Colin-on-Cars - Diamond sparkle for Merc trucks

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend but the sparkly gems also represent significant achievement and Daimler Truck Southern Africa (DTSA) is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee as a manufacturer in South Africa.

As part of the celebration it has unveiled 60 Fuso Canter FE7-136 special edition models for the local market.

Michael Dietz, President & CEO Daimler Truck Southern Africa says “I am proud to say this year has been nothing short of amazing for us as DTSA. We kick-started our diamond anniversary celebrations on a high note and, now what better way to culminate it than to introduce the Fuso Canter FE7-136 60th edition range, a product we proudly deem kingpin within our Fuso brand.

“The future of our plant lies in our continuous endeavour to produce ground-breaking trucks and buses, our highly skilled people and motivated by one single vision – to fulfil the evolving business needs of our customers”.

Michael Dietz

The Fuso Canter FE7-136 is one of the most popular and top performers in the Fuso stable, and it is for this reason it is the first-line flagship model to celebrate the milestone.

On the exterior, the new trucks feature red stripes that represent the Fuso brand’s colours, while the interior sees seatbelt pads branded with a red Fuso logo. In addition to this, the open plan floor for easy cabin movement has also been enhanced with floor-branded mats on both ends.

The 3 908 cc engine remains unchanged, offering 100 kW and 370 Nm and is both economical and dependable. Engine access for service requirements is quick and easy with a forward-tilting cab on all models.

Interior enhancements include a fully adjustable driver’s seat and a front passenger bench seat with integral headrests and easy-clean dashboard. In addition, there is a fully rake and reach adjustable steering column.

Safety is at the forefront of the cab design, featuring the Fuso Canter RISE (Realized Impact Safety Evolution) impact system, where all crash protection aspects have been addressed. The cab floor has been strengthened, the steering column is collapsible and the doors feature a cross-doorframe protection bar.

In addition, the dashboard features an impact-absorbing frame and is manufactured from shatter-resistant materials.

https://bit.ly/3yIGWxC

Colin-on-Cars - Volvo Trucks assembles Euro 5 locally

Although Euro 5 truck variants have been available in South Africa since 2012, these are now being assembled at the Volvo Trucks South Africa assembly plant in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

“More customers have ambitions to improve their environmental footprint, which is driving the uptake of Euro 5 models locally,” says Eric Parry, Sustainability Manager at Volvo Trucks SA.

“In general, the Euro 5 engines have a lower fuel consumption than an equivalent Euro 3 unit, which means even though total costs are roughly the same because of the need for AdBlue diesel exhaust fluid on the vehicle, the CO2 emissions are reduced with the lowering of fuel consumption.

“There is also the significant reduction in poisonous gases from the exhaust, which in turn improves the environment around the vehicle.”

Production

Euro 5 assembly at the plant does not come at the expense of the production of the company’s current range, it is complimentary.

Volvo Trucks has initially started with the assembly of Euro 5 level FH truck-tractors, the company’s long-haul icon, as this is the model customers are asking for. More models and configurations will be added over time as fleet owners require them.

“The need for local assembly also arose to reduce the import duty that is applied to full imports. This allows Volvo Trucks the opportunity to offer the cleaner technology in a more competitive way,” comments Parry.

Certain layout changes were made to the facility to accommodate AdBlue filling in trucks, as well as for storage. Additional floor layout adjustments were also done to allow for new procedures like the assembly of AdBlue tanks and special exhaust systems.

Assemble

“Operators have also received advanced training to assemble the new features connected to the Euro 5 specifications. Specialised training was also provided for road testers and product auditors to ensure the highest standards are maintained throughout the assembly and QA processes,” explains Aubrey Rambau, Volvo Trucks Plant Director.

“Quality is the basis of everything we do. From the way we design, manufacture and test our trucks, to the services, parts and people who support them.”

