Official Mouthpiece of

20 It’s All Smoke & Mirrors

36 Slaughtering Scapegoats
40 Good is the Enemy of Great
45 Cash Rhino
71 Taking Parts to Newcastle
91 Zaugg adds the Midas
touch
 The Phoenix

Taking Charge of the Future

South Africans are an innovative lot and have pioneering blood coursing through their veins. The prob-
lem is that we tend to take our abilities and achievements for granted, as if it is our divine right to do
things first and do things better, and that it is no big deal for us to lead the way. Our history is littered
with deeds of derring-do, as our forebears cocked a snoot at obstacles that would have broken lesser
nations, as they always found a way to do it, or made a plan, from our trekking days through to scaling
the heights in mining, exploration, medical science, conservation, business, sport, you name it. We tend
to take charge of our future with little fanfare and a minimum of fuss.

O
ne recent example is portrayed on our front cover this
month. The AGM battery is a first in the southern
hemisphere, so take that Brazil, take that Australia,
and take that wherever you are south of the equator,
the Springboks have done it again, and led the pack as usual. First
National Battery, who were not coincidentally South Africa’s first
battery manufacturer, has taken the lead again in being the first
company in the southern hemisphere to manufacture AGM bat-
teries. AGM stands for Absorbed Glass Mat, which is undoubted-
ly the battery technology of the future, now that hybrid vehicles
are becoming old hat and stop-start technology is being intro-
duced into modern vehicles. OEMs are knocking on the battery
manufacturers’ doors and the aftermarket will soon be making its
siren call. Read more on page 12.
All good and well. But an unfortunate corollary, or by-product, of
South African’s propensity in pushing the envelope, is the darker
side of fascination with “alternative” product , or to put it more
bluntly, cheap rubbish masquerading as automotive parts. As our
new democratic nation struggles to find its feet, this is a growing
problem. This problem can be partly blamed on economic neces-
sity, but the more likely culprit is our tendency to approve bloody-
mindedness, developed as we embraced pioneering habits, struggle
credentials, and liberation over education. The short term conse-
quences, similar to the anarchy after the French Revolution, can be
dire, as illustrated in our AAMA Alert article on page 20 – read
this to become a little bit wiser.
One would think that ABR’s articles are all about boom and
gloom. Not in the least. We offer various fare, which can be
savoured from page 1 to page 92, all spiced with words in action.
We are the must read of the month for the automotive aftermar-
ket, and our webpage is rapidly becoming the fix of the day for the
busy and inquisitive executive. ABR is the magazine for all seasons,
so turn the page and get your fix!

Whilst this issue of ABR is jam packed with information, our monthly contribution
cannot do justice to the wealth of information available on a daily basis, so don’t
forget to get your daily fix on our website.
Make sure that you make regular visits to www.abrbuzz.co.za

2 September 2010
 Contents

20 12 48

40 78
2 The Phoenix 52 Customer C.A.R.E.
8 What’s the Buzz 54 Workshop Update
12 Cover Feature 56 Vehicle Launch
16 Personal Profile 58 Top Class Topics
18 Show TIme 62 Capricorn Insights
20 AAMA Alert 64 Burford on Brands
22 Product update 65 e-CAR
26 Auto Topical 66 The Golden Triangle
28 Frankly Speaking 68 Launch Update
30 Entrepreneurship 70 Industry Update
32 The Chery Story 71 Partinform
36 Tony’s Take 80 Vehicle Evaluation
38 Weighty Issues 81 Consumer Protection Act
40 Life Goes On 82 Workshop & Diagnostics
42 AIDC Quiz 86 Two Wheels
43 Tyre Talk 88 The Fink
45 Wilde Things 90 Fast Wheels
48 Intelli-Driving 91 Midas Sport
50 Tyre Safety 92 The Last Writes
The publisher and contributors have done their best to ensure the accuracy of the articles and cannot accept responsibility for
any loss or inconvenience sustained by any reader as a result of information or advice in Automotive Business Review. The
information provided and opinions expressed in this publication are provided in good faith and do not necessaraly represent
the opinion of the publisher. No article may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission from the pub-
lisher, except for the quotation of brief passages in reviews.

Publishing Editor Horne, Gerhard E-mail: bigheart3@iafrica.com Design and Reproduction

Graham Erasmus Hogg, Gilbert Editorial Office j. Kraft Information Design cc
Cell: 083 709 8184 Keeg, Howard 81 Alma Road, Wendywood Tel: 012 997 6946
McCleery, Roger Tel: 27 11 656 2198 Fax: 012 997 6987
Editors at Large Phitidis, Pavlo Fax: 27 11 802 3979 E-mail: jackie@kraftinfo.co.za
Alwyn Viljoen Twine, Tony E-mail: bigheart@iafrica.com
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Business Print Centre, Pretoria
Intelli-Driving Editor Published by Subscriptions and Data
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Trilogy Trading & Promotion
Correspondents Advertising Sales P O Box 69 Official Mouthpiece of
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Borlz, Baron Claude Cell: 082 837 2668 Tel: 27 11 802 6020
Burford, Adrian E-mail: bigheart2@iafrica.com Fax: 27 11 802 3979
Foster, Gavin Graham Hudson-Lamb E-mail: bigheart2@iafrica.com
Gamble, Austin Cell: 083 325 4146

4 Photo Credits: Quickpics • Motorpics

 What’s the Buzz?

RENAULT
SPONSORS
KNYSNA
HILLCLIMB

R
enault South Africa and The Knysna Hillclimb have
confirmed that Renault will be the title sponsor of
the 2010 event, to be held at the Simola Estate from
22 to 24 October.

In a first for a local car manufacturer, Renault will also use the
Hillclimb as the launch platform for several exciting new
models, due for their local debut in October. This will allow
the brand to actively participate in the event throughout the
weekend. “Renault has a rich heritage of participation in a
broad spectrum of motorsport, as well as producing exciting
performance models under the Renault Sport banner,” says
Xavier Gobille, Managing Director of Renault South Africa.
“In that regard, the Knysna Hillclimb is a perfect match for
the Renault and Renault Sport brands, which will be among
those showcased during the event. We are looking forward to
a close and mutually beneficial relationship with the
Hillclimb and its organisers. Involving public with the prod-
uct we have to offer is key to our business.” Knysna Hillclimb
organiser Ian Shrosbree says the confirmation of Renault as
the title sponsor of the Knysna Hillclimb is a great boost for
the event. “Renault has shown a great deal of faith in the
event by taking up the title sponsorship – it highlights the
foresight and sporty genetics of the company. “This ethos is a
good fit for the Hillclimb which, although only into its sec-
ond year, is already one of the most talked about and popular
events on the motorsport calendar.”

8 September 2010
 What’s the Buzz?

BIG INTERNATIONAL INTEREST IN

AUTOMECHANIKA SOUTH AFRICA
There was a great deal of interest by international exhibitors in
the Automechanika South Africa promotional booth at the
recent Automechanika Middle East automotive aftermarket
trade fair in Dubai. The next local event will take place at Expo
Centre from March 9-12, 2011. The director of the SA event,
Philip Otto, manned the display personally and says he had
strong interest in his event both from countries and companies
that participated in the inaugural Automechanika SA in
Johannesburg, last year and those that were not there, “The feed-
back from those who exhibited in Johannesburg last year was
very positive and it was great that a major automotive country
such as France, which did not participate last year will have a
national pavilion in 2011, while Malaysia that had only two
companies display their wares in 2009 will have a national pavil-
ion next year”. He added that the nine South African companies
that exhibited in the SA pavilion in Dubai were positive about
their participation and did substantial business deals.

NAAMSA COMMENT ON THE CO2

VEHICLE EMISSIONS TAX REGIME
EFFECTIVE 1ST SEPTEMBER, 2010

Reacting to an announcement by National Treasury that the

CO2 new vehicle tax regime, originally intended to apply to new
passenger cars, would with effect from 1st September, 2010 be
extended to include light commercial vehicles – Mr David
Powels, President of the National Association of Automobile
Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA) said that the deci-
sion was alarming and would result in negative and potentially
serious consequences for the South African vehicle manufactur-
ing, importing and distribution sectors as well as associated
industries. A further matter of great concern was the impact of
the additional taxes on buyers of new cars and new light com-
mercial vehicles. The additional cost to consumers would, on
average, be of the order of about 2,5%. Based on current sales
volumes, the incremental tax burden amounted to about R1,6
billion per annum in respect of new cars and would probably add
a further R800 million additional taxes in respect of light com-
mercial vehicles. There was no doubt that an increase in the tax
burden of around R2,5 billion would depress sales volumes and
production and will have negative implications for employment
levels in the vehicle and component manufacturing industries.
In line with international developments, NAAMSA accepts the
principle of environmental taxes to improve air quality and safe-
guard the environment in South Africa. Unfortunately, the
planned CO2 tax regime as currently structured will fail to
achieve the intended objective. The application of the CO2 tax
regime is also inequitable in that it discriminates against buyers
of new motor vehicles. If Government was really serious about
penalising emissions (a proxy for fuel consumption) the author-
ities should introduce an environmental levy on all fuels, petrol
and diesel.
POWERFUL BUSINESS FOCUS
FOR AUTOMECHANIKA SA 2011
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
The Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI) has announced that a major two
day RMI Conference will be staged during the Automechanika South Africa. In
announcing the RMI’s Conference agenda for Automechanika SA, Jeff Osborne,
CEO of the RMI, stated that there were a number of pressing issues and great
opportunities in the industry which need to be focused on and that the RMI
Conference will address a number of priority issues; these include the need for
training of skilled manpower to serve the growing shortage of especially technical-
ly qualified manpower and business challenges that the modern day entrepreneur
has to contend with. Coupled therewith is the need for the industry to become
more proactive in promoting the motor industry as a career of choice for school
leavers, college and university graduates. ”The RMI firmly believes that the motor
industry as a lucrative and stimulating career destination does not receive the
recognition it deserves, mainly due to a combination of lack of knowledge about
opportunities in the industry and archaic perceptions of the nature of the indus-
try”, said Osborne. A technical skills competition for motor mechanics, motor
body repairers and spray painters underpinned by MERSETA is also in the offing,
with the winners representing South Africa in the 2011 World Skills Contest to
be held in London later in the year. It is expected that the new Consumer
Protection Act and its implementation will also receive detailed attention during
the Conference. Giving further impetus to the RMI Conference will be comple-
mentary sector-specific seminar sessions catering specifically for members of
RMI Constituent Associations .

KenKen 8 x 8
How to Play:
Like Sudoku, even though difficulty may vary from puzzle to puzzle, the rules for
playing KenKen are fairly simple:
For a 3 x 3 puzzle, fill in with the numbers 1-8.
• Do not repeat a number in any row or column.
• The numbers in each heavily outlined set of squares, called cages, must combine (in any
order) to produce the target number in the top corner of the cage using the mathematical
operation indicated.
• Cages with just one box should be filled in with the target number in the top corner.
• A number can be repeated within a cage as long as it is not in the same row or
column. Answer on page 37

10 September 2010
 Cover feature
Leading the Way through Caring
Development in the automotive sector is relatively slow when compared to other fields of industry. The med-
ical field, for example, is constantly improving on the technology used to ensure the health of the average
human being. It has reached the point where robots, instead of human beings, are used to perform elaborate
surgical techniques previously thought of as impossible.
W
ith this in mind we take a look at today’s
motor vehicle. It consists of basically the
same mechanics as the first example built
over a hundred years ago. The various
components have stayed more or less the
same as well. Sure, as far as components
go there have been big developments over the years, but nothing
to make you stand back and take notice. Until now, that
is. A recent development in the field of batteries
is something we should all take notice of.
The custodians involved in bringing
this new technology to our shores?
We have First National Battery
(FNB) to thank for that. FNB
has had a long and proud his-
tory in South Africa. In our
country, for the first 30 years
of the twentieth century, we
relied mainly on imports to
supply our automotive
industry. All that changed
when Mr. J.F. Jackson
founded the First National
Battery Company in East
London, soon to become the
leading manufacturer and dis-
tributor of lead-acid batteries in
South Africa. Quite a big portion of
new vehicles, and vehicles exported to
other countries, are sold with a battery
that came from their factories. They constantly
reach sales figures over the 2 million mark. FNB mar-
kets its batteries under various brand names, but for the purposes
of this article we will only focus on the Exide brand.
The new technology used by FNB is simply referred to as AGM,
or Absorbed Glass Mat battery. The product is called Enduro and
it’s not merely a first for South Africa, but for the entire southern
hemisphere. FNB spent a lot of money bringing this technology
to South Africa. “Designing, manufacturing and testing a new
battery type to the most stringent Engineering specification ever
issued by the German automobile manufacturers was accepted as
a big challenge by the FNB team and it has certainly led us to a
pinnacle of achievement in current lead-acid battery technology.
The base of this development was the in-house knowledge gained
in producing more than four million VRLA miner cap lamps since
1982 based on AGM technology. This, combined with extensive
development work and experience gained from producing in
excess of 10 million lead calcium batteries to demanding technical
specifications for nearly all OEM’s in South Africa, made this
12
development possible,” says Dr Louis Denner, Managing Director,
First National Battery Division of Metindustrial
Before we explore FNB’s latest project, let’s first take a look at the
humble beginnings of the battery so we can better understand
how important this new technology is. Benjamin Franklin first
coined the term for an electrical storage unit. He had just finished
charging an array of glass plates and needed a name for
said experiment. “Charged glass plates” seemed a
little long, so he settled for the name battery.
During the first hundred years of devel-
opment the battery changed quite a
bit. Experiments were done and
significant changes to the initial
design were made. Gaston
Planté is credited with build-
ing the first lead-acid battery
as we know it today. In 1859
he created the first practical
storage lead-acid battery. It’s
ironic that the battery we
discuss in this article brings
us full circle back to
Benjamin Franklin and his
charged glass plates.
An AGM is a lead-acid electric
storage battery that is sealed using
pressure valves. Electrolyte is absorbed
in separators consisting of a sponge-like
mass of glass fibres and in the plates. It also
uses a recombination reaction to prevent the escape
of hydrogen and oxygen gases that would normally be lost in a
flooded lead-acid battery. This is particularly good news for
cycling applications. Because it is sealed it can also be operated in
virtually any position. Need more convincing? In addition to all of
the above, an AGM battery is completely maintenance free too. “A
product like this is manufactured with much tighter tolerances
and process control than conventional flooded lead-acid batteries
and FNB is employing state of the art technology in the produc-
tion of the VRLA batteries based on a mix of imported equipment
and equipment designed and made in-house by FNB,” says
Dr Denner. What we have here is a big step up from traditional
wet batteries. The Enduro works on a recombinant principle. The
oxygen produced by the positive plate, which is normally lost in a
traditional battery, is absorbed by the negative plate. This means
that Enduro never needs to be watered, which in turn means it
never has to be opened. Traditional batteries don’t have these pres-
surised sealing vents as they work on a completely different prin-
ciple. Having no seal means the liquid electrolyte can spill from a
September 2010
 Cover feature

traditional battery which leads to corrosion and eventual

replacement. Transporting these batteries has become a
Inside the Enduro AGM Battery
bit of a headache since they always have to be specially
packed and always installed in an upright position.
Enduro has put an end to these problems.

