Colin-on-Cars - Ford unbundles service plans

Ford South Africa is to unbundle all the Ford Protect Service Plan costs from the price of new vehicles with effect from November 1 in terms of the new Automotive Aftermarket Guidelnines that were established in response to the successful public cmapaign called ‘Right to Repair’.

Accordingly, in line with the guidelines, customers that purchase a new Ford vehicle from  November 1 are able to purchase a Ford Protect Service Plan separately, should they wish to do so, as has been the case with the optional comprehensive Ford Protect maintenance plans and extended warranties.

Furthermore, customers that choose not to purchase a Ford Protect service or maintenance plan have the option of servicing at a Ford franchised dealer. Servicing at a Ford dealer guarantees quality workmanship using factory-trained and certified technicians, genuine Ford parts and lubricants, and access to the latest diagnostic equipment.

“We are committed to delivering the very best products, services and customer experiences, and are focused on treating each customer as part of the Ford family,” says Neale Hill, President, Ford Motor Company Africa. “Ford is acutely aware of consumers’ growing desire and right to choose where they wish to service, maintain or repair their vehicles.

“As a result, we have been working to implement the systems and processes necessary to unbundle the Ford Protect service plans,” Hill says. “It has taken some time to deal with the complexities of unbundling the service plans from the price of the vehicle, but we have now implemented the changes and customers can choose to purchase these separately when buying a new Ford.

“Customers have the option of selecting where to service their vehicle, but it’s important that they familiarise themselves with the guidelines,” Hill explains. “For example, if you choose to service your vehicle outside of the Ford dealer network while you have a Ford Protect Service Plan in place, Ford is not obliged to pay the Independent Service Providers (ISP) for any services rendered. The ISP cost will be for your own account - and although the Ford warranty remains in place, should there be a failure as a result of the parts used or the workmanship of the ISP, that portion of the repair may not be covered by the Ford warranty.”

Customers should note that only Ford dealers are authorised to conduct recall repairs on Ford vehicles, which are performed at no cost to the owner. Similarly, factory warranty repairs may only be performed by a Ford dealer.

While the Service Plan is now an added-cost option, the vehicle’s standard original equipment manufacturer (OEM) warranty remains in place. The Ford Protect package on all new Ford vehicles comprises a four-year/120 000km comprehensive warranty, three-year/unlimited distance roadside assistance and five-year/unlimited km corrosion warranty.

Should a customer choose to use an ISP for the service and maintenance of their vehicle, the standard warranty will not be affected. However, if there is a failure as a result of a part or the workmanship, that portion of the repairs will not be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. Services also need to be done according to the manufacturer’s applicable service intervals.

“Guaranteeing the quality of work done and the parts used on what are increasingly sophisticated vehicles is essential in delivering the best ownership experience,” Hill states. “This is part of Ford’s commitment to ensuring that the reliability, durability and safety of the vehicle meets the needs and expectations of our customers.”

Ford Protect Service Plans, Maintenance Plans and Extended Warranties are fully backed by Ford Motor Company, which gives the customer peace of mind that all work on their car is performed to the highest standard, and that all workmanship and parts are guaranteed.

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Colin-on-Cars - Auto market showing growth

Strikes and load shedding took a toll on new vehicle sales last month but the market still managed to grow by 6,1% compared to October last year, according to figures released by  naamsa | The Automotive Business Council.

Aggregate domestic new vehicle sales in October 2021, at 41 035 units, reflected an increase of 2 341 units, or 6,1%, from the 38 694 vehicles sold in October last year. Export sales recorded a decline of 10 159 units, or 30,0%, to 23 685 units last month compared to the 33 844 vehicles exported in October 2020. 

Overall, out of the total reported industry sales of 41,035 vehicles, an estimated 33 842 units, or 82,5%, represented dealer sales, an estimated 14,0% represented sales to the vehicle rental industry, 2,1% sales to government, and 1,4% to industry corporate fleets. 

The October 2021 new passenger car market at 27,496 units registered an increase of 815 cars, or a gain of 3,1%, compared to the 26 681 new cars sold in October 2020. The car rental industry supported the new passenger car market during the month and accounted for a sound 18,2% of car sales in October 2021.

Domestic sales of new light commercial vehicles, bakkies and mini-buses at 11,188 units during October 2021recorded an increase of 1 535 units, or a gain of 15,9%, from the 9 653 light commercial vehicles sold during October 2020.  

