Colin-on-Cars - JAC moves into rental market

JAC Motors moves into rental market.

The steady growth of JAC Motors as a player in the commercial vehicle market, despite the problems associated with an economy slowed by Covid, has taken a further step up the ladder with Trailarent taking on 50 units of its X200 forward-cab workhorses.

The growing market for bakkie rentals necessitated Trailarent to increase its workhorse fleet and Francois Briers, Managing Director, says: "In our research to expand our workhorse fleet, the X200 stood out amongst its competitors. It is the most powerful and affordable in its class and offers the biggest payload of all forward-cab bakkies. 

"Add the versatility and easy-loading of the X200, we have found the perfect bakkie to add to our customer offering."

The JAC X200 has a 2,8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, producing 80 kW at 3 600 r/min and 240 Nm torque between 1 800 r/min and 2 000 r/min. The maximum torque available at low rpm allows drivers to minimise gear changes, reducing fuel usage. 

The average fuel consumption of the JAC X200 is 9,5 l/100 km (combined cycle).

Demanding

"The X200 boasts the ideal engine capacity for our country's demanding conditions. The reliable 2,8-litre turbo-diesel engine produces 30% more power than its direct competitors, resulting in outstanding functionality," says Karl-Heinz Göbel, CEO of JAC Motors South Africa.

The JAC X200 has a minimum turning radius of 5,4 metres  and the ride height and ultra-flat low deck with drop sides makes loading and unloading easyt. The forward-cab design also incorporates advantages such as a larger load area and the easy entrance and exit for drivers and crew.

Welding

The JAC X200 benefits from the company's new chassis stamping and welding treatment process, developed for the heavy-duty ladder-frame chassis used in its N-Series truck range. Its robust ladder-frame chassis design, double-wishbone independent front suspension and the optimum use of axle capacities for ideal payload weight distribution enhance driveability.

"The no-nonsense work attitude of the X200 explains why it is such a favourite with our customers. Its powerful engine, excellent payload and fuel efficiency make it the obvious workhorse choice for our business operation," adds Briers.

Stowing

The JAC X200 offers an air-conditioned cab with cloth seats, headrests and a height-adjustable steering wheel. The centre seat's backrest folds down, offering ample stowing space. The X200 comes standard with a Radio/MP3 player with Bluetooth and a USB.

"Our reliable and versatile X-Series product range meets ever-increasing customer expectations and ticks all the right boxes to be the star performer in any transport fleet. We welcome Trailarent into our family and wish them many happy kilometres with our popular X200 workhorses," adds Göbel.

It comes standard with the company's 5-year/150 000-kilometre manufacturer warranty, including a 5-year/60 000-kilometre service plan.

A full range of accessories is available for the JAC X-Series product range including other body configurations, such as tippers, refrigeration units, campers etc.

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Colin-on-Cars - Kudos for new Outlander

The all-new Mitsubishi Outlander – due for local release later this year – has won the iF Design Awards 2022 as well as the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) model racking up a Five Star Award in the Japan New Car Assessment Program (JNCAP).

“The all-new Outlander model is Mitsubishi Motors' flagship model which brings together the best in electrification and all-wheel control technologies, while also utilising a new-generation platform and an array of advanced technologies,” says Jeffrey Allison, General Manager: Marketing at MMSA.

Tensile

Featuring Mitsubishi Motors' RISE (Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution) body, the all-new Outlander incorporates ultra-high tensile strength steel around the passenger compartment. It achieves both passenger safety and weight reduction through a combination of a high impact-absorbing front body structure and a high-durability, low-deformation passenger compartment structure. 

Further, seven SRS crash bags are standard equipped on all vehicles.

Advanced

Active safety technologies are standard equipped on all vehicles, combining nine advanced driver assist features including the Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM) system that detects vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists ahead (daytime only), automatically applies the brakes to avoid collisions, and assists in mitigating collision damage, as well as Emergency Assist for Pedal Misapplication (EAPM) which detects obstacles such as walls, and when driving forward can also detect people and other cars.

The all-new Outlander comes standard with Adaptive LED Headlight (ALH), which deliver superior night visibility by detecting whether there are oncoming cars and cars driving ahead, and automatically switches the illumination range and brightness of the headlights.

Help

The all-new Outlander is equipped with SOS Emergency Assistance with Automatic Collision Notification to connect with HELPNET operation centre at the press of a button during a medical emergency or when seemingly in danger (SOS Emergency Assistance is a service provided by Japan Mayday Service Co – a pity a similar service is not yet in South Africa.

The leap forward with new Outlander symbolises the recent strides MMSA has made in sales as well as the expansion of our footprint in South Africa to 50 dealerships. Watch this space to see what we have planned for the new and exciting Outlander in South Africa,” Allison adds.
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Colin-on-Cars - Tough challenge expected at Simola Hillclimb

There is plenty of competition in the offing for the Road-going Saloon Cars and Supercars category for the upcoming Simola Hillclimb in Knysna and reigning champion Jean-Pierre van der Walt knows defending his title will be a tough call.