The Volvo Trucks plant has also recently installed a new solar power system to generate renewable energy for the facility. A total of 440 solar panels and two solar inverters will generate 243 kW of power - approximately 60% of the energy needed for the plant.

“At Volvo, environmental care is fundamental to how we do business, and this project is another step in our energy efficiency journey,” says Rambau. “We believe in sustainable transport solutions. And we’re confident that our trucks, services and operations will lead the way there.”

https://bit.ly/3D27Cvv

Colin-on-Cars - Championship on the line

Titles may well be decided at this weekend’s powerfest at the Indianapolis 8-Hour when SRO Motorsports Group’s GT3 series joins Fanatec GT World Challenge America at the Brickyard.

The US championship finale doubles as IGTC’s penultimate round following outings at the Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour and TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa. The Gulf 12 Hours closes out 2022’s campaign in mid-December.

However, there’s a strong chance IGTC’s manufacturers’ title – and potentially even its drivers’ championship – will be decided at Indianapolis where a total of 25 GT3 cars are scheduled to race into the night on Saturday.

Maximum

Jules Gounon and Mercedes-AMG both have maximum points from the first two events where the latter also finished first and second.

The drop-score system employed this year sees Mercedes-AMG start in a strong position and not least when considering that its closest rival – Audi Sport – is absent from IGTC’s entry list for the first time ever this weekend.

Instead, reigning manufacturers’ champions Ferrari, as well as Lamborghini and Porsche, will all be hoping to halt Affalterbach’s seemingly unstoppable march towards a first Intercontinental manufacturers’ crown.

Eligible

Although each registered manufacturer can nominate a maximum of four entries, including three from the Pro class, only its two best placed finishers are eligible to score points. As such, a maximum of 43 points are available for finishing one-two on Saturday evening.

Also, and unlike at Spa for example, Indy’s Pro class comprises line-ups featuring a maximum of two Gold or Platinum graded drivers. Therefore, the relative strength of each crew’s third member could prove a decisive factor.

Mercedes-AMG | 3x Pro, 1x Pro-Am
Manufacturers’ Championship: 1st (86 points)

It’s been a highly impressive IGTC campaign so far for Mercedes-AMG, which locked out Bathurst’s podium and finished one-two at Spa. And it shows no sign of letting up at Indy where eight cars – half of which are Intercontinental nominees – carry the Three Pointed Star’s hopes.

But first, some maths. 

IGTC’s drop-score system means each manufacturer’s worst collective result from Bathurst, Indy and Gulf will not count towards its end-of-season total. Mercedes-AMG has accrued the maximum 86 points so far – 51 more than Audi Sport whose absence from Indy effectively ends its title chances, while Ferrari is another 10 further back.

As such, a record-equalling fourth straight IGTC victory (Akkodis ASP also won 2021’s postponed Kyalami 9 Hour in February) would hand Mercedes-AMG the title regardless of where Ferrari’s two best placed entries finished. Indeed, the Scuderia must outscore its German rival by 18 points, or 19 if it doesn’t win the race, to have any hope of retaining the manufacturers’ crown in Abu Dhabi.

Contingent

But that appears a tall order given the strength of Mercedes-AMG’s Indy contingent. 

Fanatec GT World Challenge America’s class regulations prevent newly crowned European champions Gounon, Dani Juncadella and Raffaele Marciello from reprising their Spa-winning partnership. However, that has doubled Mercedes-AMG’s chances in the drivers’ standings where Gounon – who also won at Bathurst – leads Juncadella by seven points. 

The Frenchman joins Russell Ward and Phillip Ellis in Winward Racing’s entry this weekend, while his former team-mates are part of a Craft-Bamboo squad also featuring Daniel Morad. 

The drivers’ championship also requires the lowest score outside of Spa to be dropped. Nevertheless, his third victory of the season – as well as a record extending fourth on the bounce – would see Gounon win the title regardless of where the likes of Juncadella finished.