Sales for medium and heavy truck segments of the industry reflected a mixed performance and at 576 units and 1 775 units, respectively, showed a decline of 97 units, or 14,4% in the case of medium commercial vehicles, and, in the case of heavy trucks and buses an increase of 88 vehicles, or a gain of 5,2%, compared to the corresponding month last year. 

The sigh of relief with the country’s move to adjusted alert level 1 from October 2021 was short-lived due to the adverse events that occurred during the month, including the three-week strike in the steel and engineering sector as well as businesses having to endure several days of rolling blackouts during the month ahead of the local government elections.

In addition to COVID-19 supply chain disruptions resulting in vessel and container shortages consequently resulting in higher logistics costs, load shedding remained an area of great concern impacting on the ability of the industry to plan and grow. On the positive side, respondents to the Absa Purchasing Managers’ Index remained upbeat about an improvement in business conditions over the next six months. 

“The new vehicle market appears to be recovering strongly, demand out-stripping current supply constraints,” says Lebogang Gaoaketse, Head of Marketing and Communication at WesBank. “The second half of the year has performed strongly since the mid-year lockdown restrictions, with the market trading above 40m000 units a month for the past three months.”

WesBank’s own data indicates a resurgence in the South African motor industry. 

“While we have seen high demand for pre-owned vehicles over the last two years, a slow shift back towards new vehicles may be currently underway,” says Gaoaketse. “Compared to a year ago, WesBank’s new applications rose 1,8% during October, while applications for pre-owned deals declined 5,9%. In addition, the bank’s used-to-new ratio has shifted over the 12-month period from 2,25 used vehicles financed for every new vehicle a year ago, to 2,08.”

However, the issue of supply is a global factor that skews the overall market picture. 

“Until global manufacturing stabilises off the back of the pandemic and resolves its micro-chip shortages, consumer and business purchase decisions will be swayed by availability and necessity,” says Gaoaketse. “The good news is that South African car dealers are in a much more sustainable position than a year ago.”

naamsa also confirmed that Neale Hill who was recently appointed President of Ford Motor Company Africa, from October 01 this year was elected unopposed as the new naamsa President for a two year term.

“naamsa is increasingly playing an indispensable transformative role that contributes directly to the sustainable development of the country’s productive economy.

“I am very pleased to lead our country’s automotive industry in this capacity as we accelerate our role as a major industrial and economic force that adds real value every day, by providing mobility; facilitating trade; creating sustainable jobs; moving people, goods and services; and by serving communities and creating prosperity for the people of South Africa”, says Hill.

https://bit.ly/3w9qjbM

Colin-on-Cars: Road Review - Toyota Urban Cruiser Xs and Xr

Introduced in March this year, Toyota’s Urban Cruiser consistently racks up just short of 1 000 new units every month but tends – in conversation – to be referred to in the singular, even though there are model grades and a choice of manual or automatic.

So, this review takes a look at the 1.5 Xs manual and the 1.5 Xr auto – not as a ‘shootout’ but more a reflection on the options available to buyers in the small SUV space. The Urban Cruiser is the second product of the Toyota-Suzuki alliance (following the Starlet) and I leave any comparisons in that sphere out of the contest of this exercise.

As a mid-range model, the Xs boasts keyless-entry with push start, power windows all round, tilt-adjustable steering, power-adjustable mirrors, LED headlamps and LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) as standard.

The exterior features alloy wheels, roof rails, body-coloured door handles, power-retractable mirrors and rear window wiper with demister function.

Occupants are not left out of the equation, with auto air-conditioning, a secondary glove compartment, rear armrest and 60:40 split backrest. Rear Park Distance Control (PDC) and reverse camera, offer drivers additional peace of mind.

At R277 300 this variant has an impressive specification offering, considering the top-of-the-range Xr gains LED fog lamps, automatic headlights, cruise control, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, rain-sensing wipers, dual 12-volt power outlets, front armrest, leather steering wheel, two tweeter speakers, glove box illumination, a cooled storage compartment, map reading and front foot well lights, as well as luggage compartment illumination.

What the Xr gains falls into the ‘nice-to-have’ luxury bracket while the Xs sticks to absolute vitals – the add-on price for the flagship around R49 500.

Seated behind the wheel, the differences are not that noticeable and in both cases the workspace is comfortable, neatly packaged and everything the driver needs logically laid out and close to hand while, just as important, forward and side vision is clear.