The Road-going Saloon Cars and Supercars (Class A) are street-legal machines that mirror what you would find on a showroom floor. Only standard road tyres are permitted that match the original manufacturer’s specification, and the limited changes allowed are restricted to safety-critical features such as a racing seat with harness, and a roll cage if applicable.

JP van der Walt

Headlining the field is reigning King of the Hill Jean-Pierre van der Walt who will return to defend his crown this year, but is making the switch from the title-winning 2016 Porsche 911 GT3 RS to a 911 Turbo S (991.2-generation) of the same year, competing in Class A4 for six-cylinder four-wheel drive cars.

Monsters

Van der Walt set a winning time of 45,858 seconds in the GT3 RS – a mere 5 seconds off the fastest fire-breathing monsters that dominated the Modified Saloon Car category for pure-bred race cars.

As an established Polo Cup Masters racing driver who has moved to the GTC series this year driving a VW Polo Supa Cup car, Van der Walt has no intention of relinquishing the overall title.

“Last year I managed to do a 44,5-second time during practice in the GT3 RS, and the Turbo S will be quicker off the line with the benefit of four-wheel drive, but it won’t have the aerodynamic downforce that is crucial through the Esses at the top of the course,” he says. “But I’m hoping to beat my time from last year, and aiming for the 43-second mark.”

Gordon Nicholson

One of Van der Walt’s most fervent challengers is likely to be last year’s runner-up, Gordon Nicholson in a 2017 Audi R8 V10 Plus, competing in Class A6 for naturally aspirated cars with eight cylinders and above.

Winning

Nicholson finished 1,269 seconds off the Porsche driver during the all-or-nothing Top 10 Shootout, and was less than a second adrift of the winning time during the Class Finals – so all eyes will be on these top contenders again this year.

However, there will be several other serious contenders emanating from Class A7 for force-fed turbo-charged or supercharged cars with eight cylinders and above. The McLaren 720s is renowned as an extremely rapid machine, and Simola Hillclimb regular Garth Mackintosh is likely to be a formidable rival in his 2017 model.

Shelby Mustang Super Snake

He is joined in A7 by Jacques Wheeler in a 2013 McLaren MP4-12C, along with the supercharged 2017 Shelby Mustang Super Snake entries of Paige Lindenberg and Charles Needham, and a Shelby Mustang Terlingua driven by James Temple.

Legendary

Joining Van der Walt in Class A4 is legendary SA touring car driver Deon Joubert in the new all-wheel drive BMW M4 xDrive as an official BMW entry – no doubt another key protagonist to look out for.

Newcomers to the Simola Hillclimb are Andre and Alex Johnson in a 2010 Audi TTRS and 2006 Audi A4 2.7 Bi-Turbo respectively, and Simola stalwart Shane Naidu in his iconic 1995 S2 quattro.

The two-wheel drive six-cylinder machines in Class A3 will provide an intriguing battle, as Feroz and Farhaad Ebrahim will be competing in identical new-generation 2020 Toyota Supras. They will be up against Martin Wiid in a 2019 BMW M240i, along with Piet Potgieter in his powerful Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio.

Piet Potgieter

Class A1 for two-wheel drive machines sees the return of Jared Yeo in his turbo-charged Porsche Cayman 718s and two media entries from Suzuki SA will see Reuben van Niekerk and Wesley Greybe behind the wheel of a pair of Suzuki Swift Sport models.

Electric

Adding significant interest is Class A8 for hybrid and electric vehicles where Ciro de Siena will be piloting the all-electric BMW i4 M50, which is credited with 400 kW and a 0-100 km/h time of 3,9 seconds.

Volkswagen will also make its debut in this class with a pair of 100 kW e-Golf entries, driven by GTC racing drivers Daniel Rowe and Jonathan Mogotsi.

Images: Rob Till

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Colin-on-Cars - Opel celebrates 160 years

Opel is 160 years old this year and, from assembling sewing machines to making bicycles and then cars, the company, based in Rüsselsheim, Germany has been a pioneer – from the first bicycle designed for women to assembly line technology and record attempts on the road and track.

“Opel has been moving people for 160 years. Today we are driven by the same spirit as the company founder Adam Opel: technology and innovations for everyone – whether sewing machines, bicycles or cars. All this with a clear view of the future, always ready to face new challenges. Many bestsellers from Opel's rich history stand for this, as do our current models, most of which are already electrified. From 2028, Opel will be a purely electric brand in Europe. We are therefore well prepared for the next 160 years,” says Opel CEO Uwe Hochschurtz.

Assembled

The story began at the end of August 1862. Adam Opel assembled his first sewing machine in Rüsselsheim, laying the foundation stone for the young Opel company.

Production figures quickly rose – not least because Opel accommodated individual customer wishes and designed special sewing machines for special requirements.

As early as 1868, Adam Opel and his employees moved into a new factory. The company soon developed into one of the largest sewing machine manufacturers in Germany and exported to the whole of Europe.