“It is a product made to the highest manufacturing and

environmental standards that will give the user a product
with exceptional performance characteristics and features
not offered before by a local supplier. In short, this bat-
tery when compared size for size, with traditional flood-
ed batteries will give you a longer life three times the
cyclic endurance, at least 30% better high current per-
formance, much better vibration resistance, a spill proof
battery that never needs to be opened to top up, and a
very long shelf life when stored in a charged state. It is
also a product that is ideally suited for Stop/Start systems
that are being introduced by car companies to limit emis-
sions of exhaust gases making it a good purchase for these
applications that will result in a greener environment,”
says Dr Denner.

A major advantage of the Enduro is its spill proof and

leak proof structure. In addition to a maintenance free
lifecycle, it also won’t corrode the terminals and can be
installed in virtually any position. Other advantages
include: fully air transportable without having to resort
to special packaging, completely compatible with sensi-
tive electronic equipment like Stop/Start technology
(more on that later) and most of the modern features fit-
ted to a car, and very low to absolutely no gas discharge.
This gives it green credentials that traditional batteries
can only dream about. Moreover, it’s excellent for start-
ing and stationary applications, superior for shorter dura-
tion/ higher rate discharge and superior under cold con-
ditions when fully charged. The unit is extremely rugged
and resistant against harsh vibrations. Its superiority is
also unmatched when it comes to shelf life and recharge
ability and can even be operated in a wet environment.
Have a look at the list of applications that are suited to
the Enduro:
• All of the modern vehicles with electrically operated
features and safety systems. The Exide Enduro has no
problem keeping the voltage up on a high-end
German saloon.
• Farmers can use it on tractors, or any other kind of
harvesting equipment. The sealed unit is also perfect
for forestry, like the plantations we have in
Mpumalanga.
• Being longer lasting makes it perfect for our public
transport sector. Owners of taxis, buses, etc will find
it particularly useful.
• Owners of customised 4x4’s will enjoy the many
installation options of the Enduro. Because it is com-
pletely sealed it can be installed in any position you
wish. The normal batteries on 4x4’s and diesel engine
vehicles are prone to failure because of the harsh
vibrations they face. This leads to early replacement
and irritation on the consumer side. Enduro will take
care of this problem once and for all.

September 2010 13
 Cover
It seems then that the Enduro is the
answer to every conceivable battery prob-
lem. The traditional battery has a few
major flaws, each one addressed by this
new technology. Flooded electrolyte bat-
teries can spring leaks, only operate in an
upright position, have a shorter shelf life,
cannot be installed near sensitive electron-
ic equipment and have fewer shipping
options. None of this is a problem for
Enduro. Exide Enduro is not hindered by
the ni-cad plague known as “memory.”
After shallow discharge cycles the unused
portions of the electrodes remember the
previous cycles and are unable to sustain
the required discharge voltage beyond the
depth of the previous cycles. This is quite
a nuisance since the only viable solution
to this problem is a complete discharge of
the battery, after which it needs to be
completely and slowly recharged. AGM
technology does not share this trait with
ni-cad batteries. Absorbed glass mat bat-
teries also have the green credentials to
make it in the modern world. The Enduro
is particularly well suited to cars that are
fitted with Stop/Start technology. This
system, when fitted to a vehicle, will turn
off the engine when it stops and restarts it
again when the driver’s foot leaves the
brake pedal. It is estimated that around
2.8 million vehicles fitted with this system
will be produced worldwide in 2010
alone. Stop/Start is a seemingly simple
idea, but one with great rewards. It is cal-
culated that the fitment of such a system
to any car will see fuel consumption low-
ering by 3% to 5%. With fuel prices going
through the roof, one can see how impor-
tant this Stop/Start technology is set to
become. On the flipside, carbon emissions
are also reduced by up to 20%, depending
on the vehicle.
A big chunk of the importers and manu-
facturers in South Africa have already
noted their interest in Stop/Start systems.
The list currently consists of Ford, Mini,
BMW, Nissan, Audi, Volkswagen,
Mercedes Benz and Peugeot. As previous-
ly mentioned, FNB is the first manufac-
turer to offer this technology in the
Southern hemisphere, so things are look-
ing good for them. The reason the Enduro
is so well suited to this task is twofold. A
Stop/Start system needs a deep-cycle
resistant battery that must be well charged
even when the engine is idling or running
at lower engine speeds. The pressure on
14
feature
the battery, when continuously called
upon to start the engine, is immense, but
Enduro just shrugs this off. It’s also robust
enough to keep on powering such necessi-
ties as headlights, electronics and air-con-
ditioning when the engine is switched off.
AGM batteries are, however, not limited
to Stop/Start technology. It seems as if
manufacturers are constantly developing
systems to save fuel and cut down on
emissions. The one factor that does how-
ever stay the same is the use of AGM bat-
teries. “Stop/Start and regenerative appli-
cations require a battery with very good
partial state of charge ability requiring
many charge and discharge cycles rather
than the conventional deep cycle ability,”
says Louis Denner.
These new systems are also referred to as
micro-hybrid functions. BMW recently
developed a new system to work in con-
junction with their Auto Start Stop func-
tion. Naturally they used AGM batteries.
It seems as if AGM technology is at the
forefront of all reduced emissions develop-
ments where batteries are needed. You
can’t talk about batteries in vehicles with-
out referring to hybrids and full-on elec-
tric transportation. The Advanced Lead-
Acid Battery Consortium (ALABC) is a
research consortium originally formed in
1992 to advance the capabilities of valve-
regulated lead-acid batteries. “FNB is a
member of this international organisation
whose aim is to pioneer development
work with lead-acid chemistry in hybrid
electrical vehicles,” says Denner. “Part of
their current work is focused on using
AGM VRLA batteries with enhanced car-
bon additives to the negative plate of the
battery for such applications.” According
to ALABC the “task for the battery in a
hybrid electric vehicle is particularly
demanding as it is required to operate
from a partial state of charge so that regen-
erative braking energy can be accepted
efficiently.” As we already know, this is just
one of the many positive attributes of an
AGM battery. The high current of an
AGM battery will also ensure that hybrid’s
perform in accordance with their
petrol/diesel stable mates.
Most of the hybrids on sale today make
use of AGM technology and it’s gotten to
a point where you can’t tell the difference,
in performance, between a conventionally
powered vehicle and a hybrid.
These futuristic applications are quite
interesting, but you might be wondering
what Enduro can do for you today.
Owners of 4x4’s, boats, diesel engine vehi-
cles, caravans or solar powered equipment
will find it useful. Enduro can cope with
the heavy demands that they make and
will keep on doing it for a longer time
than a conventional battery. As previously
mentioned, AGM batteries have high
starting currents (up to 30% more current
than conventional battery) and are suit-
able for deep-cycle applications. Perfect
for a diesel engine car that demands a high
starting current or for prolonged use in a
caravan. The most important application
is relevant to anybody with a modern car.
A modern vehicle tends to be more luxu-
riously equipped than most houses.
Standard on most cars we find things like
electric windows, air-conditioning, sound
system and airbags. Remember, this kind
of kit tends to be standard on entry-level
models. This already puts immense pres-
sure on a normal battery to keep up with
everything the average consumer
demands. Higher up the scale we find
things like electric seats, massaging func-
tion, high-end surround sound systems,
media interfaces and even internet. These
things cause excessive drain on conven-
tional batteries. The Exide Enduro’s abili-
ty to deliver a higher current makes it a
necessity for these applications. Even if
you’re only upgrading the sound system
on your car with amps and subwoofers,
you need something like this to keep you
off the side of the road.
Hybrids and Electric vehicles are
undoubtedly tomorrow’s technology. The
evolution of battery technology in the last
decade alone is astounding. Now, that
technology is available to any consumer in
South Africa. We have FNB and their
brand Exide to thank for that. Their slo-
gan, “Through Caring We Lead,” has
never been truer. They cared enough to
spend a massive amount of money to
make AGM available to us and because of
that, they are the undisputed champions
of their field.
September 2010
 Personal profile

Q&A JOHN JESSUP

by Roger McCleery

In the 60’s people said “The Japanese are coming” referring to their bakkies, cars and motorcycles. Now they are No 1 in the world. Then
it was the Koreans, who would never shape, they said. They are now 4th biggest in the world. Now you hear “The Chinese are coming
with their cars, bakkies, MPV’s, SUV’s and heavy trucks”. With the biggest vehicle market in the world and benefitting from the vehi-
cle technology all around them, it will take a fraction of the time the Japanese and Koreans took to get established and to take on the
Western Hemisphere companies. Initially our Government opened the doors to Chinese vehicles that lacked spares and service. Quick
bucks were made by some non-motoring importers, but generally they were gone in a short time. Now the Chinese and their South African
franchisees realise that they are up against the established motor companies in South Africa and need experienced South African motor
men to handle their businesses to head up their franchises. Such a company is Geely with a well constituted all-South African Board and
a died-in-the-wool and fired-up experienced motor man, John Jessup (63) heading up the company as CEO.

So what investors make up the board,
John?
50% is Hallmark (The listed Cargo
Carriers is a sister company ) with around
20 Toyota, Mercedes Benz, Chrysler, Jeep,
Nissan and Hyundai dealerships as well as
a large interest in the SA GWM importer/
distributor. 50% is the Hassim family with
Rayhaan Hassim, a director of 54 compa-
nies including 6 motor franchises, the
Magic group of hardware stores, a big
interest in Aucor and many others.
The way forward for Geely?
Having been in the motor industry all my
working life, there is only one way to be
successful, that is to do the basics right.
Have the right range of vehicles to suit the
times and back this up with parts and
after-sales service to both customers and
your dealers. By motor industry standards,
we are basically starting from scratch, with
no baggage. For the 2000 units of the pre-
vious Geely CK Models in operation
around the country, we have R4m worth of
parts. I have given instructions that if just
one vehicle is off the road and we cannot
supply the parts locally, they will be air-
freighted in from China at our expense.
How big is your dealer organisation?
We have 12 dealers currently, with another
12-15 to be added in the major cities and
bigger towns. Also we want to appoint
service dealers in the smaller areas. All will
have access to parts, warranty and trained
mechanics to work on our cars, which are
pretty straight-forward.
What does the new range of vehicles
look?
We have just launched the new Geely MK
1,5 and 1,6 Sedan and MK2 Hatch 1.5.
These cars are packed with features. You
can name just about anything. Our new
Geely has got it. Plus all the most impor-
tant safety features, including ABS on top
models. The most surprising thing about
the MK/MK2 Range is the price. These are
B/C segment sized vehicles in recommend-
ed retail price range between R100,000
and R120,000 including VAT. Good news
– the first parts order is already here in the
country as well.
What other models are due?
Well, in the under R80,000 to R90,000
range we have the Geely 1.3 LK coming
early next year. It has great styling. You can
see immediately why it has Panda badging
in China. It too is packed with all the fea-
tures and safety items in the MK, includ-
ing ABS and airbags in all the right places.
Later next year, a D-segment Geely hits the
South African market. This high quality
sedan will also be exceptionally well
specced and well priced. All our vehicles
carry a 3-year 100 000km warranty.
Bakkies/SUV’s?
A luxury double cab is under development.
A medium sized SUV could also become
available to us.
On a personal level, how did you get some kind of social/business science. That,
into the motor industry in South thankfully, is what I ended up doing.
Africa? Although I must add that I was fortunate
enough to be very involved in the styling
After graduating from UPE with a con- and design of certain vehicles.
sumer psychology degree, I spent two years
with VW and a further two years with Into sports?
GM. Then it was on to Leyland, and in
fact I joined Leyland on the same day as I did a lot of sports at school. Cricket was
Basil Landau, the new CEO. We had a my passion when younger. I later did ath-
great team but were let down by the letics, tennis and squash, but surfing was
demise of the parent company in the UK. my life at school and university. Nowadays
it’s golf. But I’m also a fitness enthusiast
You then moved to the Reef? with regular gym with a personal trainer.
Yes, to BMW for 18 years, the last six on Did you have a mentor?
the Board with a portfolio of Marketing
Sales, After-Sales, Dealer Development, Yes. Ronnie Meatchem at Leyland and
Motor-cycles and BMW Finanz. Then I BMW, who taught me about products,
joined Nissan where I spent some ot my dealers, people and the real world of the
happiest times. 8 years in Marketing, and motor industry. As somebody I really
eight years in Dealer Development. This admire, Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan and
continued until I took a voluntary package Renault worldwide, for his very clear com-
last year and then did some fascinating munications, modern processes and bril-
contract work for them in South Africa, liant leadership skills.
Egypt and Nigeria. Married?
Where did you go to school? I have a daughter, Anna, who is an adver-
tising graduate and does work for the large
In PE at Walmer Primary and Victoria agencies.
Park High School.
When are you going to retire?
What did you want to do after school?
I haven’t thought about it. Geely has come
My Dad was an engineer and I thought I along and given me a great opportunity to
wanted to follow in his footsteps and
set up a car company and to make it real-
maybe design cars, although there was not ly work, and then we’ll take it from there.
much opportunity in South Africa.
The vocational people said I should do

16 September 2010
 Show Time

WATS receives WARM Welcome on

a Chilly August Morning!
The WATS (Workshop Aftermarket & Technology Show) Media & Exhibitor/Visitor Breakfast Launch, hosted at the
proposed 1st time Venue, Ilanga Estate Bloemfontein, received a very WARM welcome from everyone present.

T
hose in attendance were for the first time exposed to the evolution, vision & mission of the WATS Expo’s and where it slots
in so well with other show offerings in South Africa. Much enthusiasm & excitement for the forthcoming first time event
reverberated throughout the breakfast. Technology & Training is always at the forefront of everything WATS exhibits; how-
ever, parts, component suppliers, Garage Equipment, tools & IT suppliers are always there, fulfilling their never ending important
roll. With the continued & much valued support of the RMI, in the form of Louis van Huyssteen & his team, Merseta, Capricorn
and other loyal WATS exhibitors, this inaugural expo will prove to be of great value to Motor Industry Members throughout the
Free State.