Xs interior

Even for those not so vertically challenged, there is ample leg and headroom in the cabin to provide a proper driving position, whether going ‘stick’ or just the two-pedal version.

Both have a touchscreen infotainment system that incorporates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, allowing smartphone connectivity. Text and messaging-service messages can be read out to the user, with speech-to-text functionality ensuring safe communication while driving. Bluetooth, Aux and USB inputs are also catered for.

The black fabric seats feature a honeycomb pattern, with the rest of the interior finished off in hard-wearing black, featuring a textured pattern. Large door pockets, glove compartment and additional oddment binnacles provide convenient storage spaces.

Xr interior

The big visual difference between the two options is on the outside where the Xr can be specified with bi-tone paint options. Other than that, they both have the identical large radiator grille with two horizontal slats and centred Toyota badge flanked by chrome accent strips and LED projector headlamps.

Also, both are equipped with 16-inch alloy wheels shod with 215-60-R16 tyres with a full-size spare wheel in the boot.

The Urban Cruiser is powered by a 1,5-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine delivering 77 kW and 138 Nm and, while Toyota claims fuel consumption of 6,2 l/100 km, my test cycle showed the manual at 6,4 l/100 km and the auto at 6,7 l/100 km.

Not a huge amount to choose from and much of the buying decision will likely come down to the convenience of the auto in heavy traffic conditions versus the joy of driving with the manual option.

The two models share a traditional McPherson strut front suspension layout, with a Torsion Beam design in the rear so ride comfort, road manners along with wind, tyre and road noise are identical and, perhaps, a tad above the average for the class of vehicle.

The Urban Cruiser is just that, a runabout designed for city life. While fully capable on the longer journeys, it does struggle a bit on steeper inclines and runs out of breath quite quickly when pushed hard. That said, it is quite lively and responsive to directional changes.

The safety and security specs include anti-lock braking and EBD, side protection beams, driver and passenger crash bags and ISOFIX. An alarm and immobiliser system are also included.

All Urban Cruiser models are sold with a 3-services/45 000 km service plan. A 3-year/100 000 km warranty is also provided. Service intervals are pegged at 12 months/15 000 km

https://bit.ly/3nJzonL

Colin-on-Cars - Tight finish in Vryburg off-road race

A scant four seconds separated the top two finishers in the Vryburg 400, penultimate round of the 2021 South African Cross-Country Series (SACCS) with Toyota Gazoo Racing SA’s Henk Lategan and co-driver Brett Cummings taking the flag ahead of the Ford Castrol Cross Country Team’s Lance Woolridge and Elvéne Vonk.

“It was a really tight race today,” said Lategan after reaching the Designated Service Point (DSP) outside Vryburg after the race. “At times we managed to extend our lead, but two punctures in the second loop ensure a very tight finish.”

The pair started their weekend by posting the fourth-fastest time on the Friday’s qualifying race. They strategically managed their pace over the 40 km loop, and ended up in a very good road position for the Saturday’s main event.

In the end, the Toyota Gazoo Racing crew reported a clean run, other than the two punctures in the second loop. The Class FIA Toyota Hilux didn’t miss a beat, and Lategan/Cummings are overjoyed to have added to their overall points lead with just one round to go. For Cummings, the result in Vryburg sealed the overall 2021 co-driver’s championship in the Production Category.

At the same time, teammates Shameer Variawa and Danie Stassen recorded a strong fifth place finish, after suffering a single puncture during the latter part of the race.

Giniel de Villiers and co-driver Dennis Murphy continued the development and testing of the team’s new GR DKR Hilux T1+ prototype during the Vryburg 400. The new car cannot score points in the championship, as the SACCS currently doesn’t make provision for this class of vehicle. Even so, the team received special dispensation to use the race as a test, and the team made the most of the opportunity.

“We have been refining a number of components and settings on the car,” explained De Villiers. “A lot of work is still going into the damper setup, and today’s race gave us some very clear data to work with.”

In the Class T championship, brothers Johan and Werner Horn flew the flag for Toyota, by not only winning the qualifying race, but also the main event. The defending champions found themselves on the back foot after failing to score points during the previous two rounds, but redeemed themselves with a resounding victory in Vryburg. The Malalane Toyota lads may not win the title in 2021, but they’re certainly making themselves count.