Previous

Mercedes-AMG’s only previous overall IGTC title was won by Tristan Vautier who appears in the other nominated Pro entry, run by US RaceTronics, alongside Fanatec GT World Challenge America regulars Loris Spinelli and Steven Aghakhani.

Its final nomination is filled by Bathurst winners SunEnergy1 whose regular pairing of Kenny Habul and Martin Konrad can clinch the Pro-Am Challenge crown on Saturday. The car is overseen by crack factory squad Akkodis ASP, which arrives at Indy fresh from winning the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe title at Barcelona.

Ferrari | 3x Pro, 1x Pro-Am
Manufacturers’ Championship: 3rd (25 points)

The reigning champions arrive at Indy knowing that only a strong showing, plus a helping hand from Mercedes-AMG, will see IGTC’s manufacturers’ title decided in Abu Dhabi rather than this Saturday. However, 2021’s American round does provide some cause for optimism.

True, both factory-supported AF Corse - Francorchamps entries – which return this year – failed to deliver the results their pace warranted. But pole position for Alessandro Pier Guidi and the sister car’s starring role out front suggests the 488 GT3 will be at the sharp end.

Platinum

Ferrari’s factory drivers, just like Mercedes-AMG’s, also reside in the top drawer. Platinum-graded duo Davide Rigon and Miguel Molina are joined by Pierre Ragues – someone perhaps better known for his sports-prototype exploits – while one of this year’s breakout European GT stars, Ulysse De Pauw, partners Antonio Fuoco and Daniel Serra.

American squad Conquest Racing also represents Maranello in the Pro category, while Ryan Dalziel heads up Triarsi Competizione’s Pro-Am entry.

Collectively, two of these four cars must outscore Mercedes-AMG’s nominees by 18 or 19 points if the 2022 IGTC manufacturers’ title is to remain unclaimed. Equally, Fuoco, Serra and Rigon must score 10 more points than Gounon to have any chance of winning the drivers’ crown at the Gulf 12 Hours. 

Lamborghini | 2x Pro, 1x Pro-Am, 1x Am
Manufacturers’ Championship: 4th (22 points)

Just like its main rivals, Lamborghini has loaded its IGTC bases by nominating the maximum number of cars at Indy where at least two will be fighting for overall victory.

Its formidable US squad, K-PAX Racing, finished on the podium there last season and has already retained its Fanatec GT World Challenge America teams’ and drivers’ titles with a race to spare. Now its focus switches to securing Lamborghini’s first-ever IGTC victory.

Assistance

Its regular US crew of Michele Beretta and Andrea Caldarelli receive assistance from another Squadra Corse factory ace, Marco Mapelli, while Franck Perera joins Misha Goikhberg and Jordan Pepper.

TR3’s Pro-Am entry could collect a point of two for the manufacturer whose nominees also include Zelus Motorsports’ Am car.

On paper, Lamborghini heads to Indy three points behind Ferrari. However, that total has been accrued across two events instead of one, meaning its current drop-round – which cannot be Spa – actually leaves it a further 12 points adrift. 

Huracans must therefore out-score Mercedes-AMGs by 33 points (or 34 if one of them fails to win due to the countback rules in case of a tie) in order for Lamborghini to feature amongst the title contenders in Abu Dhabi.

Porsche | 2x Pro-Am
Manufacturers’ Championship: 5th (13 points)

 A sum total of two Pro-Am cars means Porsche are unlikely to contend for victory at Indy where Wright Motorsports and GMG Racing are instead focusing on class honours.

Nevertheless, each team’s respective Pro – Jan Heylen and Klaus Bachler – undoubtedly has the individual pace to run with the overall victory contenders.

What’s more, Heylen and his co-driver Charlie Luck top Fanatec GT World Challenge America’s Pro-Am standings with just one race remaining.

https://bit.ly/3SIvF8q

Colin-on-Cars - Tracking tools and equipment

Some ideas, when mooted, seem so simple and obvious it is hard to believe they were not thought of much sooner.

