hand by Norton & Sons’ master cutter. Each jacket will be individually hand-cut and hand-sewn, with the resulting garment being as unique as each Lotus Evija.

The jacket’s design was created jointly by Norton & Sons Design Director Patrick Grant and Lotus Design Director Russell Carr. Together they drew inspiration from the Lotus Evija hypercar and the car company’s glorious and successful racing heritage.

The jacket is made from a superfine lightweight water-resistant merino wool/nylon technical textile manufactured in Italy by Loro Piana, and features state-of-the-art Cobrax and Riri hardware. The overall shape echoes that of Team Lotus pitlane jackets of the early 1970s, seen at the racetracks of the world and worn by Lotus founder Colin Chapman and iconic motorsport heroes of the era including Emerson Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti.

The shape of the front pocket outlined with twin red stitching is drawn from the design of the Lotus Evija’s ‘ribbon’ tail light. Detailing on the nape of the neck, both inside and outside the jacket, repeats that motif and features a golden number 16 – the Savile Row address of the Norton & Sons’ shop.

Other tributes to Lotus heritage include three underarm ventilation eyelets inspired by the Lotus Elan 1600 triple tail light design.

The technical eyelet knit lining is breathable, perforated to reduce weight and includes a pocket perfectly sized to take the Lotus Evija key. There is also a label celebrating the collaboration; it features the Norton & Sons wordmark, the Lotus roundel and strapline ‘For The Drivers’, and a new silhouette of the Lotus Evija hypercar penned by Anthony Bushell, the car’s lead exterior designer.

Patrick Grant, best known as a judge on hit BBC TV Show ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’, commented: “When I was a kid, Lotus was the sports car everybody wanted. It was what James Bond drove and was the dominant team in Formula 1. To get the chance to explore the extraordinary Lotus racing archive, and to design a piece of clothing that takes its inspiration from such iconic 1960s and 1970s designs, was both a challenge and a thrill.”

Watch an exclusive film about the project at https://youtu.be/iCe3BUhEZJY

https://bit.ly/3prH3to

Colin-on-Cars - Title chase reaching boiling point

It is the sharp end of the racing season and the penultimate round of the 2020 Global Touring Car (GTC) series heads to Zwartkops Raceway with Robert Wolk (Toyota Corolla) enjoying a 10-point lead over Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Michael van Rooyen.

“It really has been a tough fight between the two of us this year,” says Van Rooyen. “I tend to be fast in qualifying and the first race, but then I find myself at a disadvantage in the second race of each weekend, as the reverse grid comes into play.”

Van Rooyen has recorded by far the most wins (5) of any of the GTC drivers in 2021. However, he has struggled to score meaningful points in the second race of the weekend, as he often starts at the back of the grid due to the reverse grid rules of the championship.

“Robbie has scored only two wins, but he has backed that up with seven second-place finishes, which has given him a slight edge in the standings,” continues Van Rooyen. “I often find myself fighting not only Robbie, but also his teammate (Scott Temple), which makes it difficult to finish higher than third place in the second race.”

Despite the challenges, the Rustenburg Rocket is looking forward to this weekend’s rounds at the Zwartkops Raceway, near Pretoria: “This is our home circuit, and one that we know really well. We’ve traditionally done well here, and we’re hoping for a good result this weekend.”

At the same time, teammate Mandla Mdakane will be hoping for a better performance at Round 6. The Johannesburg-based driver has struggled with reliability and form all season, and will be aiming to improve on his sixth position in the championship by scoring meaningful points this weekend.

Things are not as clear cut in the SupaCup category of the Global Touring Cars (GTC) series where no less than five drivers are all still within striking distance of winning one of the most coveted titles in South African motor sport.

Currently, it is advantage to the defending champion Bradley Liebenberg who has amassed a total of 164 points so far courtesy of four victories, two pole positions and three fastest laps. His lead is just 7 points over Volkswagen Motorsport’s Jonathan Mogotsi who earned his points by setting the fastest lap on two occasions and claiming his maiden victory in the series back in May.

Jeffrey Kruger has closed the gap somewhat during the latter part of the season and is still within striking distance on 140 points, while the chances for young Saood Variawa (102 points) and Jason Campos (100) to claim the title can be described as mathematical at best.

Someone who has claimed numerous Polo Cup pole positions and fastest laps is Leyton Fourie. The Johannesburg-based driver has qualified in pole position no less than four times so far in 2021, earning a stack of bonus points in the process.

The young driver also bagged maximum points by taking five victories, earning him a total of 217 points for the season. His nearest rival is Arnold Neveling who has been very consistent throughout the season with a number of fastest laps to his name.