The Ford Castrol Ranger crew conquered the demanding and ever-changing conditions without a single puncture, which was a remarkable feat unmatched by their rivals – made all the more challenging due to heavy rain showers on Friday, followed by tricky mud and water sections on Saturday’s first 180 km loop, and mostly dry conditions on the second loop.

The trio of front-runners, who also lead the overall Production Vehicle and FIA-class points tables, kept their teams and the enthusiastic fans on edge as the positions changed regularly on the opening loop. Heading into the 30-minute service, it was Lategan/Cummings ahead of the Ford Castrol Ranger of Woolridge/Vonk by 1 min 23 sec, with the Century crew in third.

On the final loop, the battle intensified even further, and although the positions ultimately remained unchanged at the finish line, the top two crews were separated by just 4 seconds in the end after nearly five hours of racing.

“It was a fantastic race,” Lance said. “The car was faultless, the team did an awesome job and Elvéne was perfect the whole race, but in the end, it was just four seconds that separated us from the win, which is a bit frustrating. However, it was a really enjoyable race, and we had a good time out there.

“The championship is still alive, but it’s going to be a tough last race,” Lance added. “Parys is a rough event with lots of rocks and technical terrain, and we will need to aim for the win to remain in contention. But anything is possible, and we’ll throw everything at it.”

Team-mates Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer (377) just missed out on the podium, scoring their second fourth-place finish in a row. The young pair had the arduous and unenviable task of being drawn first for Friday’s 42 km prologue, which resulted in them opening the road and losing considerable time, ending eight overall.

However, they were on a charge for Saturday’s main race, making the most of the damp conditions and limited dust to fight their way up to an impressive fourth place after the first loop – a position they held through to the finish despite picking up a puncture on the second loop.

In the Class T championship, current points leaders and Vryburg residents Malcolm and Frans Kock (T4) did their title aspirations a world of good by continuing their impressive run of podium finishes with second place at their home event in the V8-powered NWM Ford Ranger, behind winners Johan and Werner Horn (Toyota).

They were joined on the podium by another of the local NWM-supported privateers, Christo Rose and Arno Olivier, while the Ford Neil Woolridge Motorsport Development Team of Bapi Rubuluza and Fanifani Meyiwa (T49) notched up another solid finish in fourth place.

For Wors Prinsloo and Andre Vermeulen (T41) it was a miserable weekend, as they picked up numerous punctures throughout the race and eventually finished fifth – which dented their challenge for the 2021 Class T championship.

It’s all to play for in the overall Production Vehicle, FIA-class and Class T championship titles at the season finale: the Parys 400, on November  20, 2021.

https://bit.ly/3bvXtZv

Colin-on-Cars - Pressure eased

Car buyers on the waiting list for a Suzuki Jimny can take heart as the first consignment of models has arrived from the Gurgaon Plant in India along with the announcement GL manual and automatic models will join the range early next year.

The Gurgaon Plant plant recently started assembling the Jimny from 100% Japanese-sourced parts and components for delivery to markets in the Southern Hemisphere and the Caribbean.

The heavily automated Gurgaon Plant is the third-largest manufacturing facility in Suzuki’s global network, accounting for more than 700 000 of the Japanese brand’s 2,25-million production capacity in India.

“When Japan announced it will assemble the Jimny at its massive Gurgaon plant, we, our dealers and our customers sighed a collective sigh of relief.

“The Jimny has become extremely popular among both urban adventurers and overland enthusiasts, and demand has always outstripped supply. While we may not be able to satisfy demand in full every month, the new source will allow us to deliver units quicker and with greater flexibility,” says Brendon Carpenter, Brand Marketing Manager at Suzuki Auto South Africa.

The new GL models share the same drivetrain as the GA and GLX models, including the ladder frame chassis and transfer case with low range 4x4 abilities, but adds a number of luxuries over the GA model.

These luxuries include:

- Power windows

- Electrically operated mirrors

- Alloy wheels

- Steering wheel audio controls

- Bluetooth connected audio system

- Remote central locking

- A comprehensive 4-year / 60 000 km service plan.

Following closely behind the first consignment of Indian-built Suzuki models will be a special Jimny Rhino Edition Kit.

The kit will be available on all grades of the Jimny when launched in the first quarter of 2022 and it resurrects the well-known Jimny Rhino logomark.

The Rhino logomark first appeared on the Suzuki SJ-series (the second-generation Jimny) exactly 40 years ago.

The Rhino was penned by a young designer, Osamu Namba, in 1981. Namba wanted to capture ‘the rugged strength, robust appearance, charging momentum, solidity and dynamic power’ of the Jimny.