After the sewing machines, Opel built up its next successful pillar with the bicycle. In 1886 the first penny-farthing bicycle was built in Rüsselsheim - making Opel one of the first bicycle manufacturers in Germany.

Expanded

Soon the range of models expanded to include tricycles in 1888 the first factory building was inaugurated, reserved solely for the production of bicycles. Opel was quick to adopt modern technology such as pneumatic tyres, ball bearings and free-wheel hubs for its bicycles. From 1894 onwards, Opel introduced bicycles specially designed for women.

The decisive developmental step in the history of the company – driven forward by the five sons after Adam Opel's death – was the start of automobile production in 1899. Automobile production in Rüsselsheim started with the Opel “Patent-Motorwagen System Lutzmann”. In 1906 the 1 000th vehicle was built.

Cost

The final breakthrough came in 1909 with the legendary 4/8 PS “Doktorwagen”. At 3 950 marks, it cost half as much as luxurious competitors and paved the way for a broader section of the population to own their own car.

Opel was the first German manufacturer to introduce large-scale production using assembly line technology. The first car to roll off the assembly line in Germany in 1924 was the 4/12 PS “Laubfrosch”, always painted green.

PS “Laubfrosch”

In 1935, the new Olympia model became the first German mass-produced vehicle with a unitary all-steel body, which, thanks to its low weight, ensured improved driving performance and low fuel consumption.

Faster

For the first time, the new design enabled the so-called ‘marriage’ between the body and the power units. The entire production process was thus faster and more efficient, paving the way for the construction method to enter large-scale production.

The most enduring and traditional model line was the Kadett, the first version of which saw the light of day in 1936. In 1962, the Kadett A became a million-seller: as a compact car, it was the driving force behind the German ‘economic miracle’, and in the 12th generation – since 1991 under the name Astra – it continues to ensure that innovations find their way into the compact class.

Tradition

Opel remains conscious of its tradition. For example, the side ‘gill’-look in the new Astra hatchback is reminiscent of earlier Kadett generations.

In 1953, the carmaker launched the Olympia Rekord Caravan, a mixture of ‘car and van’, the first large-series station wagon from a German manufacturer.

Olympia Rekord Caravan

But Opel was also an early player among the big stuff. The first post-war Opel, a 1.5 tonne Blitz truck, left the factory in 1946.

Today, the light commercial vehicles Combo, Vivaro and Movano, all of which have already been electrified, are practical, have a large load volume and are fully up to date – the latter even comes in two CO2-free versions: the battery-electric Vivaro-e and the hydrogen fuel cell transporter Vivaro-e HYDROGEN.

Smaller

Opel has also enjoyed great success with smaller models over the decades. First and foremost, the Corsa small car, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

Opel also established a new vehicle class in 1991 - the Frontera, an all-wheel drive recreational vehicle, made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show.

The compact Opel Frontera Sport was the first to demonstrate what is now widely known as an SUV and the five-door Frontera with a long wheelbase became the forerunner of the modern off-road vehicle. Around 30 years ago, it immediately became the market leader and triggered a four-wheel drive boom throughout Europe.

Opel Frontera

In 2003, Opel was the first vehicle manufacturer to introduce AFL (Adaptive Forward Lighting), dynamic cornering lights and 90-degree cornering lights in the mid-size class; in 2008, the next generation of lights, AFL+, also made its debut with the introduction of the first Insignia.

Adaptive

And, in 2015, the Opel Astra was the first to feature the adaptive Intelli-Lux LED Matrix Light, the latest generation of which, as Pixel Light with a total of 168 LED elements, now provides situation-specific, precise illumination in the Insignia, Grandland and the new Astra without dazzling other road users.

The emotions that extraordinary cars can arouse were recently demonstrated by the Opel Manta GSe ElektroMOD - the electrified homage to the Manta sports coupé that became a cult car in the 1970s and 1980s.

Even back then, the Manta A inspired with its design and characteristic front ‘visor’, which today adorns all new Opel models from the current Mokka to the Grandland as the Opel Vizor.

Almost five decades ago, Walter Röhrl put Opel front and centre in motorsport. In 1974, he and co-driver Jochen Berger became European Rally Champions in an Ascona SR, and in 1982, together with Christian Geistdörfer, he won the Monte Carlo Rally in an Ascona 400 against strong four-wheel drive competition, and at the end of the season claimed the World Rally Championship title.

Exclusive

The Opel Corsa-e Rally is currently proving that top performance and environmental compatibility are not mutually exclusive. With the emission-free small car, Opel is the first manufacturer to develop a battery-electric rally car that has been competing in the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup, the first electric rally one-make cup worldwide, since 2021 and thus demonstrates the future of rallying.

Opel Rekord

With the electrified Opel Ampera, Europe's ‘Car of the Year 2012’, the traditional brand established a new segment in the European automotive market. With its range extender, the coupé-like four-seater was the first electrically driven vehicle suitable for everyday use with a range of around 500 kilometres.