Entrance is FREE! – visit www.wats.co.za to register as an exhibitor or visitor or contact Miranda on 082 9680 214,
admin@wats.co.za or Johann on 082 5515 061or Email: info@wats.co.za

Ready to roll: Members of the team at the breakfast, from left to right Louis van Huyssteen,Gerhard Slabbert,
Miranda de Bruyne, Johann de Bruyne and Giel Steyn.

18 September 2010

AAMA CREATES AWARENESS OF THE ISSUES OF THE DAY
Counterfeiting – it’s all
Smoke and Mirrors
In the April 2010 issue of ABR, our AAMA Alert covered the curse of counterfeiting in the automotive indus-
try, and our call for an industry conscience. We ended off with the noble statement that conscience should
always trump profit, and the interesting conclusion that businesses run on ethical lines ironically last longer
than those run on purely self-seeking lines, i.e. conscience equals long term sustainability.
The enigma to all this is that sometimes
businesses sell counterfeit product with-
out being aware that the product is not
kosher. The product may walk like a duck,
and quack like a duck, but it may not be
the genuine article, in both latent physical
properties and performance. Thus, retail-
ers and maybe even wholesalers could be
selling a product that they are not aware is
counterfeit. If one looks up the definition
of counterfeit in Wikipedia, you get “a
counterfeit is an imitation, usually one
that is made with the intent of fraudulent-
ly passing it off as genuine. Counterfeit
products are often produced with the
intent to take advantage of the established
worth of the imitated product”. This is
true, but does not hit the nail on the head.
Better definitions are “representing by
imitation or likeness; having a resem-
blance to something else”; or “to carry on
a deception; to dissemble; to feign; to pre-
tend”. A very good example of this are
Toyota Quantum wheel bearings, current-
ly been sold by various wholesalers, that
look perfectly okay from the outside, but
inside are in actual fact seriously deficient.
New wheel bearings: ball bearing type on
ABR spoke to Richard Pinard of Top Class
Automotive, a well-known bearing boffin
in the industry, and a spokesman for good
quality. Richard explains that when bear-
ings have to carry a heavy load, then the
linear contact of the bearing to the hous-
ing is critical. Thus, in the mining indus-
try, spherical rollers are used, and in com-
mercial vehicles, tapered roller bearings
are used. As the Quantum is a heavy vehi-
cle when carrying its full load of passen-
gers, the load carrying capacity of the
wheel bearing is very important, so the
20
ALERT
OE and correct replacement bearing
needs to have tapered roller bearings and
not ball bearings. The rule of thumb is
that for lighter loads and higher speeds,
ball bearings are used (e.g. thrust bearings
or bearings in alternators), whereas for
heavier loads and relatively lower speeds,
tapered roller bearings are used. The con-
sequences of using ball bearings in the
Quantum wheel bearings are shorter lifes-
pan and even worse if the bearings seize.
The problem is that the customer cannot
see the inside geometry, so he/she is at the
mercy of the wholesaler/retailer. Richard
says that the best advice he can give spares
shops and workshops is to only buy from
reputable wholesalers/retailers such as
AutoZone and Midas. Richard also advis-
es technicians to ensure that when fitting
wheel bearings they always adhere to the
manufacturers’ torque settings. The im-
pending Consumer Protection Act will
provide protection, but only after the fact,
and only if the wheel bearing is taken
apart for inspection, which is difficult and
expensive, as once the bearing has been
disassembled, it is no longer functional.
top, tapered roller bearing type at the
bottom
Disassembled wheel bearing – ball bearing
type
Disassembled wheel bearing – tapered
roller bearing type
September 2010
 Product update

World Leading Teroson Products Now

Available in South Africa
As someone in the auto body repair or auto glass replacement business you may have already come across
the Teroson name and wondered how you can get these top quality products in South Africa.

Y
ou need wonder no more. The product is now available
through Henkel South Africa (Pty) Ltd, the globally
respected adhesive and sealant manufacturer. Which
means these products will be as easy to get as any other
Henkel product.
Teroson products are designed to meet the OE specs of the mak-
ers of cars, trucks, buses, railway carriages and marine craft.
Teroson automotive body repair products allow vehicle body
repairs, conservation and additional protection that add factory-
quality finish to just about any job.
The Teroson range includes solutions for a wide range of applica-
tions including sealants and adhesives for metals, glass and plas-
tics, under-body coatings and sealants, and products for metal
reinforcement and acoustic improvement.
Anyone in the windscreen replacement business will quickly come
to appreciate the almost-instant bonding times that are a major
feature of these products. Faster bonding means productivity
gains, reduced costs and increased profitability.
ing, Henkel is in a unique position to develop innovative tech-
nologies. The number of employees working in research and
development at the Company’s sites around the world in 2009
was around 2,800, the majority being deployed in Germany and
the USA. The results of this investment are seen in constantly
improving products in the existing portfolio, as well as regularly
launching exciting new products into the marketplace.
Henkel currently holds more than 8,000 patents, with 5,000
patent applications pending. Additionally, the Company has
around 2,300 registered designs safeguarding its intellectual prop-
erty.
Teroson was founded by entrepreneur Theodore Ross in 1896, in
Mannheim, Germany, to manufacture and distribute industrial
and household cleaners. Later, with an eye on the infant automo-
tive industry, Ross saw the future for his company and, in 1924,
launched his first products for this market with his son as the sole
field salesman. Henkel acquired the company in 1991 and imme-
diately embarked on a modernization and regional expansion pro-
gramme. Today, Teroson is fully integrated into the Henkel group.

With research activities conducted through a worldwide scientif- For more information contact Henkel South Africa on
ic network covering the fields of biology, chemistry and engineer- 011 617-2400

the Buzz?

BUDGET RENTAL’S NEW KING SHAKA AIRPORT FACILITIES

PART OF R80-MILLION INVESTMENT
Budget Car and Van Rental’s R20-million investment in new, state-of-the-art facilities at the impressive new King Shaka Airport, near Durban, is part
of a two-year, R80-million investment in new facilities and premise upgrades by the rental company, which is part of the McCarthy Group, a division
of the Bidvest Group Limited. Speaking at the official opening of the new facility, the chief executive of McCarthy, Brand Pretorius, said that this is a
clear indication that the McCarthy and Bidvest Groups have full confidence in the potential of the car rental industry in South Africa. “We are enjoy-
ing significant benefits to our business, even now that the FIFA Football World Cup is something of the past. Bidvest is a demanding investor and it
has given its full support to this project, which is a flagship for the Budget Car and Van Rental brand,” added Pretorius. “We are looking forward to
growth in all sectors of the car rental industry and believe the exposure South Africa received from staging the World Cup will play an important role
in growing international tourism”.

22 September 2010
 Product News

Special Bolts for

Innovative Development Needs
No Retorquing
For economic reasons, engine builders devel-
oped head gaskets in the 80s that do not require
retorquing. The assembly of cylinder heads with-
out having to retorque the head bolts represent-
ed a technical innovation for series production.
Similarly, when replacing a head gasket,
torquing in several steps was no longer
necessary.
This objective was only achievable through
optimum matching of all Stretch bolts are
designed so that they can be elongated beyond
their elastic limit into the plastic region without
problems. When a specific tightening torque has
been reached, the bolts are turned further
through a defined angle, which pre-loads them
into the plastic region. Consequently, no
retorquing is necessary. the components
involved. A tight, compound joint of engine
block,cylinder-head gasket, cylinder
head, and head bolts.
Higher Bolt Forces
Stretch Bolts
Stretch Bolts Bolts that are tightened beyond
their elastic limit (yield point) into the plastic
region ensure high and uniform bolt clamping
forces. An important prerequisite for reliable
sealed joints without retorquing. In this respect,
stretch bolts offer decisive advantages over
rolled shank bolts. By reducing its shaft diameter,
the bolt is able to respond elastically to dynamic
sealing gap movements, i.e. adaptation
is greatly improved.
Torque-angle Method
In the first step, the bolt is snugged down to the
cylinder head by means of a pretorque. With the
second step, the so-called torque or tightening
angle, the bolt is tightened into the plasticregion,
i.e. beyond its elastic range. Using the torque-
angle method, the variations in bolt clamping
force lie in a range of ±10%. Using the simple
torquing method with several steps, the varia-
tions will be within ±30% of the calculated bolt
clamping force. The reasons for this lie in the
dispersion range of torque values and the overall
coefficient of friction, i.e. the fric-
tion occurring under the bolt
head and in the threads.

Agent in South Africa – INTRADE

Tel: 011-432-2667 • Fax: 011-432-3005 • E-Mail: intrade@iafrica.com

the Buzz?
Bridgestone tyre surveys reveal a high number of dangerously under-
inflated and smooth tyres on the road

T
he latest in Bridgestone South Africa’s nationwide sur-
veys of tyres shows that there is still an unacceptably
high level of motorists driving on tyres that are consid-
ered dangerous and needing to be replaced. The most
recent survey, conducted in Rustenburg reveals that
20% of motorists in this North West Province town are driving on
tyres that are below the acceptable tyre pressure level of 1.8 Bar.
Even more concerning was the fact that 8% of the tyres examined
were found to be at pressures of less than 1.5 Bar, which is consid-
ered to be extremely dangerous. Of the 309 vehicles 5% had tyres
that were considered unsafe in terms of tread depth or damage and
2% had one or more tyres without valve caps. In 11 surveys con-
ducted around the country since 2007, during which more than 16
000 tyres on over 4 000 vehicles have been inspected in eight major
metropolitan areas, just over 78% of all the vehicles inspected were
at or above the acceptable tyre pressure level of 1.8 Bar. “Although
there appears to have been a general improvement since we started
the surveys, the statistics remain alarming,” said Bridgestone’s pub-
lic relations manager Mandy Lovell. “Too many motorists are not
checking their tyre pressures regularly or replacing worn or dam-
aged tyres. “The percentage of Rustenburg motorists whose tyre
pressures fell within the ‘extremely dangerous’ categorisation, that
is less than 1,5 Bar or above 2,9 Bar, is cause for concern as it is the
highest we have encountered so far in all of our surveys. “What we
learn from these tyre surveys is that there is still a need for educat-
ing motorists about the critical role tyres play in vehicle handling
and driver control. Underinflated and damaged tyres are a major
contributory factor to the high number of crashes on our roads,”
added Lovell.

24 September 2010
 Auto Topical

The Air is Free, But

you Pay to Breathe it!
As this article goes to print, the next round of the recurringly stalled talks on a climate
change agreement to be put in place once the imminent sunset of the Kyoto protocol takes
by Tony Twine, place will have reached a conclusion in Cancun, Mexico. South Africa had been one of the
Senior Economist,
Director – few minor heroes of the previous round of talks in Copenhagen, and we suspect that it is
Econometrix building up a head of steam for the last chance to replace the Kyoto protocol before that
(Pty) Ltd
agreement terminates.

O
ne might speculate forever
about the timing of the emis-
sions tax on new cars being
introduced as the sun fades
on the Cancun conference. Additional
interest is certainly pricked by the recent
quiet revelation that the tax on emissions
of R75 for each gram per kilometre above
120g/km will be subject to VAT, raising it
to an effective emissions tax level of 10.5
or R85.50 per g/km over 120g. Well, we
might be entitled to think, the fiscus needs
all the tax that it can raise, so this is not
particularly surprising.
Then add to the picture some rumours
which emerged methane like from the
wastelands of Pretoria during the middle-
months of the year, that it would not just
be new passenger cars that might be sub-
ject to an emissions tax, but also car
derived and one tonne pick-ups. Are we
being cynical in noticing that mini-busses
were absent from the rumoured list? O
well, that still fits the picture of a revenue
hungry fiscus, with the gently mooing cash
cow of the motor industry presenting itself
as a noble target, especially as only rich
people buy new vehicles.
Now add to this picture the fact that one
of the country’s largest petroleum players is
researching all sorts of automotive and
industrial emission generating activities,
and one gets the distinct feeling that they
may be lining up the defensive chatter
necessary to stay in business when
National Treasury puts its proposals on
other emission taxes on the table, possibly
to be implemented in either the 2011 or
2012 budgets. Carbon dioxide, where
Eskom and Sasol are both major contribu-
tors within the South African scenario, is
likely to be joined by carbon monoxide
and the family of nitrous oxide products
and other emissions which are generated
by industrial processes as different to each
other as manufacturing paper to filling
landfill sites. There are many potential
cash cows, all with a trail of methane pro-
duction behind them.
Is the available income from taxing new
vehicle sales, whatever may be included or
excluded from the list of types and applica-
tions, really that urgent in terms of the
budgeted tax receipts that it will generate?
To be honest, this hardly seems likely to be
the case. An emissions tax of 1 cent per
litre on petrol and diesel sales would raise
about half the budgeted 2010/11 revenue
from the seven months during which it
will be effective this fiscal year. This may
be less politically acceptable because of the
reach that such a tax would have across
income bands, instead of being concen-
trated in its impact on upper income earn-
ers. But a 2c/litre tax would look more
insipid in the international clean air debate
than being able to claim that South Africa
has the lowest threshold for new vehicle
emissions tax, set at 120g/km.
Following Copenhagen, all the interna-
tional image that South Africa can muster
will be grist to its diplomatic mill for both
Cancun and anything that is to follow.
And what is to follow is probably the big
prize. The last climate change conference
scheduled before the Kyoto protocol runs
out of currency is set for, you guessed it,
Durban, South Africa late in 2011. For the
South African government in general, and
the foreign diplomatic service in particular,
having the Kyoto protocol succeeded by an
agreement creating the Durban protocol
must look like a prize that makes FIFA
World Cup 2010 look like an under 10
schools soccer tournament. A bit of tax,
especially if it lands squarely on the shoul-
ders of the rich, rather than the poor, is a
small price to pay for such potential fame
and glory.
In the opinion of the writer, we should all
expect to see any commercial, industrial or
household activity, including the Sunday
afternoon braai, that is capable of emitting
anything into the atmosphere, to come
under National Treasury’s magnifying glass
between the dates of the Cancun and
Durban conferences, which are expected
to be a little over a year apart. At the time
of the Durban conference, don’t be too
surprised to see Department of Health
inspectors clamping down on the strength
of the bunny chow sold to visitors.

