Tabla de contenidos para November 2017 en Leisure Wheels

GENERAL TIRE LAUNCHES GRABBER AT3 AND X3 General Tire has released updated versions of its all-terrain and mud-terrain tyres in South Africa. Building on the success of the Grabber AT, the new Grabber AT3 retains the 50/50 on/off-road bias, providing superb all-round performance and dependability. According to General Tire, it serves the SUV, bakkie and off-road vehicle drivers who demand the combination of exceptional off-road abilities and confident on-road manners. This tyre’s on- and off-road performance has improved in several key areas, including noise levels and irregular wear, says the company. Traction in snow, muddy conditions and on wet grass has been improved, along with cut-andchip resistance. Large lugs on the upper sidewall protect the AT3 against damage from stones, rocks and other hazards, while a series of stacked deflection…

IT’S been quite a process, but the metamorphosis of our long-term Mazda BT-50 was recently completed. The Mazda bakkie, which started out as a stock standard double cab, is now a proper overlander. When we launched this project, we had a simple goal: create a practical vehicle for overland trips. That meant no oversize wheels, show-car paint job or fancy gadgets. All we wanted were the basic essentials for long-distance travel. Major additions have included an ARB replacement bull bar with winch and spotlights, chunky BFGoodrich tyres, Old Man Emu suspension, Rhinoman aluminium canopy, Takla seat covers, Desert roof rack and Desert Armour drawer system. BUILT FOR OVERLANDING Let’s run through those additions. Although it can be argued that a replacement bull bar is not strictly necessary, it can be…

The design and production of a new vehicle is tricky. It’s all about finding a balance between comfort, performance, reliability, economy and practicality. And of course, this well-balanced vehicle also needs to be built in a way that is financially viable on a large scale. To accomplish this, manufacturers spend years (and a fortune) fine-tuning a new vehicle, balancing the scales to create a product that makes sense both on the road and the balance sheet. Because of this, aftermarket modifications to production vehicles almost always demand compromise. They can improve the performance of a vehicle in a specific arena, but the delicate balance is inevitably disrupted. Care only about speed? A supercharger will make your vehicle go faster, but chances are the brakes, tyres, chassis and suspension won’t be…

FOR a designer, the blank page is alluring. It suggests an endless landscape of possibilities. With a large, white sheet of paper in front of you, you’re limited only by your imagination. Right? Wrong. The lines, grids and margins might not be visible, but that doesn’t mean that they’re absent. It doesn’t matter if you’re designing a car, building, cellphone or toy doll; your freedom to create is limited by pragmatic factors like cost, safety and ease of production. Every designer wants a large, blank canvas to work on. In reality, they’re more often handed a colouring book. But there are exceptions. Every once in a while, the shackles are taken off and designers are allowed to go crazy. Sometimes the results are astounding. Give the right designer an opportunity…

PICTURE the scene: you are on that bucket list trip to Damaraland, in Namibia. And somehow you have landed up on the infamous Divorce Pass, leading to the spectacular Ugab River, flanked by some of the most stunning rock formations in all of Africa. Divorce Pass is a nasty, bouncy business. It is lined with rocks, with sharp edges that lie in wait just to puncture your 4×4’s tyres. Unfortunately you only have one spare wheel, because the rusks, the kitchen sink, the charcoal and three bottles of Oros have taken up plenty of space in your SUV’s boot. Then you hear it: psssssssssssssst. Oh dear. That’s definitely the sound of pressurised air escaping. You stop and find that one of the mud terrain tyres has a gaping wound on…

A divorce can be a pretty nasty business. But sometimes it can also be a blessing in disguise. When General Motors (GM) recently announced it is pulling out of the local market, it caused a right stir. But a number of Isuzu fans lit a braai and tanned some cow in celebration. This divorce between GM and Isuzu meant that Isuzu models like the KB bakkiebased SUV could finally be sold here (instead of the Chevrolet Trailblazer). Sold in overseas markets as the Isuzu MU-X, the latest version of the vehicle South Africans got to know (and love) as the Frontier has been a sales hit in other markets. Some perspective: in the Australian market, the Toyota Hilux is the top-selling bakkie (or ute, as the Aussies call it), followed…