Opel Manta GSe ElektroMOD

The Opel Ampera-e, a purely battery-electric compact car, followed in 2016. A single charge of the 60-kWh lithium-ion battery provides a driving range of up to 520 kilometres (according to NEDC). And in 2019, Opel launched the Corsa-e, the brand's first all-electric compact car, affordable e-mobility accessible to many customers across Europe.

The range of electric models – as plug-in hybrids as well as battery-electric – has continued to grow ever since, so that by 2024 all Opel models will also be available in electrified variants.

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Colin-on-Cars - Thrilling opener to GT racing season

The SA GT National Championship kicked off in style with two thrilling races at Red Star Raceway where Silvio Scribante took the Round One victory in his Cemza Cement Lamborghini Huracan GT3 after a gigantic tussle with the sister Scribante Lamborghini of Michael Stephen and Aldo Scribante.

In the second round, it was Dayne Angel (Autohaus Ferrari 488 GT3) and Michael Stephen/Aldo Scribante who raced side-by-side for victory, the Ferrari taking victory by 1.2 seconds after a hard race.

Qualifying:

Silvio Scribante cemented his place on pole position by half a second over Dayne Angel’s Ferrari.  Multiple South African Champion Michael Stephen slotted the #45 Scribante Concrete Huracan into third in the newly formed PRO Class, just a tenth ahead of ProAm class Tschops Sipuka’s Into Africa Mining Lamborghini.

A further 0,08 second behind was the Autohaus Angel Ferrari 458 GT3 of Jason Ibbotson, with 17-year-old Mikaeel Pitamber taking sixth place in his Creative Ink Porsche 911 Cup spec car.

Round One:

Michael Stephen made the most of the rolling start to leapfrog Angel and slot in behind the bright yellow sister Huracan.

An early turn 1 mistake by Angel opened the door for Sipuka to join in the 3-way tussle at the front making it an all local chase. Lap after lap, Stephen harried Silvio until Michael made his move at the end of the long main straight on lap seven.

He jinked to the left and held his line – and nerve - into the heavy braking zone, driving around the outside of the sister Scribante car which gave him the inside for the following left hand sweep.

Stephen built up a small cushion until the compulsory pitstop, where a seatbelt problem delayed the pair, costing 20 seconds and first place. With Aldo Scribante now behind the wheel, the car suffered fuel pressure problems in the closing stages of the race, allowing Angel, who made a strategic early pitstop, into second place.

Michael Stephen set three consecutive new lap records for Red Star Raceway, including the fastest lap ever recorded at the 4km long circuit, dipping into the 1 min49 second bracket.

Pitamber raced to the Pro-Am Class win after seeing off the challenge from Ibbotson’s Ferrari, two spins on consecutive laps not helping the Capetonian’s cause.

Xolile Letlaka and Tschops Sipuka had a strong run in their Lamborghini, Tschops holding his own until after the pitstop. With Letlaka behind the wheel, the car made an unknown loud noise.

Thinking a tyre was loose, Letlaka dived into the pits to investigate. Making sure the tyres were all tightly fitted, Letlaka rejoined the race, the noise still present, so he took the conservative choice to take it easy over the remainder of the race. It was later discovered that one of the on-board jacks hadn’t retracted fully, and was making contact with the tarmac.

Round Two

The grid was formed based on race one lap times, leaving Stephen on pole from Silvo Scribante, Angel, Sipuka/Letlaka, Ibbotson and Pitamber.

Silvio and Michael made a great start, running side-by-side with Stephen through turn one and the straight heading to turn two; Silvio the first to blink and backed out of his challenge for the lead. Angel muscled his way past Scribante on the opening lap and latched onto the back of Stephen’s Lambo, before Stephen eked out a lead with the yellow Ferrari never out of his mirrors.

Angel, who benefited from a technical error by officials that saw him not carrying 60kgs success ballast into round two, picked up his pace after his pitstop and caught Stephen, taking the lead two laps from home.

Silvio held on to his third place, after carrying his mandatory 75 kg’s success ballast. Behind the leading trio of Pro-Class cars, an almighty battle raged between Ibbotson and Pitamber, the ProAm Ferrari holding off the Porsche despite Pitamber trying every trick in the book. Pitamber’s persistence paid off, as Ibbotson cracked and spun half way through the race, handing fourth and the class win to the young driver.

Sipuka and Letlaka had an untoward race, the Lamborghini duo’s handling not to their liking. An early pitstop saw the pair gain a position over Ibbotson by flag fall.

SA GT Racing Association Chairman Izak Spies, a GT competitor himself, said he was extremely proud of the tour organizers upping the ante of the series.

He added “Now that the GT class has national status, competitors were bringing their “A” game to race day. It’s unfortunate that several of our competitors are not here this weekend with cars and parts still stuck in customs.

"We are told that Sun Moodley’s Merc has finally been released from customs and we can see him make his debut at round 3 in six weeks time. That will also see Arangies and Jackson in full flight with their Audi R8s. We are very excited to see at the very least 14 cars on the next grid.”

The third and fourth rounds of the SA GT National Championship takes place at Aldo Scribante Raceway in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) on 13 and 14 May.