26 September 2010
 Frankly Speaking
Sounding off on the
by Frank Beeton
Global Motor Industry
Just recently, I read about the substantial product enhancements that are being made to BMW’s Mini family as part of its global relaunch
scheduled for September 18, 2010. These include all-new diesel engines, new wheels, LED rear lights, revised controls, a retractable lug-
gage cover, new audio/navigation systems, and three new trim/paint/wheel combinations to be packaged as Rally, Classic and Scene.
T
his started me thinking about the undoubted
success of this range since its introduction in 2001
(more than one million units have been sold to-
date), which speaks volumes about BMW’s reinven-
tion of the Mini brand. Whereas the original
product, introduced first with Morris and Austin badges, but
eventually moving to its own Mini identity, was a brilliant design
which extracted unprecedented levels of performance and econo-
my from a distinctly geriatric Austin engine, the Mini One fami-
ly which grew out of BMW’s previous ownership of Rover, has
never pretended to be anything other than a highly fashionable
state-of-the-art product dressed in an ageless body shape that
looks familiar in many respects, but is considerably larger than its
progenitor.
When Alec Issigonis penned the original Mini design in the
1950’s, he decided to combine its engine, gearbox and final drive
in one vertically-disposed unit, using engine oil for all lubrication
purposes, and placed it transversely across the front of the car.
This provided a considerable bonus in interior spaciousness, and
set a trend for engine location that still prevails to-day. Inevitably,
however, the unconventional mechanical layout resulted in some
early reliability issues, and added a degree of complexity that was
possibly inappropriate for an entry-level car. While adopting
the transverse engine positioning, other manufacturers soon
moved the gearbox up alongside the engine, and gave it its own
lubrication system. Later, the Mini’s initially simple rubber block
suspension was also replaced by the Hydrolastic interconnected
self-leveling fluid system originally developed for the “big broth-
er” Morris 1100, which added further complication to the design.
The result was that the British Motor Corporation and its succes-
sors British Motor Holdings, British Leyland and Austin Rover
did not derive the desired level of profitability from what was a
successful design in volume sales terms, with almost 5½ million
units having being sold in its 1959-2000 production lifespan.
The important point about BMW’s interpretation of the Mini
theme is that, unlike some other “retro” designs, it has been
commercially successful, and there is not the slightest suggestion
that it is nearing the end of the road, or that BMW intend to
move its production away from the current United Kingdom
location. Of the others, Chrysler’s PT Cruiser has also enjoyed
success, selling similar volumes to the Mini over roughly the same
decade-long timeframe. However, with Chrysler now under Fiat
control, it has been decided to discontinue the model, and final
28
run-out is imminent. Volkswagen’s “New Beetle”, which kicked
off the retro movement in 1998, has very little in common with
its inspirational forebear, apart from the basic shape, even the
trademark rear-mounted air-cooled engine is nowhere to be
found. Production is now well past one million units, but there is
talk of a replacement model in 2011. Fiat’s more recent Nuova
500 has followed a similar pattern, with a front-mounted engine
instead of the original rear-positioned unit, but, despite being
considerably larger than its predecessor, the new 500 has
somehow captured its “feel”, and early signs indicate marketplace
success.
The marque that was possibly most committed to a retro styling
strategy was Jaguar, under its period of Ford stewardship
(1989-2008). By clothing modern platforms and drivetrains in
traditional sheet metal shapes, Jaguar sought to exploit, and build
on its heritage of fine cars in the 1950’s and 60’s. However, the
X-Type, S-Type and XJ Models of the Ford era under-performed,
and proved unable to compete effectively with their natural rivals
from BMW, Audi or Mercedes-Benz. Eventually, Jaguar came to
the conclusion that its products were perceived as “old men’s cars”,
and initiated a total change in styling direction starting with the
XF, just before the company was sold into the control of Tata
Motors of India in 2008.
In the Chicago Auto Show in February, 2008, retro styling even
entered the world of trucking! Following Chevrolet’s 2005
introduction of the HHR (Heritage High Roof ) van, inspired by
the mid-1940’s Suburban van and station wagon, Navistar
International Corporation revealed the LoneStar premium Class 8
truck-tractor, which owed its “Advanced Classic” styling inspira-
tion to the International Harvester D-Line truck range of the
immediate pre-World War II period. LoneStar featured “conven-
tional” (bonneted) styling in the traditional manner beloved of
American truckers, and it was abundantly clear from the launch
literature that it was aimed squarely at the owner-driver market. It
seems, however, that the main thrust of the retro movement has
now passed. Successful retro models that have cemented niches in
the market, in their own right, are likely to continue for some
time into the future, but the momentum that was built up at the
start of the 1990’s has dissipated. There has not been any talk of
new retro models for some time, and it will be interesting to see
if even successful marques like the Mini are positioned a little fur-
ther away from their visual roots at each successive model facelift
or upgrade.
September 2010
 Entrepreneurship
Bootstrapping lifts entrepreneurs
to their feet, but is not enough
for great businesses to flourish
The principle of bootstrapping is starting up a business from scratch with mimimum help and funding from
external sources.
T
here are many legendary busi-
nesses that started out as a
dream in an entrepreneur's eye
and that were built on little
more than the owner's savings or a small
line of credit from a bank. This is the
principle of bootstrapping: starting up a
business from scratch with minimum help
and funding from external sources that
were not really meant to gear up a busi-
ness. But, in reality, most businesses that
are founded this way will fail within a
matter of 18 months to two years as they
start to hit barriers such as an inability to
secure the funding they need to tackle
larger projects or to hire more people.
Often, there problems will be compound-
ed by a lack of capacity for strategic and
financial planning.
Although a credit card or a small loan from
a friend might tide a company over for a
few months, few businesses can plan for
the longer term without strategic support.
Those that don't fail outright will often
become trapped in survival mode, existing
month-to-month and order-to-order with-
out growing their revenues or the amount
of people that they hire.
Typically, early-stage businesses are too
young to qualify for venture capital and
cannot afford consulting-based commer-
cial support. This "skill and equity gap"
has proven to be the death knell of many
an entrepreneurial dream.
Many smaller businesses that stumble over
these obstacles might have succeeded with
more assistance in their early stages. In a
South African economy that has shed
nearly one million jobs as a result of the
global recession the unnecessary failure of
a start-up business should be seen as a
tragedy. We need to look ways of enabling
small businesses with great ideas and a lack
of resources to turn into great companies.
30
That is the role that business accelerator
support firms have to play in the market.
Business accelerators are companies that
offer support and assistance in growing
early-stage business. They not only work
with the entrepreneur to build a bankable
business and then support the fund raising
effort, but also provide ongoing strategic,
management and operational support that
helps them to grow into the future.
Carien Engelbrecht, Co-owner Director of
Strategy and Business Acceleration for
Aurik Business Incubator
Accelerated
growth
The challenges that small businesses face
are not related only to money. They're
often established by someone who is a
superb technician or engineer, but who
lacks expertise in operations, finance, sales
and marketing. In addition, a great busi-
ness needs good back-office infrastructure
to support its growth.
Good financial managers, sales representa-
tives and marketing professionals can be
expensive to hire. A business accelerator
will provide hands-on and strategic help
around these areas, giving the business a
better shot at success.
Some even have back-office hubs that can
take on the management of non-core
processes for the entrepreneurial business
on an outsourced basis. That means the
entrepreneur can focus on what he or she
is good at, without worrying that the oper-
ational or financial aspects of the business
are being neglected.
Without accurate and reliable financial
information, businesses can make costly
mistakes. Back-office administration is an
often neglected and distracting non-core
activity. Accelerators can take care of this
activity for companies, thus improving
their chances of survival and growth.
Holding out for
an angel
Funding is an issue, of course. Venture
capitalists may offer funding help to select
businesses, but they don't have enough
cash to go around. There is a strong role
for angel investors to play in this regard.
We see angel investors and business accel-
erators as having complementary roles.
Angel investors benefit from working with
business accelerators, as the commercial
support that the acceleration service offers
will improve the chances of commercial
success and reduce risks.
Ultimately, we believe that supporting
start-up and early-stage entrepreneurial
companies is critical to the country's
future. Small businesses are the engines of
growth in any economy - they could help
to create new jobs that make up for those
lost in sunset industries such as mining
and clothing and textiles manufacture.
To succeed, however, they need help. It's
the rare business that can lift itself up by its
bootstraps. Most entrepreneurs need sup-
port and funding if they are to achieve
their true potential.
September 2010
 A series of articles on the rise of the Chery automobile
Review of Chery's Market
Performance
In the first half of 2010, sales volume in China’s car market surpassed 9 million units,
by Howard Keeg
startling the world yet again.
D
uring the first half of this year, China’s car output hit
8.4722 million units, up 49% year-on-year, with
growth rates going up by 34 percentage points. Car
sales hit 9.0162 million units, up by 48% compared
to the same period last year, with growth rate increasing 30 per-
centage points. From the market data we can see that market shares
of independent passenger car brands ranked first place from
January to June, and that sales volume rocketed to 3.1823 million
units, sharing 47.35% of the total sales volume in the Chinese pas-
senger car market.
In addition, Chery was shown as the leader among China’s inde-
pendent car brands, achieving a sales volume of 308,900 units,
which shows an increase of 46.25% from the sales volume
(211,200 units) of last year, and achieving higher levels as com-
pared to previous corresponding periods.
Q1 - Sales Record Hits New
Profile
At the beginning of 2010, the car market in China resumed a rea-
sonable growth period after experiencing a huge increase in 2009.
Chery, as the leader among China’s independent brands, achieved
sales volumes of 163,500 units in Q1, up 74.6% on a year-on-year
basis and hitting a new high as compared to previous correspon-
ding periods.
The sales volumes of medium-end vehicles like Tiggo and A3 went
up as a whole, and Tiggo’s sales volume hit 5,812 units in January.
That being said, Chery QQ3, considered as the “King of China’s
Mini Cars”, achieved sales volumes of 19,983 units, showing a
robust growth rate. All in all, the fast-rate growth of sales volumes
in Q1 are laying a solid foundation for Chery with regards to its
annual sales goal.
Q2: Robust Market
Performance
Chery’s Q2 sales volumes reached 145,349 units, representing a
year-on-year increase of 23.8%. Meanwhile, Chery focused on the
fast-growing SUV market, where the Tiggo performed strongly. In
Q2, Tiggo’s sales volumes amounted to 12,652 units, showing sig-
nificant growth as compared to the same period last year. In addi-
tion, Cowin achieved sales volumes of 15,764 units in May, with
average monthly sales volumes surpassing 10,000 units.
32
Also in Q2, QQ3’s average monthly sales volumes reached 11,000
units, which directly contributed to Chery’s sales volumes of
308,900 units in H1. In April, the growth rate of China’s car mar-
ket, which had grown speedily for more than a year, started to slow
down. In May particularly, mainstream carmakers’ sales volumes
declined. Against this backdrop, Chery products still experienced
stable growth. This increased levels of independent brand carmak-
ers’ confidence and accentuated Chery’s indispensable role in the
Chinese market.
Spotlight: All-round
Resurgence in International
Market
In H1, China’s car exports indicated an increasing trend, what with
the rejuvenation of the global economy in 2010. This is also
indicative of Chery’s car sales: in June, Chery’s export volume hit
8053 units, representing a year-on-year increase of 106%. In H1,
Chery’s cumulative export volume amounted to 38,107 units, up
154.3% on a year-on-year basis and higher than the growth rate of
the domestic market. Chery also came in at number one amongst
its counterparts in export volume.
During the resurgence phase of international markets, Chery’s
prominent performances as compared to its domestic counterparts
not only mirrored Chery’s achievements, but also manifested
Chery’s huge development potential on the international market.
This resulted from its fulfillment to the “Fine Development in
2010” strategy made at the beginning of this year, targeted at
“Brand, Technology, Responsibility, Internationalisation”. By the
end of Q2, Chery’s total sales volumes in 2010 had surpassed
300,000 units. In the second half of 2010, Chery’s anticipated
market performance against a backdrop of declining sales volumes
but increasing monthly inventories in the first half, is worth wait-
ing for. Chery’s high-end mainstream products, G3 and G6, will
be successively marketed in the second half. During this time, their
product line portfolio will be enhanced, having gained further
market exposure. This will have a strong impact on domestic medi-
um and high-end markets.
Needless to say, with the increase in overseas factory’ production
capacity and the development of a sales service network in overseas
markets, Chery’s sales growth on the international market will be
further accelerated in the second half. Chery’s market pattern will
be more reasonable, with the internationalisation of markets, and
the brand showing a more favourable development trend.
September 2010
34 September 2010
 Tony’s Take

The Pseudo-Science of
Slaughtering Scapegoats
If this was a script for a Sunday morning religious radio programme, it would begin with the explana-
tion that the ancient Jewish community would sacrifice a goat as a symbol of getting rid of all the sins of
the community, hence the expression scapegoat, which was short for escape-goat. An array of
serious minded South African industrialists appear to have selected the exchange rate of the Rand as their
particular scapegoat, but the question burns as to whether the currency or the industrialists are the
by Tony Twine
guilty parties.

C
onsider the sequence of graphics provided with
this article. Chart 1 shows the enormity of the
task if any meaningful intervention is to be
made by any party, including government, in the
foreign exchange value of the Rand. With trade
in the Rand during the first quarter of 2010
averaging more than US$ 10 Billion per day, one would have to
have a very large war chest to try to move the exchange rate in a
direction that the market would not want it to move in.
Chart 2 depicts the inverse correlation which has probably quelled
the imaginations of those in favour of a weaker Rand. Between
2005 and the first quarter of 2010, there is a clear inverse correla-
tion between the real trade weighted exchange rate of the Rand
and the absolute level of South African exports. The solution to
escalating export values must, therefore, be childishly simple –
weaken the exchange rate of the Rand to drive exports upward.
Unfortunately, childish might be the operative word. Correlations
measure the arithmetic values of sympathetic or antipathetic
movements of variable values. They do not measure causality, or
what drives what.
If correlation was a measure of causality, the 3rd chart might be
taken to indicate that the performance of the real external value of
the Rand drives the performance of the accumulated gross domes-
tic product of the G7 countries. What a powerful position the lit-
tle old South African monetary sector would be in. But it may
well be more sensible to suspect that the performance of the G7
economies, as represented by their cumulative GDP, might influ-
ence the external value of the Rand, rather than the causality being
the other way around.
Which takes us to chart 4, which reflects the high level of positive
correlation between G7 GDP performance and South Africa’s
exports. Will weakening the Rand exchange rate push G7 GDP
growth upwards? Probably not, but improved G7 GDP growth
will probably push the external value of the Rand downwards.
Intervening in the external value of the Rand would simply be
making believe that the G7 economies were doing well, which
they are not. The problem with intervening in the price of the
currency is that, if it is weakened to hide the fact that industries in
an economy are weak, the attempt to camouflage the weakness of
producers comes back to bite the entire economy in the leg, as the
prices of all imports rise.

36 September 2010
 Tony’s Take
Could it be that the industrialists on the bandwagon of
the anthem for a weaker Rand are perhaps trying to run
their business operations in a manner better fitting the
period 1979 to 2001, during which the rand only ever
weakened on an annual average basis? This provided
a “natural” barrier to imports, but really did very little
to stimulate exports, or we should have become one
of the most powerful industrial export economies in
the world.