His current points tally is standing on 196, just 3 points ahead of Capetonian Jurie Swart who himself qualified in pole on two occasions and took a total of four race wins for a tally of 193 points. A number of steady performances sees the name of Clinton Bezuidenhout in fourth and still in with a chance of claiming the title, albeit an outside one.

“It is impossible or even foolish to try and make any predictions in motor sport,” commented Mike Rowe, head of Volkswagen Motorsport. “The one thing we do know is that both title fights will go down to the wire as there are very talented and determined drivers fighting for both. Fourie currently has the momentum on his side and will be hard to stop in the Volkswagen Polo Cup while we expect Mogotsi and Kruger to take the fight to Liebenberg when the lights go green in SupaCup. Fans will be in for a treat.”

One more race follows after this weekend, with the season concluding at Kyalami during the first weekend of December, 2021.

https://bit.ly/3DYawPS

Colin-on-Cars: Road Review - Renault Koleos 2.5 Dynamique 4x2

There is a huge difference in what a potential buyer and an automotive designer sees when looking at the profile of the same vehicle. While it all may come down to subjective interpretation, the truth is very often that potential buyer has a hard time distinguishing between the new generation and the pre-refresh versions.

Indeed, having had the – then – latest iteration of the Renault Koleos in April and just recently received the refreshed version, I struggled to see as much difference between the two as the Renault designers and refer to the comments made by the Senior Vice-President of Corporate Design, Laurens van den Acker: “New Koleos completes the styling renaissance of the Renault range that began with Clio in 2012. As a designer, the challenge was to imagine an SUV that was not only elegant, but also dynamic and modern. 

“To achieve this, instead of diluting the traits traditionally associated with SUVs, we accentuated the segment’s familiar cues thanks to taut, powerful, horizontal lines, along with muscular haunches and high ground clearance.  New Koleos subsequently exudes an inner strength. It is every inch an SUV and every inch a Renault.” 

Indeed, I had to look quite hard to really pick up on themore pronounced front grille with chrome insets, extending to the chrome-underlined fog lamps.  In the lower part, the bumper has a new and more impressive skid plate.

The Koleos retains distinctive features such as its chrome trim extending horizontally down the whole wing, making the front-end appear longer. The front and rear lights of the Koleos replicate the full LED lighting signature, that is now part of the new Renault design language. The C-shaped Daytime Running Lights extend beyond the headlight units themselves to create an even more forceful gaze.  

Dependent on the version – the test unit being the 2.5 Dynamique 4x2 – it is available with Pure Vision Full LED main- and dipped- beam lights. For significantly enhanced night-time visibility, this technology provides a beam 20% more powerful than that of halogen headlights.

And, considering the parlous state of many of our roads, this lighting boosts comes in more as a ‘must have’ than an optional extra. 

The permanently-lit tail lights feature Edge Light technology that generates a clear, bright 3D effect visible both close up and from a distance. 

The rear of the New Koleos has also been redesigned, with a skid plate extending higher on the bumper and transverse chrome insets in synergy with the front end.  The third stop lamp has been extended while the twin chrome exhaust pipes have been retained for a sporty touch.

Inside the Koleos is generously proportioned and roomy and the driving position ensures excellent viewing to spot those potholes before they swallow you whole. In terms of pure aesthetics, the Koleos now features a stylish satin-finish chrome for the steering wheel inserts, gear lever and air vent surrounds, along with a pleasant-to-the-touch finish for the centre console. The interior also features cushion-backed materials for the dashboard and door panels.

On the side of thoughtful, the design of the doors protects the sills from soiling and protects passengers clothing from getting dirty when entering or exiting the car.

The 464-litre boot has a convenient removable floor positioned at the same height as the sill to form a flat floor that houses a full-size spare wheel. Handles located in the boot enable the Easy Break system, allowing the 60/40-split rear bench to be folded instantly to free up a carrying capacity of 1 795 litres.

Motive power comes from a 2,5-litre petrol engine with a power output of 126 kW, 233 Nm of Torque, CO2 emissions of 188 g/100 km and fuel consumption from 8,8 l/100 km.

It drives through a X-Tronic CVT gearbox that remains mercifully muted under hard acceleration and is fairly quick to make its final gear selection for the moment, but is a bit slow in making the downshifts and tends to over-rev when building back up to the selected speed on cruise control.

Still, it cruises serenely along and the long-haul is achieved in comfort with a good deal of silence from road, tyre and suspension noise. The short game is equally comfortable with the bonus of really wide opening doors to make ingress and egress a lot easier.

In general, it handles predictably with some front-end push when pressed into a corner but, with the full array of safety equipment including traction control, it will quickly recover from minor over-enthusiastic twirling of the steering.