Text and image: Supplied

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Colin-on-Cars - Augmented reality to become more disruptive

Increased levels of disruption will continue as autonomous vehicles become more widely available and, with hype around the metaverse continuing to gain traction, AR-related technologies such as simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM), facial recognition and motion tracking will be vital for automotive companies developing metaverse-based use cases.

This is according to a recent report by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, and Thematic Analyst, Emilio Campa, says: “The metaverse is a virtual world where users share experiences and interact in real-time within a simulated scenario, while AR is a technology that allows the user to see the real world overlaid with digital data. While the automotive sector is certainly making greater use of AR, adoption is slow and use cases limited.”

Opportunity

According to GlobalData’s latest report, ‘Augmented Reality (AR) in Automotive – Thematic Research’, level 4 autonomy (which describes vehicles that entirely drive themselves within set parameters) will be available in the mid-2020s, giving AR the opportunity to be more widely implemented in windscreen head-up displays (HUDs) for information and entertainment purposes.

Level 5 autonomous vehicles—fully self-driving vehicles that can handle all driving tasks in all circumstances—will not be available until at least 2035. By the time these vehicles launch, even more use cases for AR should have emerged.

Display

AR is already in use in several specific areas of the automotive sector. For example, some car infotainment systems—the display monitor in cars that allows the driver to control air-conditioning, radio, GPS, for instance—have integrated AR as part of an augmented GPS navigation system, displaying holographic arrows on a live image feed from the front of the car. AR headsets are also being used in maintenance and manufacturing to reduce training time and more efficiently and accurately perform quality control checks.

“The automotive sector is not immune to the hype around the metaverse, which is likely to be based on AR-related technology, as some automotive companies have already begun exploring it,” adds Campa.

“For example, BMW has partnered with Nvidia, and Hyundai has partnered with Unity, both with the intent of building virtually accessible 3D digital twins of their factories. This will allow employees to collaboratively assess modifications and adjustments to production lines in the early planning stages.”

Remotely

WayRay has also developed a concept car, the Holograktor, tagged a ‘metaverse on wheels’ due to its heavy reliance on AR technology. It is a single electric motor ride-hailing car that can be driven remotely from an AR pod by a qualified driver via a 5G and satellite internet connection.

This gives the car the feel of autonomy while avoiding the currently immature fully autonomous-driving systems.

It also has car seats equipped with joysticks that can be used to play games on the windscreen’s AR HUDs and even comes preloaded with a Guitar Hero-esque online karaoke game. The remote connection would require almost zero-latency for the car to be driven safely on the roads.

However, since 5G is due to be more globally available and car ownership among young people is falling, this may be what the future of auto looks like.

Impact

“Despite these specific cases, the current impact of AR and the metaverse on the automotive industry is minor.

“However, as the use of AR in consumers’ day-to-day lives increases, adoption in automotive will increase, especially in autonomous vehicles. AR will then improve future entertainment experiences by overlaying content and video games over the outside world or repurposing car windows to display a different world entirely. It is very possible that these worlds will be part of the metaverse, allowing avatars of family members and friends to keep you company on those long—and boring—drives.”

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Colin-on-Cars - Lotus Eletre breaks cover

The re-imagining of Lotus a a global performance brand has picked up speed with the launch of the all-new Lotus Eletre, a fully electric Hyper-SUV.

The Eletre takes the heart and soul of the latest Lotus sports car – the Emira – and the aero performance of the all-electric Evija hypercar, and reinterprets them as a Hyper-SUV.

The Eletre delivers a significant number of firsts for Lotus – the first five-door production car, the first model outside sports car segments, the first lifestyle EV, the most ‘connected’ Lotus ever – yet it remains a true Lotus, packed with technology, genuine sporting performance and simplicity of purpose.

Driving

The Eletre is 4WD, has a battery capacity of 100 kWh and with power from 447 kW. A 350kW charger will deliver a 400 km range in just 20 minutes. The car’s target maximum WLTP driving range is 600 km.

Technology includes the most advanced active aerodynamics package on any production SUV and intelligent driving technologies such as the Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) system in a production car.

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, says: “The Eletre is a bold and revolutionary new car, delivering on our commitment to move Lotus into completely new automotive segments as we widen our global appeal and accessibility.

Signal

“This is a momentous point in our history and a clear signal of our ongoing desire to transform our business. It is a true Lotus, and we’re confident it will delight performance car customers and offer a distinct alternative to the segment’s established players. The Eletre has the soul of a Lotus and the usability of an SUV. Alongside the Emira sports car, this is the perfect two-car garage from Lotus.”

The Eletre is the first in a new range of premium lifestyle performance electric vehicles to be built at an all-new state-of-the-art production facility in Wuhan, China. The car has been ‘Born British, Raised Globally’, with design led by the UK, supported by collaborative work with teams in China, Sweden and Germany. The overall exterior and interior design has been led by an international team based at the Lotus Tech Creative Centre (LTCC) in Warwickshire, UK.