Loss of tools due to employee negligence, theft or for whatever reason is a cost-to-company that could potentially be eliminated following a pilot project for Ford Pro by engineers in Aachen, Germany could enable companies to monitor the location of their tools and machines at all times, using Bluetooth connectivity and GPS tracking.

In fact, experts estimate the cost to businesses as R7 884 a year – per van. 

The system uses special devices placed inside toolboxes and on equipment to connect to company vehicles and a central server.

These tracking devices enable each vehicle to remind drivers when a tool is not in the vehicle and may have been left behind on-site. The tracking also enables companies to know where every tool or machine is at any given time and can coordinate with employees to transport specific tools to other sites when they are urgently needed.

In addition to the cost of replacing the missing tools, businesses would also benefit from employees not losing time by having to check or search for tools manually or pick up forgotten tools. Administrators save time by not having to check required inventory, while the system enables more efficient forward planning, with the right tools loaded into vans for the coming workdays.

 How it works

Each tool, machine and piece of equipment is fitted with a tracking device that is waterproof and can handle extreme temperatures. The devices connect to a central server that can be accessed by all company employees, both at the office and on-site: using a computer, the vehicle’s in-car screen or the dedicated app on a tablet or smartphone.

Tools can be searched for and located based on ‘vehicle’, ‘storage’, ‘tool type’ and ‘tool name’. A live map also shows the location of all the company’s equipment, while tools can be listed as ‘working’, ‘broken’ or in ‘maintenance’.

When a vehicle is loaded, each tool is displayed on the in-vehicle screen and is allocated to being in that specific vehicle. At the work site, as the vehicle is unloaded, the screen shows both columns, ‘loaded’ and ‘unloaded’ – meaning at the end of the day, anything still in the “unloaded” column has potentially been left behind.

A live list of tools on board enables faster loading and checking of the vehicle’s inventory. Having the status of all the company’s equipment accessible at a central location enables more efficient transportation of equipment between sites and easier job planning with assigning tools to specific jobs. If a tool is left in a vehicle overnight, the driver receives a theft alert when any tools are taken out of the vehicle.

Three companies based in the Cologne area helped to test the feasibility and applicability for vehicle fleets of varying sizes and workers in different industries, including construction and renovations, plumbing and bathrooms, and gardening and landscaping. Ford Pro plans to conduct more research in different markets ahead of making the service available to customers in the near future.

https://bit.ly/3e1d886

Colin-on-Cars - Toyota dominates while Ford shows promise

Toyota Gazoo Racing SA (TGRSA) achieved a clean sweep of podium positions for both rounds of the penultimate event in the 2022 South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC), with Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings winning twice in a row.

“This was an astounding weekend for the team,” said an ecstatic TGRSA Team Principal, Glyn Hall, after the race. “Everything went according to plan for us, and Henk really showed his class by winning twice – once from tenth on the road, and once from the front.”

For Lategan, a good result was desperately needed in his quest to defend his crown as defending SARRC champion, as he found himself trailing teammate Giniel de Villiers in the overall standings, after three rounds of the season. But two consecutive victories put Lategan right back in the mix, with just two rounds (another double-header event) to go in the 2022 championship.

While Lategan and co-driver Cummings undoubtedly made the most of the weekend, each of their teammates found their own times to shine, ensuring stunning results for the entire team over the course of the weekend.

During Round 4, which took place on Friday, September 30, it was Guy Botterill and co-driver Simon Vacy-Lyle who went second-fastest, trailing Lategan/Cummings to the end by just shy of two minutes. De Villiers and co-driver Dennis Murphy recorded a third-place finish for the round, ensuring that they stayed in touch with the lead in the championship fight.

Round 5 saw De Villiers/Murphy improve on their finish from the day before, moving into second place for the round. They finished 1min 42sec behind the flying Lategan/Cummings. Shameer Variawa and co-driver Danie Stassen went third-fastest, completing the second all-TGRSA podium for the weekend.