Peace of mind comes with a 5-year/150 000 km mechanical warranty plus, a 5-year/ 90 000 km service plan and a 6-year anti-corrosion warranty, with service intervals at 15 000 km.

https://bit.ly/3n4pn4p

Colin-on-Cars - Special edition variant for Ford Ranger Raptor

Ford has added another limited edition model to the Ranger series – now offering more than 40 variants – and this time it is based Raptor high-performance off-road pickup.

The new Ranger Raptor Special Edition gains several functional and styling enhancements – from eye-catching decals and red accents to the fitment of the integrated sports hoop and practical Mountain Top lockable black roller shutter.

“The new Ranger Raptor Special Edition adds even more dramatic style to this model, which remains unequalled in the popular bakkie segment two and a half years after it was launched in South Africa,” says Doreen Mashinini, General Manager for Marketing at Ford South Africa. “The unique exterior enhancements and cabin updates make our off-road performance bakkie even more distinctive and desirable, while the fitment of the roller shutter as standard significantly enhances practicality and security for our customers.”

Featuring a choice of Conquer Grey, Frozen White, Performance Blue and Agate Black paint finishes, the new Ranger Raptor Special Edition adds twin matte black racing stripes – edged with red contrast lines – to the bonnet, roof, lower body sides, rear wings and tailgate to further emphasize the vehicle’s high-performance character.

Complementing the racing stripes, the front tow hooks are finished in red while the flared wheel arches, front and rear bumpers, door handles and signature Ford-embossed grille feature a matte black finish. Also new to this model is the integrated black sports hoop derived from the Ranger Wildtrak.

Inside, the steering wheel gains red stitching as do the seats and door cards, which replaces the blue stitching used on the normal Ranger Raptor. A Raceway Grey instrument panel adds further exclusivity, also finished off with red stitching.

The sports seats are designed and trimmed in Technical Suede for maximum grip, providing optimum support during high-performance off-road driving, while also providing exceptional comfort when cruising in town. Emphasising its sporty demeanour, the instrument cluster incorporates distinctive red needles for the dials.

The Ranger Raptor’s has 51 mm taller ride height compared to the standard Ranger, along with 283 mm ground clearance, 150 mm wider front and rear track and 850 mm wading depth. Its off-road credentials include a 32,5-degree approach angle, ramp-over and departure angles of 24 degrees.

One of the Ranger Raptor’s most important performance enhancements is the Fox Position Sensitive Damping (PSD) shock absorbers, which were exclusively developed for this model. They provide higher damping forces at extremes for unparalleled off-road capability, and lower damping forces in more moderate conditions for a smoother ride on-road. Front wheel travel is increased by 32% and rear travel by 22% compared to the standard Ranger.

As with the standard Ranger Raptor, the Special Edition is powered by Ford’s 2,0-litre Bi-Turbo diesel engine that delivers a maximum of 157 kW of power and 500 Nm of torque.

The Ranger Raptor Special Edition is priced at R965 300, while the standard Raptor Ranger is R920 300. All prices include VAT.

All new Ford Rangers come standard with Ford Protect, comprising a four-year/120 000 km comprehensive warranty, 3-year/unlimited distance roadside assistance and 5-year/unlimited km corrosion warranty. A 6-year/90 000km service plan is included which covers six services. The recommended service interval is 15 000 km or annually, whichever occurs first.

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Colin-on-Cars - Audi wins at Indy with Jordan Pepper third

Saintéloc Racing emerged on top following a wild finish to the Indianapolis 8 Hour Presented by AWS to give Audi Sport a commanding advantage at the top of the Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli manufacturers' standings – with South Africa’s Jordan Pepper finishing third.

After being defeated by Ferrari at the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa the German marque struck back in perfect fashion at the Brickyard thanks to its #25 crew of Patric Niederhauser, Christopher Haase and Markus Winkelhock. The win extends Audi's IGTC record to eight, four more than its nearest rival, while Haase remains the series' most successful driver with five victories.

Though never far from the lead battle, the #25 Audi was not the clear favourite for this race. The car hit the front during the third hour with the experienced Winkelhock at the wheel but was soon shuffled back to second when Antonio Fuoco made a forceful move for the lead in the #71 AF Corse Ferrari.

Indeed, the Italian marque appeared the best placed to secure victory for much of Sunday's contest, leading the early stages from pole with its #51 crew of Pier Guidi/Ledogar/Nielsen before the #71 of Fuoco/Ilott/Rovera took up the baton at the head of the field during the middle phase.

Shortly after losing the lead the #25 Audi was delayed further by a drive-through penalty for a pit infringement. At this point the race had been green for almost three hours, but the calm early stages gave way to a frantic second half in which several safety car periods shuffled the order and allowed for a variety of strategic options.