Life

The Eletre is the latest in a long line of Lotus road cars whose name begins with the letter E, and means ‘Coming to Life’ in some Eastern European languages.

Pressing the button on the key or smartphone app activates the car’s exterior lights that run through a short sequence, the active front grille ‘breathes’ and the illuminated flush door handles deploy. The experience is repeated inside the car as the door closes behind the occupant.

Ben Payne, Head of Studio at LTCC, says: “This walk-up sequence is a ‘peacock moment’ – a little ‘showing-off’ that highlights the Eletre’s engaging personality. It’s a visual expression of a car coming to life, and a metaphor for the reinvention of the Lotus business and brand which begins with the Eletre.”

Porosity

A signature element of the design is its ‘porosity’ – the aerodynamic principle of air flowing through the car as well as under, over and around it. Porosity was at the heart of the Evija’s design, is integral to the Emira, and has provided clear inspiration for the Eletre.

It is most obvious where air is channelled under the leading edge of the car, emerging through two exit vents in the bonnet above. There are other examples of porosity ahead of and behind the front wheel arches, behind the rear wheels, and even at the top of the D-pillar. For the driver there are clear benefits to porosity – less resistance in cutting through the air, delivering a more efficient journey in terms of improved vehicle range, speed and performance.

The Eletre’s active front grille is a network of interconnecting triangular petals that dominate the central section. Intricately designed, they remain closed when the car is at rest or when there’s a need to reduce drag during driving. They open in a distinctive pattern to feed air into the radiator, allowing the Eletre to ‘breathe’ when cooling of the electric motors, battery pack and front brakes is required.

Each door mirror is replaced by an Electric Reverse Mirror Display (ERMD), which houses three different cameras – one for the rear-view mirror, a second to help create a 360-degree view of the car from above to aid parking, and a third that’s part of the intelligent driving technologies.

Inspired

The driver-focused cockpit and high centre console are inspired by the Lotus Emira and Evija, and the centre console includes a storage tray with wireless charging for mobile phones, as well as twin cupholders of different sizes which sit flush to the surface until they’re needed.

While every element of the Eletre can be controlled digitally, certain key controls are duplicated with analogue switches – another nod to the simplicity for which Lotus is famed. Voice control through advanced speech recognition technology is also available.

Technology is used for much more than infotainment on the Eletre. It is also at the heart of the car’s suite of intelligent Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), many of which are designed to be futureproof so new features can be enabled via Over The Air (OTA) updates.

Safety

The Eletre is available with Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC); Collision Mitigation Support Front (CMSF); Traffic Sign Information (TSI); Door Open Warning (DOW); Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA); Front Cross Traffic Alert (FCTA); Lane Change Assist (LCA); Children Presence Detection (CPD); Lane Keep Aid with Lane Departure Warning / Prevention (LKA+); Parking Emergency Brake (PEB); Collision Mitigation Support Rear (CMSR); and Emergency Rescue Call (E-Call). There are i-Size child seat anchor points on the outboard rear seats.

The latest connectivity technology, including 5G compatibility, is part of the Eletre package.

Gavan Kershaw, Director, Attributes and Product Integrity, Lotus, says: “Dynamically, the Eletre has been developed to deliver everything you would expect from a Lotus – outstanding ride and handling, highly communicative steering and exceptional driver engagement. From a performance perspective, we know the world is watching so there has been an obsession with getting everything just right. Everyone is delighted with it – it’s a world-class product and a true Lotus.”

The car has five-link suspension at the rear for optimised ride and handling, while standard equipment includes air suspension and Continuous Damping Control (CDC). Active ride height, active rear axle steering, an active anti-roll bar and torque vectoring via braking are all available.

The car comes with four drive modes, which adjust the steering, damper settings, powertrain and accelerator pedal response. The modes are Range, Tour, Sport, Off-Road and Individual, and are standard on all versions of the car.

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Colin-on-Cars - Offroad thriller kicks off new season

There definitely no ‘dull’ in Dullstroom at the weekend for the opening round of the South Africa Rally-Raid Championship with Toyota Gazoo Racing securing victory via Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings in their GR DKR Hilux T1+ - identical to the one that won the Dakar earlier this year.

Lategan/Cummings won the qualifying race on the Friday of the race weekend, and managed to bring their trusty steed home in first place, come Saturday afternoon.

At the same time, teammates Shameer Variawa and Danie Stassen showed their true potential, by posting the third-fastest time during Friday’s qualifying race, before knuckling down to grind out a second place overall by the time the final flag dropped. This was their best performance yet with the team, and they had every reason to be extremely pleased with their result.

The racing gods can be a fickle bunch, and for Giniel de Villiers and co-driver Dennis Murphy, the chips just wouldn’t fall the way they needed. The pair were quick in qualifying, despite suffering a puncture 7 km from the finish of the qualifier. This placed them in 6th for the start, but they made the most from this position, to fight for the lead of the race with their teammates, as well as Ford’s Lance Woolridge and co-driver Elvene Vonk.