He sketched the ‘Jimny Rhino’ in three dimensions by making the hind legs shorter than those in front and by drawing armour. It points to the left, to emphasise the contrarian spirit of the Jimny that has kept its compact dimensions and off-road drivetrain, while many other off roaders became bloated and soft.

“We will celebrate the 40th birthday of our beloved Jimny Rhino with a special Jimny Rhino Edition Kit, which will be available on all grades from early 2022,” says Carpenter.

The Rhino Edition adds the following design elements to a Jimny:

- Exclusive Rhino decals

- A Rhino-branded soft spare wheel cover

- The Suzuki Heritage grille

- Red Suzuki mud flaps

- Rain and wind deflectors

https://bit.ly/3GLCT67

Colin-on-Cars - Lexus goes rock 'n roll

Fast cars and rock ‘n roll have always been synonymous with each other with the ‘go-to’ guitar of the genre, the Fender Stratocaster, having been responsible for belting out many a car-related tune over the years – ‘Little Red Corvette’ and ‘Mustang Sally’ among them.

Now, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation’s (FMIC) Fender Custom Shop (FCS) has announced the launch of a limited-edition Fender Lexus LC Stratocaster, the newest custom-built piece from Principal Master Builder, Ron Thorn – only 100 of which will be released globally.

“Collaborating with Lexus to conceptualise, design and build the Fender® Lexus LC Stratocaster has been an incredible ride,” said Mike Lewis, Vice President of Product Development, Fender Custom Shop. “The process our team took to design this Strat has certainly been a labour of love, as well as a source of inspiration and excitement around the shop. Our team is constantly building innovative products and this launch is another great representation of craftsmanship and creativity at Fender.”

The Stratocaster guitar includes an omnidirectional Structural Blue finish, a spectral range that produces light metallic blue to deep midnight blue that was originally inspired by the Morpho butterfly.

The paint on the Stratocaster guitar is the same paint that was used on the Lexus LC 500 coupé and convertible Inspiration Series, of which only a limited number of units were produced for many markets- including South Africa a couple of years ago. 

Structural blue paint brings to life the rich curvature of the LC 500 body, and now the guitar body. The paint does not contain any blue material - it looks blue only because of the interference of light. Layers of colourless materials come together to generate the ultimate colour, hence the name ‘structural’.

The neck is fashioned from 3A flame maple and finished in high-gloss urethane, imparting a hint of Fender wood working tradition in contrast with the instrument’s other advanced visual elements. The fingerboard is made of deep-blue polished Richlite, a composite material known for its tonal properties, structural stability, and resistance to wear and moisture, and used by the Fender Custom Shop for the first time.

The fingerboard has a flatter 12-inch radius and 22 medium-jumbo stainless-steel frets. On darkened stages, the white Luminlay fingerboard inlays glow in vivid blue.

To top it off, the headstock face is finished in Structural Blue with a chrome Fender logo while the custom case is wrapped in carbon fibre textured vinyl, with black leather ends and the Lexus logo embroidered inside the lid.

“Fender is a legendary brand that has made an indelible mark in the world of music.  As such, Lexus is honoured to team with them in the development of this unique guitar that highlights our brand’s unique design cues and Structural Blue paint technology,” says Brian Bolain, General Manager of Lexus International. “With such a partnership, our hope is to raise the awareness of the elevated level of craft shared by the Fender Custom Shop and Lexus as both strive to create a more personal experience for their customers.” 

https://bit.ly/3moKD5w

Colin-on-Cars - Powered by straw

Biofuel created from waste straw has kicked up the search for alternative energy a notch by powering a Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid across Iceland in a single stint – some 733 kilometres.

The fuel used conforms to the same EN228 standard as ordinary pump fuel, yet is created entirely from waste biomass (eg straw) at no cost to food production or the natural ecosystem. The combination of this fuel and the Flying Spur Hybrid’s intelligent electrified powertrain meant an overall reduction of 45% in CO2 emissions on a well-to-wheels basis over the course of the adventure.

Bentley’s Member of the Board for Engineering, Matthias Rabe, says: “With the launch of the Flying Spur Hybrid we now have a hybrid range at Bentley, and with this challenge we’ve proved the real benefit of a hybrid – the ability to have an unimpeded grand touring reach of more than 720 kilometres, while still having usable electric-only range for urban environments.