How about this as an alternative that will not impinge

broadly on all consumers and foreign investors as
heavily as weakening the Rand? Tax the imports of all
goods that can realistically be manufactured in South
Africa, and subsidise the export of those goods via the
tax revenue. O, oops! Sorry, we tried that – it was
called the MIDP. It got bombed by a Canberra.

Answer from page 10

September 2010 37
 weighty
The Many Puzzles of
by Frank Beeton
the 2010 Truck Market
In all the years that I have been involved with analysing and forecasting the South African Truck Market for
commercial vehicles over 3,5 tons Gross Vehicle Mass, the Year 2010 has presented one of the most challenging
scenarios to understand, and predict.
M
uch of the blame can, of
course, be laid at the door
of the Soccer World Cup
tournament, which totally
dominated our national life for four
weeks in June and July. However, in the
run-up, there were so many unanswered
questions about the country’s ability to
deliver a successful event, and if it could,
how many foreign visitors would arrive to
watch it. This created a great deal of
uncertainty in the local business commu-
nity, which was duly reflected in a num-
ber of published confidence indices as we
waited to see what would happen.
To make things worse, the market, which
had shown some early signs of growth,
flattened out after peaking in March, and
refused to exhibit any clear evidence of
“panic buying” as local business confront-
ed its SWC commitments. A substantial
factor supporting the first half-year’s mar-
ket stability was to be found in the Bus
segment, where nearly 1 000 units were
delivered to support SWC activities and
the new Bus Rapid Transit projects being
rolled out in several cities. At the conven-
ient milestone which presented itself at the
end of June, a year-on-year comparison
with the equivalent first six-month period
of 2009 revealed an increase of 9,3% in
overall volume, but, as usual, the devil was
in the segmentation detail. While the
entry-level Medium Commercial segment
suffered a decline of 1,9%. and cruiser-
weight Heavy Commer-cial sales fell by a
more substantial 3,2%, volumes in the
premium Extra Heavy segment rose by
38
issues
19,5%, and Bus sales improved by just less
than 79%.
This profile was somewhat surprising.
There was an expectation that MCV and
HCV sales would be “helped” by last-
minute SWC preparations, as these distri-
bution class vehicles would be most com-
monly utilised for delivering supplies to
the SWC stadia. With construction of the
latter completed well in time for the open-
ing ceremony on June 11th, XHCV vol-
umes, which include construction-specific
tippers and truck mixers, could have been
expected to moderate. The increase in Bus
sales was, however, predictable, given the
considerable numbers of vehicles that were
delivered to PRASA, Autopax and the
Gautrain operation in recent months, even
though the 32 specially imported Hyundai
World Cup team coaches were not record-
ed in the NAAMSA market reports.
With those results behind us, it was time
to look ahead to the second half of 2010.
Initially, there had been some fears of a
“mirror image” pattern, with the intensi-
fied selling rate anticipated just before June
being followed by a slump. In the event,
however, with the notable exception of Bus
sales, this did not happen, so we had to
think again. One of the pleasing aspects of
the 2010 market has been the stability
shown in June and July, two months in
which considerable distraction from the
selling task was to be rationally expected.
As it turned out, volumes of 1 880 and 1
771 units respectively were not far off the
peak of 2 150 units recorded in March.
This has given us hope that the “mirror
image” will not happen, and that normali-
ty from August onwards will allow for
some margin of growth.
Significantly, the substantially improved
XHCV performance reflects a more sup-
portive financing environment for these
R1 million-plus vehicles. One of the fea-
tures of the 2009 market, which fell back
to levels last seen in 2004/5, was the cred-
it restrictions that severely impacted the
sales of premium payload units. During
the early months of 2010, we saw an
aggressive move by Wesbank into commer-
cial vehicle financing. Prior to this, the
“Wheels Bank” had been notably conser-
vative in its engagement with the heavier
side of the business, and the change of
heart was welcomed in the industry.
Several vehicle manufacturers had resorted
earlier to offering their own in-house
financing facilities to intending pur-
chasers, but the Wesbank move held out
promise for those vehicle distributors who
did not enjoy this option.
While we are resigned to a substantial
decrease in bus sales activity in the second
half of 2010, our expectations for growth
in the total market have become slightly
more comfortable. Back in May,
Econometrix’ macro economic model was
suggesting a total market in excess of 22
000 units, but this will have to be moder-
ated somewhat to accommodate our sec-
ond-quarter overrun of around 1 000
units. In any event, we believe that most
players in the industry will be very pleased
if the market were to reach a level of 21
000 units in 2010, which would result in
year-on-year growth of more than 10%
over 2009.
September 2010
 Life Goes on

Good is the Enemy

of Great
Each month, NAAMSA issues its New Vehicle Sales Report, which provides the unit sales
by manufacturer. I find this document a fascinating read, but recently the most fascinating
by Austin Gamble
part is the last line, denoted as AMH & AAD.

J
uly 2010 NAAMSA sales were 35 555 What is not mentioned is the relentless
units, but when the AMH and AAD pressure from the suits in Seoul. In my
numbers are added, the industry total column in the June 2010 issue of ABR, I
climbs to 41 367. The extra 5 812 units quoted CEO Alan Ross, “impossible tar-
make up a significant 14% of the total. gets are the way they do business”. This is
NAAMSA adds a memo breaking this fig- reinforced by the motivational messages
ure down into small cars (2120), medium hanging on the walls of Stanley Anderson’s
cars (624), large cars (100), 4x4 recreation- office; the most succinct being “Good is
al/SUV (1 115), and LCV (624). What is the Enemy of Great”. It is clear that
left unsaid is that the big elephant in the Stanley subscribes to this, as he enthusias-
room is Hyundai. To get more clarity on tically tells me about Hyundai’s “modern
this egg dance, I visited Stanley Anderson, premium” product philosophy, which
Hyundai South Africa’s Director of offers the perfect combination of fresh
Marketing. ideas, novel solutions and top technology,
all packaged in a hard to resist value for
Stanley Anderson attributes Hyundai’s money lure.
success to its range of vehicles, which in
the current buying down trend, puts The Theta-II GDI (Gasoline Direct
Hyundai in the pound seats. A quick look Injection) engine which goes into the
at the Hyundai website confirms this prog- Stanley Anderson, Hyundai South Sonata available in America. This engine
nosis. Just look at this range, and the pric- Africa’s Director of Marketing boosts fuel economy by 10%, whilst
ing levels: reducing emissions by a whopping 30%.
Hyundai’s association with this event has The bad news is that this engine will not
Atos R91 900 increased the brand awareness and image be coming to South Africa anytime soon,
i10 R105 900 – R126 900 considerably, with Anderson reporting “a purely because of the high sulphur
Getz R127 900 – R143 900 drastic increase in showroom traffic”. He content in South African petrol. This
Accent R146 900 – R169 900 continues, “it was an opportunity to con- highlights the contradictory and
i20 R149 900 – R159 900 nect with the people, and we leveraged off hypocritical nature of the decision by
Elantra R189 900 the Hyundai Goodwill Ball, taking it to all the authorities to tax emissions, whilst
i30 R189 900 – R229 900 the major shopping centres around the not punishing the refineries for not being
iX35 R239 900 – R369 900 country”. able to deliver cleaner fuel.
H1 Wagon R295 900 – R359 900
H100 Bakkie R148 900 – R176 900
H1 Panel Van R236 900

We’re in a good
place
A little “lig in die broek” on the commer-
cial vehicle side, but all that is missing in
the passenger car line-up is a luxury sedan,
and guess what? – the new Sonata is just
around the corner! As Stanley says, “We’re
in a good place”. Not an understatement,
considering the fact that in the first six
months of 2010, Hyundai increased its
market share by 45%. Having a good
range is one thing, but there are other
strong factors assisting the surge, not least
the sponsorship of the FIFA World Cup.

40 September 2010
 AIDC Quiz

by Roger McCleery

Roger McCleery asks the questions

See how many of these 20 Questions you can answer.
1. What was South Africa’s top selling motor car (for the 3rd month in a row) in July?

2. Name the country that has more oil than all the Middle Eastern regions together.

3. Where was the recent Cars in the Park Motor Show held?

4. Who led the World F1 Championship at the start of the mid-season summer break?

5. Where was he born?

6. Who won the first Formula 1 modern Grand Prix 60 years ago?

7. What was he driving?

8. From what town did the famous Mille Miglia start and finish?

9. What make of British/German car is returning to the World Rally Championship in 2011 on a limited basis?

10. What make of car won the South African Car of the Year in 2010?

11. What Italian motorcycle company wants to sign up Valentino Rossi?

12. KTM Motorcycles have just produced a high performance car with a 2 litre Volkswagen engine? What is this model called?

13. What motor company makes aircraft, cars, power products (engine generators and water pumps), quads and motorcycles?

14. How many motorcycles does Honda make per annum?

15. Who makes Subaru motor cars?

16. Name the new MD of Geely cars in South Africa.

17. What company continued to make the Jeep after World War II?

18. Where was the first traffic light established in the world?

19. What famous Alfa Romeo model is soon to be introduced into South Africa?

20. Name two Indian motor manufacturers represented in South Africa.

Answers on page 90

42 September 2010

Where did all the tyres go?
Stockpiles of tyres now look like an investment.
I
t used to be that all a farmer needed
to do to get a gratis truck load of
scrapped tyres was to make one
phone call to the nearest tyre factory
or local dealer. Tyres that had no life left
thus got recycled to be used in embank-
ments, soak pits, woven bakkie-mats or
turned-out as cattle feed stations.
Nowadays, however, everyone has only a
limited supply of old tyres. This while
small mountains of scrapped tyres have
been noted at cement kilns.
Could it be that the industry is readying
itself for the new dawn of tyre recycling by
stockpiling rubber?
This long-awaited dawn will break as soon
as the Department of Environmental
Affairs announces the start of its approved
plan to manage scrapped tyres on rim sizes
from 8 inches to 25 inches.
The only question which the DEA still has
to answer is how much the vehicle owner
will have to pay extra on each tyre to fund
all this order.
Already dubbed the “Green Fee”, (not to
be confused with the Green Tax on exhaust
emissions), this amount will be levied on
all passenger and commercial vehicle tyres
which were produced by the subscribers to
the DEA’s approved integrated plan.
The Waste Tyre Regulation calls on all tyre
producers, including both manufacturers
and importers, to subscribe to a plan.
With the notable exception of the Tyres
Dealers and Fitment Association, more
than 85% of South Africa’s tyre producers
and importers have already subscribed to
the non-profit company’s Integrated Waste
Tyre Management Plan. The subscribers
include Goodyear and Rubber Resources,
who crumbs Goodyear reject truck tyres in
Port Elizabeth and is currently the only
tyre crumbing facility in South Africa.
Producers that join the SATRP Plan will
only start paying a green fee on tyres
imported or manufactured, when that cat-
September 2010
Tyre Talk
egory of tyres is phased into the collection
process.
Meanwhile, tyre dealers continue to sell
tyres with sufficient tread to guys who may
or may not have re-grooving tools.
Hermann Erdmann, spokesman for the
Tyre Dealers and Fitment Association, said
this currently “unofficial recycling” formed
part of the official plan they had submitted
to DEA as it creates hundred of jobs in the
informal sector. The DEA did not
approve.
Albi Modise, chief director of communica-
tions at the Department of Environmental
Affairs (DEA), told ABR that only one of
the four plans which the department
received had met all the criteria set out in
the regulations governing waste tyres,
namely the plan developed by Dr Ettienne
Human for the section 21 company, SA
Tyre Recycling Programme (SATRP).
The SATRP is currently issuing tenders to
establish registered waste-tyre collection
agents and accredited waste-tyre users in
each province.
A leaflet distributed by the SATRP
includes crumbing as one of the many
ways to clean up South Africa’s old tyres.
by Alwyn Viljoen
Soon, everyone will be
fighting to recycle this tyre.
“Dealers will be able to get rid of waste
tyres, without cost to them, waste tyre
transporters and processors will create
jobs, waste tyre processors will receive a
virtually free supply of rubber, roads will
be safer and, last but not least, South
Africa will boast a cleaner, healthier envi-
ronment,” reads the pamphlet. The
Earthlife Africa Toxics Group begs to dif-
fer: The group understands “waste tyre
processors” to mean cement kilns and sees
crumbing as only the first step to supply
the kilns with suitably grated rubber. It has
issued its own pamphlet which states:
“Burning tyres in cement kilns is not ‘recy-
cling’ or a sound disposal solution. Toxic
by-products are created and dispersed to
enter the food chain and our bodies.
Cement factories in other countries that
are permitted to burn tyres and other
wastes have been unable to consistently
stay within emission limits,” and adds
that:“South Africa must, as a signatory to
the Stockholm Convention, REDUCE the
production of Dioxins and Furans, which
tyre burning increases.”
alwynjsviljoen@gmail.com is an award-
winning transport and travel writer
43
 What’s the Buzz?