A fierce battle saw Lategan/Cummings in a fight with De Villiers/Murphy and Woolridge/Vonk, until the Ford pairing were forced to withdraw following a heavy impact with a tree. This allowed Variawa/Stassen to close on the leaders, while De Villiers/Murphy put in a blistering performance to take the outright lead of the race.

With the kilometres unwinding, victory seemed within grasp for De Villiers/Murphy, since Lategan/Cummings were forced to stop for some closed gates early on. But then the Dakar legend, who celebrated his 50th birthday at the Mpumalanga 400, fell foul to a mud-hole scant kilometres from the finish of the race.

It took precious minutes to extricate the stricken Hilux from the mud-hole, with the crew eventually losing more than 30 minutes, and tumbling down the order to 8th place overall. Heartbreak after getting within 5km of winning the race, only to see it slipping away in the end.

“It was very disappointing for us,” said De Villiers after the race. “Just a few metres further across, and we’d have been fine. But the line we chose sucked the car into the middle of a very deep mud-hole, and we saw the win slip away as we tried to get the car free from the mud.”

Guy Botterill, who had driven for the team in the past, joined the squad as a full-time member for 2022.

Partnered with his rally navigator, Simon Vacy-Lyle, the multiple rally champion showed good pace during the qualifying race, but a gear selector problem saw them stuck in 3rd gear for 40km of Friday’s opening loop of the race. They managed to regain their earlier pace on the Saturday, posting the 5th-fastest time over the full race distance, and gaining valuable points in their championship campaign.

With the two TGRSA crews pegging first and second place on the overall podium, the third spot went to another Toyota Hilux crew, in the form of Eben Basson and Leander Pienaar, in their Class FIA #TeamHilux car. This was the pair’s first outing together, with Basson showing his class throughout the event. Their efforts paid off, with a third place overall, giving Toyota a podium lock-out, as well as the manufacturer’s award for the race.

In the Ford camp Gareth Woolridge and co-driver Boyd Dreyer had an awkward landing after a big jump that shot them off the track and into a huge rock that destroyed the right front wheel, but luckily with no further damage to the Ranger. Once a spare was fitted, they got going again and crossed the line in 10th place overall, and fifth in Class FIA T1+.

“Hitting the tree was a disappointing end to the race for us, but it was very exciting and promising leading the race coming into the halfway point. This gives me a lot of confidence in our new Ranger,” Lance Woolridge said. “Overall I’m pretty happy with our performance this weekend. We have a very competitive package to fight for the championship.”

Neil Woolridge Motorsport received the Team Award for the Mpumalanga 400 thanks to another dominant performance from its V8-powered NWM Ford Rangers with a clean sweep of the silverware. Wors Prinsloo and Andre Vermeulen (T41) notched up another victory in Class T, and finished an impressive ninth overall after a faultless drive.

Bernard and Minette Johnstone (T22) brought their NWM Ranger home in second place, ahead of Christo Rose and Arno Olivier (T58).

The next race is the Sugarbelt 400 in Eston, KwaZulu-Natal, on 29 and 30 April 2022.

Follow all the action and track the position of the crews throughout each of the 2022 season’s seven races using the RallySafe app which can be downloaded free of charge for iOS and Android devices.

https://bit.ly/3tIwhAD

Colin-on-Cars - New look offroad series kicks off

The much-anticipated new Ford Ranger will make its racing debut at the opening round of the South Africa offroad racing season – now running under revised regulations and as the South Africa Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) to cater for the Dakar-built specification vehicles.

The first race of the 2022 season is the Mpumalanga 400 on March 25/26, which takes place in the scenic Dullstroom area that is renowned for its wide range of terrain, from tight and technical forest sections to rocky trails and vast rolling hills.

Headlined

The team will once again be fielding two highly competitive entries, headlined by the extensively upgraded T1+ EcoBoost-powered Ford Ranger designed and manufactured by Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM) in Pietermaritzburg.

Up to 300 mm wider than last year’s T1 Ranger, and featuring long-travel suspension up to 350 mm matched to large 37-inch tyres, the latest T1+ Ranger is a formidable machine – and is set to continue the team’s impressive race-winning pace.

“We have done a lot of design and manufacturing work to upgrade our vehicles to the new T1+ specification, and spent the whole of last week testing the new car in conjunction with the team from BOS Suspension in France,” says NWM team principal, Neil Woolridge. “The new FIA T1+ Ranger is a significant change from last year’s T1 Ranger, and is able to tackle rough conditions at much higher speeds thanks to its completely new suspension, wider track and much larger tyres.

Setup

“Although there is still some work to do as we fine-tune the setup, we have been impressed with the vehicle’s performance so far and look forward to seeing it in action in Dullstroom,” Neil adds. “While our opposition has had the advantage of running its T1+ car during the second half of last year and at several international events this year, I am confident that we have a great package and will be in contention throughout the season.”