Several cars remained in play as the race moved towards the deciding two hours. AF Corse’s #71 Ferrari appeared the strongest prospect after its #51 488 GT3 had lost significant time to a stop-go penalty following a collision with the GT4 class leader. Lamborghini was making good progress thanks to K-PAX Racing's #3 crew, while Audi and Mercedes-AMG both had two potential winners.

Patric Niederhauser, Christopher Haase and Markus Winkelhock

The latter led the field to the green flag with 90 minutes left on the clock, Raffaele Marciello having cycled to the front thanks to a clean run from the #89 AKKA ASP effort. But once racing resumed the Italian was quickly under pressure from Niederhauser, who got a run when Marciello dipped a wheel on to the grass between Turns 6 and 7. The pair went side by side, allowing Callum Ilott to pounce in the #71 Ferrari and sensationally snatch the lead.

Niederhauser followed the Briton through and spent the next 30 minutes glued to the rear of the leading 488 GT3. As the race ticked into its final hour these two cars looked set to battle for victory, with Marciello and the #32 Team WRT Audi of Dries Vanthoor disputing the final podium spot several seconds back.

Saintéloc was the first of the lead pair to make its final stop, bringing Niederhauser to pit road with 50 minutes remaining. At the same time Ilott was lapping a GT4 runner on the outside of Turn 1, only to misjudge his move and make contact with both the car and the wall. The outcome was catastrophic for the Italian squad: less than an hour from the finish, the #71 car was eliminated on the spot.

By stopping under safety car conditions Vanthoor was able to assume the lead, while Jules Gounon moved into second at the wheel of the #99 Craft-Bamboo Racing Mercedes-AMG. But the French driver's race was ruined within moments of the green flag when he was hit at Turn 1 by the lapped #37 Team WRT Audi, after which he made heavy contact with the #58 McLaren.

Vanthoor held a four-second advantage over Niederhauser following the next safety car, but in yet another twist Team WRT was handed a drive-through for failing to follow Race Control's instructions. Amid this ever-shifting competitive order, the #25 Saintéloc R8 returned to the lead for the first time since the third hour.

There would be no change this time, however, with Niederhauser pulling 11,9 seconds clear of Marciello by the time he took the chequered flag. The win represents a second major international triumph for the Saintéloc squad, adding to its overall victory at Spa in 2017.

On that occasion, too, long-serving Audi Sport racers Haase and Winkelhock were part of the crew. The latter was not there to celebrate with his team today, however, having departed IMS early to attend the birth of his child. It was therefore left to Haase and star-of-the-race Niederhauser to mark their triumph by kissing the yard of bricks.

Runner-up spot was a remarkable outcome for AKKA ASP given that the team did not receive its car until Saturday morning due to a shipping delay. Indeed, the result was a fitting reward for the efforts of Marciello, Dani Juncadella and Timur Boguslavskiy. The final spot on the podium went to the K-PAX Racing Lamborghini, which overcame a pace deficit with a near perfect race performance from Mirko Bortolotti, Andrea Caldarelli and Jordan Pepper.

Marciello, Dani Juncadella and Timur Boguslavskiy

There was, initially, double delight for Saintéloc as its #26 crew of Aurélien Panis, Lucas Légeret and Nicolas Baert clinched the Silver Cup win in fourth overall. However, a 53s post-race penalty in lieu of a drive-through for entering a closed pitlane dropped the car to seventh overall and behind class rivals Compass Racing who looked to have been denied Silver glory in the final hour when Pier Guidi sent Matt McMurry spinning out of third overall.

Saintéloc’s loss was also AF Corse’s gain, the #51 car ultimately being classified fourth overall ahead of WRT’s similarly penalised R8. The amended result, allied to AF Corse's Am entry finishing ninth amongst IGTC's nominees, means Ferrari must finish first and fourth at Kyalami 9 Hour to have any chance of denying Audi the title.

Jordan Pepper

Compass’ Honda was also the first non-IGTC entry home in sixth overall, while Saintéloc and Racers Edge completed the amended Silver podium and overall top-eight.

Victory in the Pro-Am class went to SunEnergy1 Racing and its #75 Mercedes-AMG of Kenny Habul, Martin

Konrad and Mikaël Grenier, while Pro-Am Challenge contender inception racing saw the chequered flag despite a tough day for its McLaren. The #36 BimmerWorld BMW crew of Bill Auberlen, Chandler Hull and James Clay won the GT4 class, matching the result they took at Indy 12 months ago.

Audi's advantage at the top of the Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli manufacturers' standings has increased to 36 points over Ferrari with 43 left to score at the season-closing Kyalami 9 Hour on December 2-4.

https://bit.ly/2YVeZn2

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! 

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