“It’s truly the best of both worlds, especially when the use of innovative second generation biofuel means a huge drop in CO2 emissions. We’ll continue working with such fuels in the coming months as part of our development process, with the end goal of a customer-facing solution.”

The 100% renewable, second generation biofuel was developed by Coryton, who is supporting Bentley in renewable fuel research. The production process sees waste biomass broken down using fermentation, leading to the creation of ethanol. Dehydration of the ethanol converts it to ethylene, which can then be transformed into gasoline through the process of oligomerisation – chaining short hydrocarbon molecules together to produce longer, more energy-dense ones.

The electricity used by the car’s hybrid system during the journey was sourced from Iceland’s 100%t renewable grid. Iceland is a global leader in renewable energy production; 75% of the country’s electrical energy is produced via Hydroelectric and 25% from geothermal power.

The powertrain combines a 2,9-litre V6 petrol engine with an electric motor, delivering a total of 394 kW and 750 Nm  of torque - an additional 69 kW in comparison to the Bentayga Hybrid. The latest hybrid model gives little away to the Flying Spur V8 in acceleration, passing 100 km/hh from a standstill in 4,3 seconds.

To provide further feedback to the driver, the driver instruments include additional information showing when the car is operating solely in EV drive, regenerating whilst deaccelerating or using the combustion engine.

Inside the cabin, the automatic Start-Stop switch has been replaced with a control for the three E Modes – EV Drive, Hybrid Mode and Hold Mode, enabling the driver to manage the battery usage during a journey.

EV Drive mode is engaged as soon as the car is switched on, and maximises the electric driving experience. This is ideal for city driving and for shorter journeys.

The flow of energy can also be displayed via the infotainment screen where statistics can be seen and the timers for charging of the vehicle can be set. Additional e-motion information is available to the driver via the instrument panel, heads up display and centre screen, including range, battery level and charging information.

Bentley Motors has outlined plans to become a global leader in sustainable luxury mobility with further details of its Beyond100 strategy. With the promise to offer truly sustainable luxury, Bentley will reinvent every aspect of its business to become an end-to-end carbon neutral organisation as it embarks on its second century.

https://bit.ly/3blDQmV

Colin-on-Cars - Five stars for Mustang Mach-E

The latest safety releases from Euro NCAP show an interesting mix of top end results, especially for Ford where the Mustang Mach-E gets tops marks while the 5,0-litre V8 version battled to get three stars in 2017.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 and Tucson and the Toyota Yaris Cross all achieve a top rating of five stars, while the new Hyundai Bayon is awarded four stars.Mustang Mach-E

Ford’s new all-electric crossover SUV, the Mustang Mach-E, bears little resemblance to the 5,0-litre muscle car with which it shares its name and firmly secures a top five-star rating against the latest test requirements.

The car comes equipped with a centre crash bag, deployable bonnet for vulnerable road user protection and a host of advanced driver assistance features, offering high levels of driver support and crash prevention all around.

Hyundai Bayon

Hyundai impresses with three new models in this publication, the all-electric Ioniq 5 and Tucson, gaining 5-star ratings and Hyundai Bayon achieving 4 stars. Although the Tucson only just clears the hurdle in Safety Assist to get into five-star territory, both Ioniq 5 and Tucson display good all-round safety.

The crossover SUV Bayon, fighting its way into an already overcrowded and highly competitive segment, lacks the centre crash bag that is standard in Ioniq 5 and Tucson. Nevertheless, the Bayon comes with robust crash protection and crash-avoidance features which help to secure it a creditable four-star rating.

The Toyota Yaris Cross follows hot on the heels of the Mirai and Yaris with another five-star rating. The car, available at petrol and HEV petrol, was tested partly in Australia and Europe, two important markets for the Yaris Cross. The result is published in collaboration with sister organisation ANCAP.

Ford Transit Custom

In addition to its traditional safety crash and safety tests, Euro NCAP retested two light commercial vans: the Ford Transit and the Ford Transit Custom, after Ford made seat belt reminders as standard for all occupants across the European market.

NCAP’s Michiel van Ratingen, says: “Vehicle use in road traffic is the most significant contributor to work-related traumatic injury, so small improvements, especially those that promote seatbelt wearing, can go a long way. Congratulations to Ford for updating their two commercial vans and making the effort of putting seat belt reminders as standard for drivers and co-drivers.”

https://bit.ly/3Blcsjx

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