Lance Woolridge and co-driver Elvéne Vonk led the charge for the team in 2021 with a historic debut win for the new EcoBoost V6-powered T1 Ranger at the season-opening Mpumalanga 400, then notching up a second victory at the Nampo 400. This ensured that the championship battle went down to the wire. Although they narrowly missed out on the title, it was an exceptional performance that sets the scene for a thrilling title fight in 2022.

Fortunes

Team-mates Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer are eager to turn their fortunes around this year. The young pair were the fastest competitors in the field on several occasions during the 2021 season, but misfortune robbed them of top results and they had to settle with two podium finishes and fourth place in the championship.

Class T is the entry point into the national championship and will once again feature last year’s runners-up in the NWM Ford Ranger V8, Wors Prinsloo and co-driver Andre Vermeulen. Christo Rose and Arno Olivier were the surprise of the field in their debut season with the NWM Ranger, finishing third overall with a string of solid results – so they can’t be discounted. Bernard and Minette Johnstone will also be back in the mix and aiming for consistency.

Reigning Class T champion Malcolm Kock sold his vehicle and will not be competing this year. However, his son Frans, who navigated the team to the 2021 title, will be sitting alongside a new entrant to the Production Vehicle championship. Lance Trethewey, the 2019 and 2021 Special Vehicle champion from Pietermaritzburg, is set to join the fray in a newly purchased NWM Ranger V8 this year.

Wider

Trethewey and Kock will be competing in the revised Class FIA T1, which will accommodate the competitors not making the switch to the new T1+ class for the much wider, long-travel suspension cars equipped with 37-inch tyres. The narrower T1 cars rely on the same 32-inch tyres and 280mm wheel travel limit previously used in the premier category.

The Toyota Gazoo Racing SA squad, fresh from its recent victory at the Dakar Rally will field four factory-entered cars this season, with former rally champions, Guy Botterill and Simon Vacy-Lyle, joining the squad for the year.

The team will be fielding its Dakar-Winning GR DKR Hilux T1+, and the opening round of the championship, the Mpumalanga 400, will see a mix of old and new cars from the team, though they all share identical specifications.

Waiting

“We’ve had to scramble a bit to get everything in place for this first race,” says TGRSA Team Principal, Glyn Hall. “One of the cars only arrived back from Saudi Arabia last week, and we’re still waiting for several shipping containers to return to South Africa.”

Defending champions Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings will be back in action for the team, alongside Giniel de Villiers and co-driver Dennis Murphy. Shameer Variawa will again do duty with Danie Stassen reading the notes; with Botterill/Vacy-Lyle completing the line-up.

With the truncated preparation period, the team has had to shoe-horn a lot of work into a short period of time. Despite this, they have also benefitted from a test conducted by Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel during the recent Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, which focussed on the further development of the Toyota DKR Hilux T1+ suspension system.

Fans who are unable to attend the event can follow the action online, using the Rallysafe App, which is available for both iOS and Android devices.

https://bit.ly/3L8smmM

Colin-on-Cars - Pre-emptive service pricing from Ford

The digital space continues to expand and Ford Ranger owners can now do an online quote for their vehicle’s next service.

Ford claims this offers customers complete price transparency on vehicle servicing costs.

“This new Online Service Price Calculator echoes our Ford values,” says Harm Kruyshaar, FCSD Retail Manager at Ford South Africa. “We are committed to modernising our systems within the ambit of the service sector, especially when it leads to simplified solutions and more direct customer care. We are confident that by giving our customers more control and transparency they will continue to service their vehicles at Ford dealerships.”

Option

The Online Service Price Calculator, which is currently available only for derivatives of the Ford Ranger (but will soon roll out to other Ford model ranges), has been created to give customers the option of using Ford genuine parts or, where available, more cost-effective Motorcraft parts, which are alternative Ford approved parts that are engineered to Original Equipment (OE) specification.

Once the online quote has been generated, and a booking has been made, it can be taken to the relevant dealer and the vehicle will be serviced at the quoted price. Customers are given the option to compare quotes at more than100 authorised Ford dealers around the country.

Log on to www.ford.co.za/owner/service-price-calculator/ and, after filling in a few of your vehicle’s details, such as year model and mileage, the Online Service Price Calculator will generate a quote showing the breakdown of parts and labour costs.

Online

Customers can also download a copy of their Ranger’s Service Schedule and make an online service booking via a link to the online service booking portal at www.myfordjourney.co.za.

Customers who did not opt for the Ford Protect Service Plan when purchasing their vehicle can still use the Online Service Price Calculator and take their vehicle to a Ford dealership where all servicing and repairs are done to the highest standard with a guarantee on all workmanship and parts.

Another convenience initiative currently being rolled out across the Ford Dealer Network is the Express Service offering. It offers customers further convenience by allowing them to book a specific service timeslot, and having their vehicle serviced within 60 minutes by two trained technicians working on the vehicle in sequence. Express Service is currently offered at select Ford dealerships and needs to be requested when making the booking with the service advisor.

Ford vehicles come standard with a comprehensive four-year/120 000km warranty, four-year/unlimited distance roadside assistance and five-year/unlimited km corrosion warranty.

https://bit.ly/3wnhbCF