“Overall, we’re not only pleased with the results, but also with the progress we’ve made with the testing and development of the new parts and setups that we ran this weekend,” continued Hall. “We are always hunting for more performance in our quest to continuously improve our Dakar-winning GR DKR Hilux T1+, and this weekend served as confirmation that our latest developments are working as expected.”

The NWM Ford Castrol Team has made significant strides in the development of its mighty Class FIA T1+ Ranger since it debuted at the start of the 2022 season, and its race-winning potential was clearly shown at the action-packed fourth and fifth rounds SARRC Series at NAMPO Park near Bothaville in the Free State in extremely hot and dusty conditions – an ideal proving ground for the Dakar Rally-specification.

Lance Woolridge and Elvéne Vonk (234) were among the top competitors during the short 8,9 km qualifying races for both days. In round four on Friday, they were tied for second place with Giniel de Villiers/Dennis Murphy (Toyota), just 7,1 sec off the leading Toyota of Henk Lategan/Brett Cummings.

The second NWM Ford Castrol crew of Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer (277) were also right in the mix, but they overshot a corner near the end and stalled the car, losing about 16 seconds which dropped them down to fifth in T1+ and eighth overall. The top 10 qualifiers draw their starting positions in reverse order, which saw Gareth and Boyd starting first, with Lance and Elvéne second on the road.

In the main race, which comprised two loops of 171 km each, Lance and Elvéne were unfortunately hampered 15 km into the opening stint by a hole that developed in a turbo-charger actuator pipe, and they lost significant time to the front-runners due to the lack of boost. The pipe was replaced during the mandatory 30-minute service stop, and they fought back on the second loop to finish seventh in T1+ after posting some of the fastest times of the section.

Opening the road cost Gareth and Boyd significant time, and they had to contend with intermittent power loss issues during the opening loop, but this was remedied for the second stint, and they had a clean run to finish fourth overall.

The NWM Ford Castrol Team headed into round five on Saturday with determination and confidence, and it certainly paid off as Lance and Elvéne set the fastest qualifying time, with Gareth and Boyd finishing second, just 1,2 seconds off their team-mates.

However, the saying “If you didn’t have bad luck, you wouldn’t have any luck” certainly rung true for Lance and Elvéne yet again, as the team found a small crack in a turbo-charger oil cooler pipe after qualifying. Without a replacement item on hand emergency repairs were made, and the team went out on the first loop. Sadly it all came to nothing as the leak re-emerged 20 km into the stage, and they were ultimately forced to retire.

“We did a lot of work on the car after the last event, and all of the changes made have really shown that we are now capable of running at the front of the field,” Lance said. “Our good qualifying performance on both days and the pace we have shown during the race is fantastic and very encouraging for the team. Our final results are disappointing, but we will regroup and focus on the small things that have let us down this weekend, and I’m sure we’ll have a good race next time.”

With their team-mates out of action Gareth and Boyd soon took over the lead, and a thrilling tussle ensued between the NWM Ford Ranger crew and the Toyota of Lategan/Cummings. Just four seconds separated the teams after 168 km of racing as they headed into the pits, and an all-out battle was expected for the top step of the podium on loop two.

Ultimately it was not to be, as an electronic gremlin linked to the power distribution module caused the car to cut out several times. As a result, they lost around five minutes to the leaders but fought on to cross the finish line in fourth place overall once again.

The NWM Ford Ranger V8 scored a pair of podium finishes in Class T. Regional competitors Hendrik and Heinrich du Plessis (T16) made their national championship debut at the NAMPO event, and finished an impressive third in both races, ahead of Christo Rose and Arno Olivier (T58) in fourth.

The final event of the season will be another double-header in Parys, on 11 and 12 November 2022.

https://bit.ly/3E79Ef0

Colin-on-Cars: Turin unshrouded

Members of the public will finally be allowed to see the historic collection of cars and other historical artefcts that form part of The Heritage Hub – the combine history of Fiat, Lancia and Abarth.