WATCH OUT FOR ROAD DAMAGE

AND ITS EFFECT ON YOUR TYRES
Bad weather can cause potholes of all sizes on many roads including motorways,
so truck drivers need to take extra care when driving to avoid damage to their
trucks. Tyres are especially at risk, because sharp edges and deep potholes can
damage the tread or the sidewalls. "The holes in the road surface mean that tyres
and rims in particular suffer," warns Björn Bolze, head of Customer Service for
Tyres at Continental Tyre. "Moreover, if the tyres have insufficient pressure, there
is a risk that the tyre sidewall will be squashed and damaged. In extreme cases this
can lead to tyre failure. Low speed reduces the risk." Bolze says the rims may also
be damaged in the process of driving over a pothole - and with expensive alloys,
consequential costs may be high. This is a good reason for checking tyre pressure
more often than usual in order to protect the tyre and spot creeping pressure loss.
According to Bolze, "Taking potholes too widely may endanger cyclists or
oncoming traffic. Tailgating the vehicle in front is now even riskier than usual, as
loose chippings and/or larger chunks of tarmac may be thrown up from the road
- causing damage to paintwork or even cracks in the glass in extreme cases. Brian
Clarke, General Sales Manager : CVT at Continental Tyre agrees, “Damage to
truck tyres can be caused by potholes, rocks and stones in the road, loose metal
objects in the road, the edges of tar on the sides of the road, curbs and loading
bay walls and rails and loose nails and other rubbish in delivery and collection
yards. “All these hazards can damage and in some cases destroy a tyre. If one of
these hazards are run over or hit, check the tyres at the next stop. If it was a major
impact, you should stop as soon as possible and check for damage,” advises
Clarke. Clarke notes that hitting potholes can result in impact fractures. “Look
for up and down splits on the sidewall and cracking across the tread," he suggests.
Hitting rocks and stones can cut treads or sidewalls. Sharp rocks can also pene-
trate the tread and cause deflation or even burst the tyre. “Look at the tread of
the tyre for tears or cuts and similar damage as well as cuts and injuries on the
sidewalls. Stone cause the same impact problems as potholes so look for the same
type of damage. “It is important to always check dual wheels for rocks or simi-
lar objects that might have been lodged between them, as this can cause severe
damage to both tyres,” notes Clarke. Running over metal objects usually results
in tread cut damage and they can also flick up and cut the sidewall. Driving tyres
over curbs or brushing against the sides of curbs is one of the most common
forms of tyre damage. Driving over curbs can destroy the outer ribs of the treads,
while brushing against a curb can result in sidewall cuts and puncturing.
“Important for truck drivers to note is that driving in the yellow lines is not only
a dangerous driving practice but it can also severely damage tyres. If a tyre is driv-
en off the tar, the outside portion of the tread may get damaged as well as possi-
ble damage to the sidewalls. “Practiced drivers should never drive in the yellow
lines. They should also ensure they are driving smoothly without harsh braking,
rapid acceleration or rapid cornering. This will also greatly enhance tyre life as
well as fuel consumption and ensure drivers get their safely,” adds Clarke.
NeilPryde to set sails on two wheels:
BMW Group subsidiary
DesignworksUSA develops two high-per-
formance road bikes in collaboration
with the windsurfing champion.
Whenever equipment for high-performance water sports is the
issue, the name NeilPryde immediately comes to mind. The
expertise acquired by the company during the past 40 years in the
field of sports performance, wind management, aerodynamics
and lightweight construction, will soon be available to the cyclist
on the road. The leading water and adventure sports manufactur-
er has ventured into new terrain. NeilPryde has launched two
high-performance road bikes, which have been developed in col-
laboration with the Singapore-based studio of DesignworksUSA,
a BMW Group subsidiary. The bikes were presented to the pub-
lic at the Vatenfall Cyclassics, which took place in Hamburg in
August 2010. As is the case with all NeilPryde water sports prod-
ucts, design also plays a significant role in the manufacture of
bikes. Whether automobile, surfboard or bike, design is the cru-
cial factor for making a purchase decision. The team at
DesignworksUSA regarded the project as a particularly exciting
challenge. It was not simply a matter of product design, but all
about visually interpreting the successful enterprise’s brand iden-
tity within a new industry and significantly and sustainably shap-
ing the future face of NeilPryde on the asphalt. The first two
models from the NeilPryde road bike series can be pre-ordered
worldwide on the Internet at www.neilprydebikes.com (delivery
scheduled to commence mid September 2010).

Don’t let incorrect battery advice cost you money

Thousands of functional batteries are wasted each year due to incorrect advice given to battery owners. Many batteries that are thought to be faulty
and that require jump-starting often are not performing efficiently due to a faulty charging system. The battery itself is in perfect working order. Also,
simple maintenance procedures can lengthen the life of a battery. Battery Centre’s Marketing Director, Andrew Webb, has the following tips to ensure
motorists’ batteries last as long as possible.

Keep it clean and dry - Check the condition of the battery’s terminals. If they are corroded, they need to be cleaned with a wire brush or bat-
tery cleaner spray. “Corrosion prevents the free flow of current through the battery, reducing the amount of power available to start the car”, explains
Webb. The entire battery should be kept clean and dry to ensure it can deliver maximum power.

Know how to jump-start - Jump-starting incorrectly is dangerous and can cause damage to the vehicle's electrical system. If the vehicle needs
to be jump-started, first check the manufacturer’s guidelines to prevent injury and vehicle damage.

Monitor terminals - Check if your battery terminals are tight. Loose connections result in loss of power. It’s best to check these connections often.
Also ensure that the battery fits snugly in the battery tray. If there is movement the connections may become loose.

Get it tested - Batteries should be tested at least once a quarter. Battery Centre offers this service for FREE. Batteries should also be tested before
a long trip to avoid battery failure and becoming stranded out of town.

Make sure before you toss it - Batteries that need jump-starting in colder months aren’t necessarily destined for recycling. Battery failure can
be a result of a faulty charging system. Again, visit your nearest Battery Centre and have this checked for FREE.

“If a motorist doesn’t have time for battery maintenance, or if they have a high powered vehicle, such as a 4x4 or classic car, we recommend a more
powerful battery. The Raylite Ultimate batter, with AGM technology produces 30% more current and requires no maintenance. And it lasts up to
30% longer. Visit Battery Centre for some expert advice from our battery fitment technicians, call toll free on 0800 112 600 or visit
batterycentre.co.za”, concludes Webb.

44 September 2010
 WIlde Things

Cash Rhino –
Treasury’s New Term
by Fingal Wilde for the Motor Industry
ABR’s esteemed contributor on all things economic Tony Twine, did a very interesting article in the April 2010
issue of South Africa’s premier automotive aftermarket publication, titled Déjà vu and the Fiscal Cash Cow,
whereby he gleefully dissected the facts about taxation on the automotive industry and the long suffering motorist.

T
ony analysed all the taxes that
our profligate government
levies on a vehicle during its
lifetime, from factory floor to
scrapyard, and he came to the shocking
conclusion that the major cost compo-
nent, by far, for the industry and the
motorist is, you guessed it, taxes. A very
sad state of affairs, paying for the affairs of
state, and the state president, but our fis-
cus is apparently far from satisfied. It
appears that they are all for getting blood
out of a stone, because despite the inordi-
nate amount already extorted, yes, you
heard me, EXTORTED, from this con-
venient cash cow, Pravin and his cohorts
believe that the well is not yet dry. In
September the emissions tax, Vat and all,
will come into effect, under the disgrace-
ful subterfuge of environmental concern.
Then, after a short period to allow for belt
Pravin Gordham is a big game hunter, and
is going after the cash rhino.
notches to be adjusted, the Gauteng
motorist will be stung very severely for
having the temerity to drive on the roads
already adequately funded from other tax
sources. And for those non-Gautengers
who are looking on with a smile, enjoy it
while it lasts, because this is a sting that
will soon be coming to a road near to you.
Other nasty surprises are also around the
corner – once the tyre waste disposal
system is implemented, we’re going to
cough up more for those nice gentlemen
to get rid of our smelly polluting tyres,
with Vat added, of course. The mind has
gone beyond boggling, but I am sure that
in some smoke filled room in the bowels
of the Department of Motor Industry
Screwing, new and more devious tax plots
are being hatched. Someone needs to
stand up and say no more, otherwise
before we know it, we shall all be cycling
our way to work, and having to scatter
when the blue light brigade comes past –
yes, the fat cats in government will still be
on the road, as they will survive. But we
won’t, because the motor industry is no
longer a cash cow, it has been added to the
endangered species, and can now be called
a cash rhino. Maybe I shouldn’t have men-
tioned cycling – this will give the guys
ideas.

Schengen Schadenfreude

I
nternational travel is becoming
increasingly unpleasant, what with
the security checks and delays which
have become par for the course, and
the added ignominy of dreadful organic
compounds euphemistically delivered as
airline meals. But another torture awaits
South African travellers, in the form of the
Visa application. Last year I travelled to
the UK, and I had to suffer the humilia-
tion of being treated as some sort of crim-
inal, merely because I wanted to visit that
blighted isle to see my first grandchild.
And they charge you money to insult you!
But wait, this was pure nirvana compared
to my recent experience with the German
Embassy. Simply because I needed to trav-
el to this strange land of leather seated
men to attend the Automechanika show
(and to assist their economy!), I had to
once again part with my hard earned
money to acquire a Schengen Visa. What
an experience. It starts with a shakedown
at the security gate, where the security
guard offers parking inside in exchange for
a small informal fee. Then, heaven help
you if you do not arrive exactly ten min-
utes before time. If you’re early, you’re told
to pay penance downstairs until it’s your
time. I’d hate to know what happens if
you’re late, and I’m not prepared to find
out. Once your number is called out, you
have to stand for the interrogation, and
take some flak from a Rosa Klebb clone
with absolutely no sense of humour and
the inability to understand the concept of
flexibility. Despite the fact that I have
been staying at the same bed and breakfast
in Frankfurt for some 20 years, the mere
fact that I could not provide a postal code
(which could have easily been looked up
on the internet, which I did as soon as I
was back in the office – you cannot use
your cell phone at the embassy!) – made
me think that I had mistakenly entered
bin Laden as my surname. I had to make
the trek to Pretoria once again for this
serious offence.
I was very angry at the time, but upon
reflection I realised that the problem does
not lie with the Schengen states, nor the
UK, nor the US, nor the Aussies – the
problem lies with us. Or more specifically
the problem lies with our dysfunctional,
corrupt, inefficient, and disgraceful
Department of Home Affairs, which
issues false passports like sweets. I even
wonder how legitimate my passport really
is. Sies.

September 2010 45
 Intelli-Driving

Low Risk Driving produces

what most businesses want -
by Eugene Herbert
a better, Triple Bottom Line
The term Triple Bottom Line refers to optimising efficiencies in three separate, but related areas
of management – Financial, Environmental, Social.

C
onsider the following; Driver
'X' is on the road a lot of the
time, and operates under steady
pressure to meet targets. As a
result, 'X' feels the need to rush frequently.
Rushing uses more fuel, promotes wear &
tear, and increases the likelihood of crash-
ing. This person's operating style has a
direct impact on the businesses Triple
Bottom Line. If we look in a little more
detail, we can see that something as simple
as rushing impacts on the TBL in the fol-
lowing ways; rushing uses more fuel, pro-
duces more toxic gases, particulates and
noise. The increased wear & tear on the
vehicle will require more frequent replace-
ment of consumable items such as tyres,
brakes, clutches and lubricants.
In all of the instances noted above, a clear
link can be seen between both the financial
& environmental factors. However, what
about the social or human impact of
rushing?
Drivers who feel the need to rush are usu-
ally more stressed than drivers who don't
feel that way. Stressed drivers tend to be
more aggressive, competitive and even
combative on the roads. Stress causes high-
er blood pressure which in turn is linked to
heart disease and stroke.
Drivers who operate under pressure often
think more about their own needs when
driving, than the needs of others.
They will be less likely to "let someone in"
a socially desirable trait, and more likely to
"keep someone out", or, "rush yellow
lights" both dangerous habits to develop.
Ask yourself this question; if driver 'X' was
in a vehicle with your company name on
the side, how would you feel about 50 or
100 of these drivers representing you or
your shareholders? Your employees' observ-
able behaviour may well be in considerable
conflict with your organization’s values.
It goes without saying that crashing costs
money. Lost time, medical expenses, vehi-
cle repairs & depreciation are all obvious
costs associated with crashing. But what
about the hidden costs? Work cover premi-
ums and vehicle insurance are tied to past
performance.
Crashing this year will have a direct effect
on pushing up costs in the future.
Traffic accidents are one of the leading
causes of death & serious injury in South
Africa. The latest figures indicate that the
cost to the Government is anywhere
between R 43 million and R 70 million a
year Low Risk Drivers on the other hand
tend towards 'Y'. That is, they tend not to
rush, their overall travelling speeds are
lower and their behaviour is demonstrably
more socially desirable.
Low Risk Drivers are supportive and adap-
tive. They acknowledge the diversity of
road users and consider the needs and
weaknesses of others. They look for oppor-
tunities to "let people in", and adopt a col-
laborative rather than combative disposi-
tion. They drive more carefully, crash less,
and are usually much less stressed.
Sometimes, they choose not to drive at all
if there is a better alternative.
Low Risk Drivers understand how their
choices impact on the Triple Bottom Line -
Financial, Environmental & Social. Not
only do they understand the impact of
their choices, they are motivated to make a
difference
So what do you think - a new year’s resolu-
tion worth implementing?
Till next time - safe driving.

the Buzz?
TOYOTA TEACH PRIMARY SCHOOL PROJECT
GATHERS MOMENTUM
Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) will increase its focus on the better education of primary school children in rural KwaZulu-Natal, says Jenny
Maré, General Manager: Corporate Affairs at TSAM. Speaking during an exploratory visit to a number of schools supported by TSAM, or so-called
Toyota Teach Schools, Maré highlighted the company’s focus on education as a cornerstone of economic and political stability. The exploratory visit
was dubbed the Hilux Gives Back-initiative, which seeks to acknowledge the important role of employees in rural KwaZulu-Natal in the success of
Toyota in South Africa. The Hilux, who recently celebrated 40 years of success in South Africa, remains South Africa’s most popular vehicle and is
manufactured at Toyota’s Prospecton Plant in KwaZulu-Natal. “It was the late Dr. Albert Wessels, the founder and CEO of Toyota South Africa that
first identified education as a key focal point of our social development agenda. This has remained over the years and although we have various proj-
ects that focus on the primary, secondary and tertiary education sectors, we believe that our Toyota Teach Primary School Project or TTPSP remains
the flagship of our corporate social responsibility programmes.”