Much has been made about the affordability of the Renault Kwid, and indeed, it does offer good value for money. The top-spec 1.0 Dynamique is priced at R134 900, and for that reasonable amount you get cool crossover looks, a funky interior and a fancy infotainment system with satellite navigation. You do not, however, get a 4×4 system, an airbag for the passenger or ABS brakes. The Kwid is also on the small side. Luggage space is pegged at 224 litres with all the seats up, but this can be increased to 840 litres if you lower the rear bench. Up a rung from the Kwid is the Suzuki Ignis. It offers more kit and more refinement than the Kwid, but it is quite a bit more expensive (starting at…

Mitsubishi Pajero 3.2Di-D Comfy for cruising Our Mitsubishi Pajero recently made its way to Cape Town so that our colleagues in the Western Cape could also get a piece of the Pajero 4×4 action. Elise Kirsten drove it from Jozie to the Mother City. LEAVING early on a Sunday morning, we headed the Pajero towards Kroonstad and then onto the N1 towards Bloemfontein. After covering the first 442km of the journey, we stopped in Bloem to stretch the legs, have a quick bite to eat and to fill the tank with diesel. From Bloem it would be another 540km to our overnight stop in Beaufort West. Cruising on the N1 with the cruise control set to 120km/h, the Pajero, with its plush and slightly bouncy suspension (courtesy of the aftermarket…

Change gears and shift out of your comfort zone. One of these guided self-drive safaris could be that once-in-lifetime adventure you’ve always dreamt about. For more information on any of these tours, or to book your trip: Email: lwtravel@ramsaymedia.co.za Website: leisurewheels.co.za/travel-packages/or phone Inshaaf Amos @ Tel: 021 530 3380 ZAMBIA LIUWA PLAINS AND THE BAT MIGRATION (20 NOVEMBER – 1 DECEMBER) This safari is a combination of the wildebeest migration in Liuwa Plains as well as the migration of the ‘flying foxes’ (straw-coloured fruit bats) in Kasanka National Park. Few people have ventured into Liuwa Plains due to its relative isolation; however, the prolific birdlife, wilde-beest and the story of Lady Liuwa, the ‘last lioness’ make it one of Africa’s last true wilderness areas. At Kasanka, around eight million bats…

PHIL DE WET knows about the numbers: 119 AutoVest fitment centres across Southern Africa; the future prospect of 100 canopies manufactured per day; many different canopy options for all vehicle manufactures and a customer buying process with increased efficiency. De Wet is focused on turning this relatively new one-stopshop venture into a prosperous one, and one that makes the buying experience for clients easier than ever before. But what is this one-stopshop concept all about? Well, it involves the four core businesses that AutoVest now counts in its inventory: Auto Armor, Kilber, Rhino Linings and SA Canopy. “The original equipment manufacturer (OEM) accessory market remains buoyant in a rather flat economy,” says De Wet. “Customers who buy a new bakkie from a dealer want accessories such as a tow bar…

It all started with the Westland Wessex helicopter. The Wessex had been built for the British Royal Navy, and was being used by the Royal Marines. One of the features of the Wessex was that it could carry a 1 134kg load beneath it. Because of this, the Navy wanted a lightweight vehicle that could be slung beneath the copter. Obviously, the weight of the vehicle could not exceed 1 134kg. The plan was to create a Land Rover that would suit Navy needs, but there was no vehicle in the stable that was anywhere near light enough to work. The most compact Land Rover available at the time (1965) was the Series IIA 88-inch, which had a wheelbase of 2 235mm, but it wasn’t light enough. To solve the…