Made possible by the collaboration between the Stellantis Heritage department, the Municipality of Turin and the Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile (the Italian national motor museum), access is via Gate 31 to the Mirafiori industrial complex – located at Via Plava 80, Turin.

The space will host two guided tours per day, one in the morning and another in the afternoon, each lasting around two hours. The site will be open on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays with tickets available online from the MAUTO website.

Brands

The Stellantis Group Heritage Hub is an exhibition space covering about 15 000 m2, ‘home’ of the historical collection of automotive brands from Turin: Abarth, Fiat and Lancia.

To highlight the link between the city and the motor vehicle industry, the former Officina 81 at Mirafiori was selected as its site. Open since 1968, it was an active centre of production for over 30 years, focusing on mechanical components. The space has undergone a meticulous restoration to safeguard its industrial spirit, maintaining the raw concrete floor and the original colour scheme of its time.

The middle of the exhibition space features 64 classic cars, split into eight themed areas:

- Records and Races, protagonists that triumphed on the main circuits;

- Concepts and Customisations, very rare cars, and extraordinary one-offs;

- Archistars, models that revolutionised the architecture of the car, while respecting the principles of productivity and functionality;

- Eco and Sustainable, bringing together cars that stood out for their environmental credentials;

- Small and Safe, models that combined safety and limited dimensions;

- Style Marks, cars that made design history;

- Epic Journeys, vehicles that featured in unforgettable journeys;

- The Rally Era, the milestones of the golden age of road and dirt racing.

The remainder of the collection is displayed within the two long sides of the building, divided by brand, and set out in chronological order. As well as Fiat and Lancia cars, selected models from the Alfa Romeo, Autobianchi and Jeep brands are also on display.

Vintage

There is no shortage of special features, shown by 16 vintage Fiat cars belonging to the Carabinieri police force. From the 600 Multipla to the Panda, via 1100 and Campagnola models, the Carabinieri selection covers a time span of almost half a century, highlighting the deep roots of a collaboration that remains active to this day.

The exhibition space at the entrance to the pavilion, hosts a permanent display on the history of Mirafiori from 1939 to date.  As confirmation of its multifunctionality, the space also includes an area designed for workshops and another for conferences, with capacity for up to 200 people.

Meeting

The ‘engines area’ is an ideal setting for a meeting space, hosting two long benches featuring a selection of over 30 of the most important engines, designed and manufactured by the Group's Italian brands.

True milestones in the history of Italian engines such as the four-cylinder from the ‘100 series’ – which debuted in 1955 in the Fiat 600 and was then used, in its various evolutions, for around 50 years – contrast with pilot projects for electric motors, turbines and even steam engines.

https://bit.ly/3UFoqPZ

Colin-on-Cars: Turin unshrouded

Members of the public will finally be allowed to see the historic collection of cars and other historical artefacts that form part of The Heritage Hub – the combine history of Fiat, Lancia and Abarth.

Made possible by the collaboration between the Stellantis Heritage department, the Municipality of Turin and the Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile (the Italian national motor museum), access is via Gate 31 to the Mirafiori industrial complex – located at Via Plava 80, Turin.

The space will host two guided tours per day, one in the morning and another in the afternoon, each lasting around two hours. The site will be open on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays with tickets available online from the MAUTO website.

Brands

The Stellantis Group Heritage Hub is an exhibition space covering about 15 000 m2, ‘home’ of the historical collection of automotive brands from Turin: Abarth, Fiat and Lancia.

To highlight the link between the city and the motor vehicle industry, the former Officina 81 at Mirafiori was selected as its site. Open since 1968, it was an active centre of production for over 30 years, focusing on mechanical components. The space has undergone a meticulous restoration to safeguard its industrial spirit, maintaining the raw concrete floor and the original colour scheme of its time.