48 September 2010
 Tyres
This month we continue with the responsibilities of tyre staff in a fleet.
I
t is also perhaps the right time to men-
tion the overlooked importance of tyre
staff throughout the country. In all
fleets big or small, heavy trucking or parcel
service the tyre staff usually take a back
seat. They are commonly on minimum
wage, have minimum training, get the
worst place on the premises to work in and
have lousy working hours, often working
weekends too. Most tyre stores are poorly
equipped with the minimum basics need-
ed to fit and remove tyres, being dirty,
hard manual labour. It should however be
more important to the fleet owner, and it
should be a job of high skill if done cor-
rectly. Skill of course needs to be taught
and only well trained staff become highly
skilled staff.
We’ve often said that tyres are all that keep
vehicles on the road. Vehicles in fleets are
worth a fortune. In most cases, tyres in a
fleet are the third highest running cost. It
does not make sense to take the most safe-
ty critical product on your vehicle, which
is your third highest cost, and give it to the
people considered the least trained. They
are normally expected to do the best job
they can, at all hours including the week-
ends.
Tyre staff should carry more status and
they should be well trained to become
highly skilled in working with life saving
components. They need to understand
what they are working with. They need to
understand the importance of their
responsibilities. The way things are cur-
rently, it is unrealistic and unfair to expect
professional work from any tyre fitter in
50
and Their Contribution
to Safety in Motoring
www.bridgestone.co.za
the country. It is time for fleet owners to
become proactive as they carry the real
responsibility.
Road safety as well as tyre safety begins
with the basics; like the maintaining of
clean rims which allows the tyre to seat
cleanly and surely in the rim flange. Basics
like keeping the tyres themselves clean and
preserving their longevity. Basics like using
a torque wrench instead of long pole on
the end of a wheel spanner. The basic use
of air tools to mainly loosen wheel nuts,
and never to tighten them with.
Many small basic factors which enhance
the safety of your fleet, and will make sure
that you save money in the long term. But
getting the basics right requires staff train-
ing. It is up to fleet management to get the
training right.
What one wants is tyre staff that under-
stands and knows what to do, how to do it
and very importantly why it should be
done. This should include everything from
the tyres themselves, through to the ancil-
lary components, to a basic understanding
of the wheel and suspension components
which have any effect on the tyres. Again
this requires training.
The correct approach to tyre management,
which is barely practiced anywhere, should
not be underestimated. Tyres are what
keep the wheels rolling and the business
going. Your tyre staff is directly and indi-
Marcus Haw
rectly responsible for the safety of your
vehicle and your transport personnel’s safe-
ty. They could also be responsible for the
death of some innocent road user. Don’t
underestimate the worth or importance of
your tyre staff.
We as South Africans in the transport
industry, in all its various shapes and
forms, need to take on a new approach.
We are too often complacent and should
rather start making changes to the way we
do business. With our history of road acci-
dents and breakdowns in the transport sec-
tor in general, it would seem wise to look
to ourselves and try and improve matters.
Instead we carry on as before, doing things
as they have always been done, and gener-
ally hiding from the consequences. It’s
time to change.
The consequence of poor tyre mainte-
nance is road accidents. The consequence
of poor tyre staff is poor tyre maintenance.
Take the lead and train your tyre staff.
Give them the recognition they deserve.
Accept that they are working with safety
critical items and they are carrying huge
responsibility. Give them that responsibili-
ty and let them own it. You will reap the
benefits of safer, more reliable and more
economical running of your fleets.
And you’ll be a leader in your field and
hopefully start a trend. A trend of safety,
particularly Tyre Safety.
September 2010
 the Buzz?
CONTROL INSTRUMENTS
LAUNCHES WARRANTY CALL
CENTRE FOR WHOLESALERS
Control Instruments Automotive, the subsidiary of JSE-listed
Control Instruments and the manufacturer and supplier of Gabriel
shock absorbers, has launched a retail warranty call centre and care-
line for all Gabriel aftermarket products. “While the call centre is
aimed at Gabriel’s retail partners to provide a swift warranty claim
process, it will be beneficial to consumers and channel partners as
well,” says Sean Staley, brand manager for Gabriel. “The call centre
will provide a streamlined process for all retail outlets to log informa-
tion for warranty claims during and after hours and receive an imme-
diate response and authorisation and will include a stock shortage
care line service.” Staley says the company is ISO 14001, ISO9000
and TS standards approved. “This puts us in good standing with the
requirements of the pending Consumer Protection Act (CPA) which
is aimed at protecting the consumer. Much of the CPA legislation is
already adhered to in terms of the Gabriel’s internal safety, quality
control and warranty standards. Safety has always been a key issue in
the manufacture of Gabriel products and the CPA will protect the
consumer from unscrupulous suppliers and private products”.

American Tyre
Technology
now in
South Africa!

It’s finally arrived…a world-class tyre sealant technology that

will save your company large amounts of money and time!
Air-Seal tyre sealant is an Aramid based product (as used in
bullet proof vests) that does not separate or solidify.
Punctures are instantly repaired, without the use of gum,
latex, glues, or cork, ensuring that idle labour and machine
downtime is avoided.
Our tyre sealant offers –
• State-of-the-art fibres
• Strength - A final seal provided by strong fibres, provid-
ing an airtight plug.
• Suspension stability - A high performance sealant that
will last for the life of the tyre
• The only product used by the British, American Army
and other large companies.
• Inertness – sealant will not react chemically with any part
of the tyre/wheel assembly
• Corrosion protection – effectively inhibits rust and cor-
rosion
• Prevention of flats from large punctures
• Extended tyre life
• Eco friendly

If your business has tyres working for you we will be able to

help make a difference.

For more information please contact us on

info@airseal.co.za or visit our Website on
www.airseal.co.za or contact
Willie Breytenbach at 083 324 2983

September 2010
 Customer C.A.R.E. Programme
– sponsored by Federal-Mogul

MODULE Fifteen: THE FORMALISATION STAGE – CONTINUED

The Hut System

D
epending on the size and complexity of the firm, these activities, in our search for excellence (apologies to Peters).
each hut could also have smaller huts within the We have no option, as we have to strive for perfection, because
main huts. This must be the decision of the leader there are other kraals who are also adding value to their seat cov-
of that specific main hut. This is not a subsistence ers, and we are competing for the same market.
kraal, which only makes Ecstasy seat covers for its
own use. This is a highly competitive kraal, selling premium qual- The 21st century hut system would look
ity seat covers at a competitive price, professionally marketed to
something like this -
people outside of the community. To do this, the entire kraal is
collectively responsible for adding value to the product that it
imports/manufactures, markets and sells.

Therefore, even though our first priority is to look after our indi-
vidual huts, and to sweep in front of the hut, we must always take
cognisance of the fact that whatever we do impacts on the other
huts, in some way. So we need to speak to the other huts (COM-
MUNICATION), and we need to allow them to sometimes help
us sweep in front of our hut, and vice versa; they will sometimes
need us to help them to sweep in front of their hut (CO-OPER-
ATION). With this bit of common sense, it does not take a rock-
et scientist to realise how important the two C’s apply in this sce-
nario: COMMUNICATION and CO-OPERATION become
critical. This is known as the C2 cardinal rule. Our brooms can
no longer be traditional – they will all need to have more than one
handle!

To facilitate this process, we need to identify every important task

in each hut, and to designate responsibility, e.g. who is going to
collect the wood for the fire, who is going to build the fire, who
is going to light the fire, who is going to look after the fire, who
is going to collect the water, who is going to boil the water, who
is going to carry the hot water, who is going to use the water, who
is going to clean the ashes, etc., etc., etc. This is a painstaking, but
important task, which is actually quite simple once you’ve put
your mind to it. But still time consuming. The people doing these
tasks may not all come from the same hut, so the person who is
in charge of the hut that the chief activity falls under, has to co-
ordinate these activities, with the requisite co-operation from the
other huts that need to be involved. Now we need 3 C’s: COM-
MUNICATION, CO-OPERATION and CO-ORDINATION,
better known as the C3 cardinal rule.
With C3 being of vital importance, we need to have regular meet-
ings; in the kraal vernacular, Umhlanganos; to dovetail all of
DISCUSSION POINTS
1. Rate the communication, co-operation
and co-ordination that you are currently
experiencing in your company. Discuss.
2. Take a relatively simple process in your
company, that requires input from vari-
ous departments, and break it down into
its respective tasks. How would you do it
differently utilising the HUT system.
Discuss.
3. Is perfection attainable? Discuss.
4. Do you like competition? Discuss.

52 September 2010
 Workshop Update

Making South Africa

a Better Place
Wednesday 4th August 2010 was an auspicious day for South Africa, with the launch of a new initiative
calling for South Africans to respect the country’s laws and to lead by example. The Lead SA call to action was
created to remind every South African to challenge negative perceptions, to follow the rule of law and help
change the country, and to put into effect former president Nelson Mandela’s call to the citizens of the
country to be proactive about improving their lives.
“It is in your hands to create a better world for Mohammed Abed receives his cer-
tificate of appointment as the first
all who live in it, and to make a difference,” the AutoCrew in Africa from Dave
clarion call from Madiba, is the point of depar- Stalker, representing Robert Bosch
ture for this campaign, and making a difference South Africa, Automotive
to the citizens of Springs is Mohammed Abed. Division. Dave told the attendees
This was in evidence at the first official opening that the AutoCrew workshop con-
cept is important to Bosch, and
of an AutoCrew workshop in Africa, situated at that they looked forward to a long
100 Second Street in Springs. Mohammed was term close partnership with
motivated to open an AutoCrew workshop from Mohammed and his team. He
his experiences as a used car dealer. He found it pointed out that the AutoCrew
difficult to find a professional workshop in concept is not new, having been
established in Germany over 30
Springs which could meet his exacting require- years ago, and which has now a
ments, so he started to look around for an alter- wide footprint across Europe. He
native, and this he found in the AutoCrew con- sees this concept as perfect for
cept. His research convinced him that this was South Africa, with its emphasis on
the best workshop concept available, and the technical competence, high stan-
dards, and the backing of a well-
backing of the Bosch organisation is what known brand and an iconic inter-
clinched the deal. AutoCrew Springs is now national organisation. With the
open for business, offering repairs to all vehicles Bosch philosophy that the customer
under the expert eye of Service Manager Kobus is the most important person in the
du Preez, someone who has had extensive expe- business, Dave reiterated that
AutoCrew Springs would be an
rience on Volkswagen, Toyota and Ford vehicles. asset to the community, as it would
Kobus and his team, comprising David, Sipho offer consistently high technical
and Emmanuel, promise good service at afford- service, with standards and equip-
able prices, with a warranty of 3 months/ ment continuously being moni-
10 000km on all work done. Dave Stalker, Mohammed Abed, Kobus du Preez tored through quality audits.

54 September 2010
 the Buzz?
RMI CHALLENGES
GOVERNMENT’S CO2
TAX PLAN
South Africa’s Retail Motor Industry organisation (RMI) has lent its full
support to the urgent call by the National Association of Automobile
Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) for Government to reconsid-
er aspects of vehicle emissions tax, scheduled for implementation on
September 1. Jeff Osborne, CEO of the RMI, says it is imperative that
issues regarding the introduction of the tax are resolved, including
Government’s abrupt decision to extend its reach to incorporate light
commercial vehicles (LCVs). Further, he says motor industry sources
have indicated that VAT could be payable on the tax – which will be
incorporated into the selling price of the vehicle – effectively upping the
cost from R75 g/km over 120g/km to R85,50 g/km. With regard to the
LCV issue, Osborne says: “Currently, there is no internationally applied
test-method for determining CO2 emission levels on LCVs. Accuracy
in this respect is essential. On what criteria will Government base its tax
system? Engine capacity alone cannot be used as a guideline, contrary
to what National Treasury officials have indicated. Further, to contem-
plate charging VAT on emissions tax is iniquitous – yet some manufac-
turers in the industry have been informed that this will be the case”.

Training and development plan to

enhance the overall skills and the
knowledge base of BBBEE suppliers
Ford Motor Company SA and the AIDC have jointly conceived a
training and development plan to enhance the overall skills and the
knowledge base of BBBEE suppliers. The Gauteng government has
committed R105-million to this supplier incubator and skills enhance-
ment project. "There is a need to focus on localising as many of the
components as possible, enabling sustainable development of local
component manufacturing and not just the assembly of imported
components. Following a drive to include local content in vehicles,
there has to be a larger supplier base of required competences, which
is currently lacking," says AIDC CEO Barlow Manilal. The establish-
ment of an incubation centre to nurture black-owned component sup-
pliers at Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa heralds a new way
of stimulating the establishment of black-owned small and medium-
sized enterprises in industry. This Gauteng provincial government ini-
tiative, supported by Blue IQ and the AIDC will enable industry to
reduce business costs, experience growth in local volumes and poten-
tially reduce the overall cost to produce vehicles in South Africa. The
incubation centre will help to: develop existing BBBEE suppliers; assist
companies to achieve the aims to increasing the sourcing of compo-
nents from local suppliers; support the pairing of BBBEE companies
with its Tier 1 suppliers.

CHEVROLET TO INCREASE VOLT PRODUC-

TION CAPACITY BY 50 PERCENT

On 30 July 2010, General Motors said that thanks to strong public

interest in the Chevrolet Volt, the 540km extended range electric
vehicle, it will increase U.S. production capacity of the ground break-
ing new car by 50 percent, from 30,000 units to 45,000 units, in
2012. The announcement came as U.S. President Barack Obama
toured the Detroit-Hamtramck facility, where the Volt is being pro-
duced for sale later this year. “The Chevrolet Volt provides drivers
with the latest technology, outstanding innovation, and something no
other electric vehicle can provide – peace of mind,” said Edward E.
Whitacre, Jr., GM Chairman and CEO. The Volt offers a total driv-
ing range of about 540km and is powered by electricity at all times.
For up to the first 60km, the vehicle drives fuel- and tailpipe-emis-
sions-free using electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery.
When the Volt’s battery runs low, a gas-powered, engine/generator
seamlessly operates to extend the driving range another 480km on a
full tank.

September 2010
 Vehicle Launch

by Howard Keeg

Tweaking the Bravo

– a Stunning Enigma
It stands head and shoulders above its peers, and yet does not come even close to the sales of the market leader. The
variance is a mind boggling anomaly. With a lower price, more power, more torque, superior acceleration, bigger
boot, equal if not superior quality, and a 30 000 km service interval vs. the new standard 20 000 km, and other
extras, for some reason the Bravo does not influence the normally canny consumer. A stunning enigma.

B
ased on this, it is a good question to ask whether the
consumer is rational or irrational. Consumer behav-
iour theory used to accept the theory of the "rational
man" model of decision making. The whole point of
economics is that people make decisions by weighing
costs and benefits in a rational manner. The consumer's objective
is simply to select a set of product quantities that maximise satis-
faction (or utility), subject to available income. But this ignores
dynamics such as personal paradigms and perceptual distortion,
risk tolerance, and power relations. This behavioural component
should exercise the minds of the marketers, so that they can influ-
ence the purchasing decision process.
Making a difference
The Fiat Bravo is a classic case in point. Prior to its revamp, the
Bravo was already close to perfection and comparatively superior
to the market leader, so the stunning new Fiat Bravo Sport will
most probably not make a difference, which equates to a long
haul for the marketing team to change the dynamics. Cosmetic
changes aside, the most notable difference is a softer ride and a
reduction in noise. The 110kW 1.4 T-Jet engine continues to
inspire, and the big and stunning 17” alloys can even be upgrad-
ed to even bigger 18” stunners. Otherwise, there is simply no rea-
son for Fiat South Africa to change anything, except the mind-set;
i.e. perceptual distortion, risk tolerance, and power relations; of
the South African motoring consumer.

17” stunners

56 September 2010
September 2010 1
 Top Class Topics

No Need for Dirty Hands

The modern automotive technician is now seen as an automotive doctor, and when he
or she interacts with customers, dirty hands are a no-no. That is why Permatex® has
introduced waterless hand cleaners for working hands.