N amibia is a prime destination for South Africans. It is especially the 4×4 enthusiast who crosses the Orange River and finds a playground at our north-western border. High on the list is the Namib and Kaokoland. But I’ve always been of the opinion that Damaraland is by far the most attractive. A recent visit to the vast open land confirmed it. Damaraland lies north of the Swakopmund/Windhoek road, east of the Atlantic Ocean, south of Sesfontein and west of Outjo. It is a huge, wild, rugged open space where the geographical evolution of the terrain is clear to see in the uncovered and dramatic rocks of the area. Surprisingly, Damaraland hosts a fair bit of game. The black rhino of the area are elusive. You can count yourself extremely…

PAJERO SPORT LAUNCHED LOCALLY The new Mitsubishi Pajero Sport has arrived in South Africa and the line-up consists of two derivatives, a 4×4 and a 4×2 model, each powered by the brand’s new-generation 2.4-litre turbo diesel engine. Mitsubishi’s new-generation MIVEC four-pot turbo diesel engine produces 133kW at 3 500r/min and 430Nm of torque at 2 500r/min and is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission (including transfer gearing with low range for the fourwheel- drive derivative). The new Pajero Sport 4×4 gets the latest version of Mitsubishi’s Super Select 4-II 4WD system, which now boasts electronic off-road assistance, too. Hill-Descent Control has been added as well as four off-road driving modes: gravel, mud/snow, sand or rock. It also has a lockable rear differential. The vehicle rides on 18-inch alloy wheels and…

“WHERE is your letter of authority to import these toys?” The Namibian policeman at the Ariamsvlei Border Post had a steely resolve about him. He clearly was not going to let us into his country without a bit of a ruckus. We explained that the inexpensive gifts, toothpaste and soap were meant for cancer kids in the hospital in Windhoek, Gaborone, Maputo, and so on. “You need three letters. You have nothing,” he insisted. We had something at least: we offered a permission letter from the Windhoek Central Hospital. It featured an official Republic of Namibia letterhead, and was marked as hailing from the Department of Health and Social Services. The policeman read through the letter, a couple of times. He seemed disappointed; this was not turning out to be…

NOW four and half months since they set off, Shane and Tarryn Quinnell have five mountain peaks, eight countries and over 12 500km potholed kilometres of African roads under the belt, as part of what Shane calls ‘minimalist 4×4 overland travel’. Crossing African land borders is an infamous undertaking. Unfortunately, the truth is the reputation exists for good reason: it’ can be a huge challenge. It’s time consuming, hot, intense and exceptionally confusing. There are people in your face pushing (semi-aggressively) to try and ‘help’ you, intimidating officials who occasionally want bribes and rules and prices, which seem to vary depending on your perceived wealth. Don’t despair though, there is good news. First, in general, it’s not as bad as the stories would suggest, and second, we can help. While…

A 4×4 – one that’s actually been used to go off - roading, at least – has probably led a hard life. off -road trails place a lot of strain on_a vehicle’s drivetrain, and sharp rocks tend to result in dents and scratches, so if you’re buying a 4×4 that’s been used to do what it was intended for, you need to be careful and make sure that the vehicle is still in decent order. If it hasn’t been used to go off -roading (and a lot of these vehicles are purchased purely for fashion), you still need to be careful. Here’s what you should look out for when buying one. CHECK UNDERNEATH A good way to see what sort of life a vehicle has lived is to get down…

“We want to take the vehicle to the Atlantis dunes to see how it performs, but rock crawling is really what this vehicle is about,” says Onca Off-Road owner Len Nel of the company’s latest Cruiser creation. “It’s incredibly competent off-road. We completed a tough trail with it the other day and it managed to keep up with the Jeep Wranglers. Not a lot of Cruiser bakkies can do that.” Indeed, for all its toughness and practicality, a Land Cruiser 79 bakkie has some limitations when it comes to rock crawling. It’s long, of course, and it has a big turning circle. Approach and departure angles can be problematic, too, and despite good ground clearance in general, the mounting points on the rear shocks make them prone to off-road damage.…