The middle of the exhibition space features 64 classic cars, split into eight themed areas:

- Records and Races, protagonists that triumphed on the main circuits;

- Concepts and Customisations, very rare cars, and extraordinary one-offs;

- Archistars, models that revolutionised the architecture of the car, while respecting the principles of productivity and functionality;

- Eco and Sustainable, bringing together cars that stood out for their environmental credentials;

- Small and Safe, models that combined safety and limited dimensions;

- Style Marks, cars that made design history;

- Epic Journeys, vehicles that featured in unforgettable journeys;

- The Rally Era, the milestones of the golden age of road and dirt racing.

The remainder of the collection is displayed within the two long sides of the building, divided by brand, and set out in chronological order. As well as Fiat and Lancia cars, selected models from the Alfa Romeo, Autobianchi and Jeep brands are also on display.

Vintage

There is no shortage of special features, shown by 16 vintage Fiat cars belonging to the Carabinieri police force. From the 600 Multipla to the Panda, via 1100 and Campagnola models, the Carabinieri selection covers a time span of almost half a century, highlighting the deep roots of a collaboration that remains active to this day.

The exhibition space at the entrance to the pavilion, hosts a permanent display on the history of Mirafiori from 1939 to date.  As confirmation of its multifunctionality, the space also includes an area designed for workshops and another for conferences, with capacity for up to 200 people.

Meeting

The ‘engines area’ is an ideal setting for a meeting space, hosting two long benches featuring a selection of over 30 of the most important engines, designed and manufactured by the Group's Italian brands.

True milestones in the history of Italian engines such as the four-cylinder from the ‘100 series’ – which debuted in 1955 in the Fiat 600 and was then used, in its various evolutions, for around 50 years – contrast with pilot projects for electric motors, turbines and even steam engines.

https://bit.ly/3UFoqPZ

Colin-on-Cars - Team Sa does well in service competition

Sometimes it is not necessary to come first in a competition to be a winner – and that is what Team South Africa is bringing back from the recent Volvo Trucks global service market competition, Vista, where it finished in eighteenth place.

The winning team at the final in Volvo Trucks’ hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden was team Kiired Insenerid from Estonia followed by teams from Denmark and Sweden.

Global

More than 16 000 technicians in some 4 500 teams from Volvo Trucks and Volvo Buses’ global dealer network, participated in this year’s Vista championship – a global event that was first run back in 1957.

Team South Africa, which was made up of four service specialists and technicians from Volvo Trucks Cape Town, came in a respectable 18th position out of the 43 teams that participated in the world final. 

Improve

“Our mechanics play a key role in contributing to our customer’s success by keeping their trucks on the road, and Vista is a great way for them to improve their workshop skills. I’m very impressed by the technical knowledge of the teams this year and the speed with which they solved the challenges presented to them,” commented Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks.

The main objectives of the Vista competition are to encourage competence development and to build team spirit and pride. Highly skilled and motivated technicians enable Volvo Trucks workshops to carry out fault diagnosis and fix trucks’ problems ‘right first time’, promptly and to high-quality standards.

These skills are key in helping customers achieve maximum uptime for their trucks. In the end, this leads to improved customer service.

In the finals held in Gothenburg, 43 teams of technicians and service market staff competed for two days to complete six stations, on topics including CAN Link fault-tracing, I-Shift and bodywork.

Electric

Two stations were VR stations with a focus on electric vehicles, one assignment consisted of installing an electric motor on a truck. The numbers of electric trucks and buses are now quickly growing and safely working with electric motors is an important skill for technicians in practically every workshop around the world.

Waldemar Christensen, MD of Volvo Trucks South Africa, said although the SA team did not walk away from the competition with top honours, they learned invaluable lessons were learnt that will benefit local customers.

“Vista is not only important for Volvo Trucks’ aftermarket personnel, but also of great importance for the entire company. It is a way of showing how much we all value the hard work carried out at our workshops all over the world, and that we invest in what our customers appreciate most – world-class service,” says Christensen.

*Vista stands for Volvo International Service Training Awards. It started in 1957 and was originally a competition for Volvo technicians in Sweden. 20 years later, by 1977 it had reached out across all continents, attracting authorized Volvo dealers from all over the world. Today Vista is a biennial event and the biggest competition for service market personnel in the world.

https://bit.ly/3RIKLKy

Colin-on-Cars - Lemons have legs

Budget bangers return to Red Star Raceway, Delmas in October for the second running of the MF Autobody 24 Hours of iLamuna – an endurance race for cars costing less than R50 000.

The race, supported by Insurisk insurance, fuelled by Siyanda Petroleum and driven by Tyremart and Divanti tyres will run on October 29 and 30, 2022.

Competitors can either spend around R25 000 on a crusty old car and then throw what remains at kitting it out for the track or simply spend it all on something more showroom than scrapheap and hope it manages to hold together for 24 hours of mechanical torture.

However, the full field of 71 clunkers must be safe for racing and mandatory safety equipment such as a roll-cage, racing seat, five-point harness and fire extinguisher in not included in the price cap.

Teams are encouraged to theme their entry and there are bonus laps up for grabs for those who present cars with the cleverest of liveries and odd aesthetic add-ons.

For example, last year’s race saw an old VW Golf dressed in yellow and blue like the Flying Squad of yesteryear chasing a legit single-cab tow truck around the track for hours on end.

Meanwhile, another car had a giant rocket strapped to the roof complete with a stuffed Wile E Coyote along for the ride and a crashed Audi TT competed with a trailer ratchet strap holding the bonnet down.

As with last year’s event, a spot on the starting grid is only guaranteed once teams have paid the R25 000 (excluding VAT) entry fee. While this may seem steep it does include a set of Davanti control tyres (four per team) sponsored by Tyremart Menlyn, plus 200 litres of fuel per team courtesy Siyanda Petroleum.

The MF Autobody 24 Hours of iLamuna opens for official timed practice on Friday 28 October (including a night session to get drivers’ eyes tuned in for the darkness) with the race scheduled to begin with a genuine Le Mans-style standing start on the afternoon of Saturday 29 October.

https://bit.ly/3qs1sho

Colin-on-Cars - Lemons have legs

Budget bangers return to Red Star Raceway, Delmas in October for the second running of the MF Autobody 24 Hours of iLamuna – an endurance3 race for cars costing less than R50 000.

The race, supported by Insurisk insurance, fuelled by Siyanda Petroleum and driven by Tyremart and Divanti tyres will run on October 29 and 30, 2022.

Competitors can either spend around R25 000 on a crusty old car and then throw what remains at kitting it out for the track or simply spend it all on something more showroom than scrapheap and hope it manages to hold together for 24 hours of mechanical torture.

However, the full field of 71 clunkers must be safe for racing and mandatory safety equipment such as a roll-cage, racing seat, five-point harness and fire extinguisher in not included in the price cap.

Teams are encouraged to theme their entry and there are bonus laps up for grabs for those who present cars with the cleverest of liveries and odd aesthetic add-ons.

For example, last year’s race saw an old VW Golf dressed in yellow and blue like the Flying Squad of yesteryear chasing a legit single-cab tow truck around the track for hours on end.

Meanwhile, another car had a giant rocket strapped to the roof complete with a stuffed Wile E Coyote along for the ride and a crashed Audi TT competed with a trailer ratchet strap holding the bonnet down.

As with last year’s event, a spot on the starting grid is only guaranteed once teams have paid the R25 000 (excluding VAT) entry fee. While this may seem steep it does include a set of Davanti control tyres (four per team) sponsored by Tyremart Menlyn, plus 200 litres of fuel per team courtesy Siyanda Petroleum.

The MF Autobody 24 Hours of iLamuna opens for official timed practice on Friday 28 October (including a night session to get drivers’ eyes tuned in for the darkness) with the race scheduled to begin with a genuine Le Mans-style standing start on the afternoon of Saturday 29 October.

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