S
ince 1909, quality Permatex® products have been used in workshops, garages, and at racetracks
around the world. Behind these products is the understanding that the automotive technician’s
needs is Permatex’s primary concern. Innovation through research and development is a Permatex
hallmark, and hand cleaners, whilst being considered a “soft” product, is one of the areas within
TopClass MD, which Permatex excels.
Richard Pinard
Permatex’s fast selling Fast Orange® line features a broad selection of formulas and sizes for removing the most
difficult dirt, and they’ve been doing it for over 50 years, and have become in America the hand cleaner of
choice for the hard working technician. Wherever hands are getting seriously dirty, there’s a place for Fast
Orange, because the hard working technician needs clean hands to do other daily chores, and he needs a
waterless hand cleaner that really cleans – without turning his hands into sandpaper. He needs the strength
to remove grease, grime, paint, adhesives and all other dirt his working hands get into, plus conditioners to
prevent cracking and drying out. In South Africa, Top Class Automotive focuses on the Permatex Fast
Orange Smooth Cream Hand Cleaner, available in a 14 oz. plastic tub, and a 4.5 lb. container (product codes
33013 and 33406); and the Permatex Fast Orange Pumice Lotion Hand Cleaner, available in a 15 fl. oz.
bottle, a 15 fl. oz Brush-Up® bottle with nail brush, a half gallon bottle with pump bottle, and a one gal-
lon bottle with pump (refs. 25116, 25113, 25217 and 25218).

Note: one fluid ounce = 29,57 millilitres, one gallon

= 3,785 litres, one oz. = 28,35 grams,
and one lb. = 0,454 kg.

The technician who

presents a professional
image has the world in
his hands...

58
September 2010
 ust pipes
rome exha
smacking double ch
Lip
by Howard Keeg

A Pulsating Experience
Two months ago I had the pleasure of test driving the Citroën DS3 for a week, and I gave it a glowing report,
because it is a very good car. This obviously pleased the powers that be, because for this issue I can describe my
feelings towards bigger brother, the DS3 Sport, the muscular but sexy beast that pleasured me for another week.

T
he publicity blurb says that the DS3 forges a new
path… by placing desire at the heart of the motoring
experience. I agree, particularly with the DS3 Sport –
its 1.6 THP 16v 115kW and 240Nm mill is an expe-
rience whether you are tootling along city roads, or powering
down the freeway, and best of all, when you take flight on the
national roads. What really impressed me was the phenomenal
torque this six speed vehicle has. You can cruise at 2 500 rpm at
120 kph, and if need be put your foot down at these revs, and this
beast responds! This equates to incredibly good fuel consumption
for the power on hand, and whilst it is heavier than its smaller sib-
ling and thus not as thrifty, the trade-off is really pretty decent.
And R255 000 is a pretty decent price as well.
But it is the muscular sensuousness of this car that really stirs the
desire. Just take a look at the accompanying pics, and I use the
words of the press release to get the juices going. Even the name
of the site where the DS3 is built is enough for me. Imagine hav-
ing a car that was assembled in Poissy. This alone evokes sensa-
tions and the desire to ram the car into low gear and to thrust up
the highway to heaven. For this we will need to buy the optional
leather gear knob at R438.50, but before we get carried away, we
need to pull up the leather handbrake, and to keep the double
chrome exhaust pipe throbbing in anticipation. Before we get
onto the glistening road, we need to use the connecting box to get
your blue teeth connected with the USB socket, and to get into
the swing of things by running your fingers over the dashboard to
get the “soft touch” effect. Use all your senses for maximum
effect, and I quote, “with its sculptural styling and striking lines,
the DS3 exudes enormous appeal. It is a truly distinctive vehicle
with a strong personality built on original creations including a
‘floating’ roof, a ‘shark fin’ that lends vigour to the waistline, and
recesses on the nose housing LED lights”. You want more? How
about this, “the sophisticated instrumentation – with three coni-
cal dials on the cluster – driver-focused commands, low-set driv-
ing position and body-hugging seats lend a cockpit feel”. I don’t
know about you, but I’m exhausted, so I leave the climatic last
words to Citroën, “this is an expressive object that stirs the desire
to travel. Taming the road so that only driving pleasure remains”.
When you want to stop, the brakes will do the job, “the
CITROËN DS3 is fitted with a particularly safe braking system,
including a host of standard-fit features such as ESP, ABS, elec-
tronic brakeforce distribution (EBD) and emergency brake assist
(EBA). This equipment helps drivers in the most difficult situa-
tions, including loss of grip”.

Just look a
t those hea
d
side rubbin lights and chrome
g strips

60 September 2010
 Insights

A Cut above the Rest

Ribeiro Motors cc, situated at 82 Voortrekker Street Alberton, is an institution in this residential town, south east
of Johannesburg. Having plied his trade in both Alrode and Alberton for the past 25 years, owner Tony Ribeiro is
well known to the motorists of southern Johannesburg and its surrounds, having built up a reputation for quali-
ty workmanship and good old honest service. Ribeiro Motors is also the place to go for precision skimming of brake
discs, both on and off the car, plus brake drums and flywheels. Thus it is not hyperbolic to make the statement that
Ribeiro Motors is a cut above the rest.

T
ony Ribeiro values his inde-
pendence, but is acutely aware
of the need for assistance from a
larger organisation when it
comes to the purchase of capital equipment
and the procurement of replacement parts,
with as little hassle as possible. It was this
desire for a helping hand, with few strings
attached, that attracted Tony to the
Capricorn Society co-operative concept. In
2001, he was one of the first members to
sign up for the South African chapter of
the society, and he soon grew to appreciate
the benefit of one account for all his pur-
chases, seamlessly sourced via the Purple
Pages. He now affectionately refers to
Capricorn as “my Big Brother, but not my
Boss”. This neatly encapsulates what
Capricorn Society is all about – a helping
hand, but not a heavy helping hand!
Perfect for the workshop that wants to
retain its independence.
Of course, Tony also loves the incentives
and the Year End Function, where he can
network to his heart’s content. Networking
has become a critical element in today’s fre-
netic world with its fast technological
changes, as in this informal forum new
trends can be picked up early. For example,
Tony’s son Angelo, who has joined the
business, is part of the new generation of
Tony Ribeiro specialises
in German vehicles, so
it was no surprise to see
two BMW’s side by side
technicians, who stay abreast of
the latest technical info and fit-
ment techniques via the internet,
and valuable web sites and related
subjects are exchanged at such
functions. Tony has also noted
that technicians are gravitating to
two distinct areas of expertise; the
technician who analyses and diag-
noses, and the guys with more
hands on and mechanical aptitude
who do the dismantling and
assembly/fitment, similar to a
doctor nurse relationship. It is this
enquiring mind and observation skills that Ribeiro Motors is both spacious and
has kept Tony at the head of the pack, and spotless
a big reason why he joined Capricorn
Society. When asked if he would recom-
mend Capricorn to other workshops, his
reply is a no nonsense “Yes - definitely!”

To join Capricorn Society Limited call André Changuion

on 083 287 3498 or e-mail him at
andre.changuion@capricorn.coop or visit their website on
www.capricorn.com.au

62 September 2010
 Burford on Brands

Mazda Mania
I have to confess to having a soft spot for Mazda and it is therefore strange
that after featuring nearly 30 brands in this column over the last three years,
by Adrian Burford
we are only now getting around to Mazda.

I
suppose we all have a favourite, usu- crown. Mazda’s past in South Africa is a
ally a direct result of what we learnt fairly long and tortuous one: imports start-
to drive in and what was our first car ed in the 1960s by Illings, a subsidiary of
– they’re often one and the same. the McCarthy Group. At R1 646 the 1200
I learnt to drive in a Ford Cortina bakkie, which arrived in 1970 was really a car for
but my first car was my dream car: a bottom feeders, but they were extremely
Mazda RX2. For those who weren’t around rugged and you still occasionally spot
in the 70s and 80s, the RX2 was Mazda’s them wheezing around.
rotary-engined compact performer and
ultimately the gene donor for the RX7 Illings ultimately disappeared in the Sigma
and, more recently, the RX8. I grew up on conglomerate, which became Amcar, and
a diet of Kyalami race meetings so seeing with the formation of the South African
the cacophonic little car in action in Lodge Motor Corporation (Samcor) out of Ford
Group One and Star Modified racing was and Amcar in the mid-1980s, we entered
already deeply engrained in my synapses an era of badge engineering. Samcor offi-
backed off in anticipation of the impend-
by the time I reached driving age. While cially became FMCSA in 2000, the culmi-
ing drama. It was a measure of the forgiv-
my wealthier mates were getting Golf GTis nation of the 1994 announcement that
ing nature of the car that spins were infre-
and the poorer ones were getting hand- Ford had acquired a 45 percent equity in
quent and it is with some sadness that I
me-down Datsuns 120Ys, all I wanted was Samcor, buying shares from Anglo
note there is now just a single rear-wheel-
an RX2. American Corporation and the employees
drive car in the Mazda stable – the MX-5.
trust set up when Ford disinvested from
But that’s one more than most rivals and
I can remember it coming into sight for SA in 1988. Mazda provided most of the
the automotive world is front-drive for all
the very first time on a Wintery day in platforms – simply because they were the
but the premium brands. Mazda was one
1985. Actually, I heard its wailing first, better cars. Today, while Ford and Mazda
of the first Japanese brands to go front-
which was almost inevitable with a rotary- have passenger car ranges which are largely
wheel-drive for their C-segment car,
powered Mazda. Then it burst into view. unique (though the Mazda2 and Fiesta
launching the FWD 323 in September
Sideways. R2 000 later it was mine. But as bear more than a passing resemblance
1981, a full three years before the Corolla
a result of my first experience of this thirsty under the skin) the light commercials are
followed. In 1982, about 30 000 of these
(it drank like a dipsomaniac on overdrive) essentially one and the same.
small Mazdas were sold – nearly double
little beige machine with the extrovert
that of the Golf I! If you wanted some- Mazda has, despite the ups and downs,
exhaust, I thought that was the way one
thing larger from the Mazda stable then remained a solid player in the market,
drove all the time and believe me, I did. As
you went for the popular 626, and both though today it should arguably be having
it turned out, my first race car was a
these badges ultimately live on in the shape an even bigger impact on the sales charts
Capella Rotary of a slightly newer vintage
of the Mazda3 and Mazda6. We also have especially with the Mazda2. Maybe the
and yes, I drove that sideways too. It was a
the excellent Mazda2, a former winner of range needs a latter-day replacement for
good tactic and the following cars invari-
the Wesbank SAGMJ Car of the Year the RX2…
able thought I was about to crash out and

64 September 2010
 Small Investment, Big Returns
All the adjectives that describe Hamish Kiddle start with a P. Passionate, Precise, Patient, Polite, all equate to Hamish being
a Perfectionist and a People Person. These attributes have all contributed to the success of Car & Truck Auto, based in
Geduld Street, Sasolburg.

A
nother word that Hamish relates to is
Profit. Not in the greedy sense, but in
terms of sustainability. To survive, busi-
nesses need to make a profit, and Hamish
readily admits that “If I hadn’t made the
change to e-CAR, I would not have sur-
vived!” He adds that becoming a member of the fastest
growing workshop concept in South Africa was the best
thing that he ever did, as he turned a small investment
into big returns. And the motorists in Sasolburg readily
agree, and are voting with their feet. Or more accurately,
Customers are the lifeblood of every business, they are voting with their cars. Car & Truck Auto has
and thus they require special care and special seen an increase of 200% in turnover since Hamish
communication
joined e-CAR some three years ago. The wise folk of
Sasolburg are aware that a motor car is a big investment and that when they
take their vehicles for a service or repair they look for a workshop brand that
represents quality, assurance, peace of mind, value for money, and all those
good things associated with a top class brand. Those good things include
technical training, a 24 hour technical help line,
first rate diagnostic equipment (Hamish says that
Bosch is the best you can buy!), branded quality
parts, a national network and a national warranty,
and an empathy with the customer. Empathy is
the currency Hamish deals in, and he treats every
customer as special. He says that “people do not
want to take their car to a ‘spanner’; they want to
feel special and have peace of mind”. Thus he
wants to be better than other workshops, and
not just treat customers as a number. In compari-
son, he says, “We do a better job, and a more
caring job, which ensures that our customers keep Hamish has installed a TV screen in the reception
coming back”. area for his customers

To join the fastest growing workshop network in South Africa and to add a new dimension to your
business, contact Wilfried Langenbach at 086 000 3227 (086 000 ECAR)

September 2010 65
 Robert
A series of articles on the versatile FSA 720/740/754 series
The Golden Triangle – KTS, ESI[tronic], and FSA
Engine Electronics, an Exponential History
The basic concept of the internal combustion engine has been the same since it was first discovered all those
years ago. The fuel is delivered into the internals of the engine where it’s ignited. This creates the power nec-
essary to create movement. It’s actually a lot more complicated than that, but for the purpose of this article we
will only be looking at the way fuel is delivered into the combustion chamber.
C
arlo du Plessis, from
Cencar Centurion, took
some time to explain the
evolution of fuel supply
systems to ABR. First up
we have the carburettor.
This system was used on engines we now
refer to as homogenous motors. The car-
burettor sucks up fuel and air and this
mixture is then compressed before it
ignites. The system worked with points
and condensers, which we now know is the
weak link in the system. As these parts
wore out, the spark changed and grew
increasingly weaker.
After this realisation, the conventional car-
burettor system was removed and replaced
with a “motronic” system. This was basi-
cally the same carburettor system with the
inclusion of one single injector. It was once
again referred to as a homogenous motor
since the one injector was relied upon to
deliver fuel and air to all four (engine
dependant) cylinders. Carlo remembers
this as the time when engines started using
an electronic ignition system. “We called
them shutters and windows inside the dis-
tributer. These shutters and windows
would trigger the igniters which triggered
the coil.” The previous generation technol-
ogy relied on weakened points and con-
densers to do this job, but the new system
proved that a fuel delivery system could be
reliable. “This reliability stems from the
fact that none of the parts touch each
other, which means we don’t have the same
wear and tear,” says Carlo.
This was, however, still not good enough
for the various engine engineers around
the planet. The next generation technolo-
gy called for an injector per cylinder. On a
four cylinder car you would have four
injectors and so forth...
66
Bosch
“The good thing about the injector-per-
cylinder system is the fact that it sprays
sequentially,” says Carlo. “So when a pis-
ton needs fuel to suck in, it sprays from
that specific injector.” This gave way to
two very important steps up from previous
technology. First of all, it used a lot less
fuel that the single injector/carburettor
system. Secondly, it was also a massive step
forward in engine cooling technology. The
fuel stays in the exact same place, but the
air moves around the engine to where it’s
needed. This was particularly good for the
cooling of the intake valve.
The injector-per-cylinder system, for the
very first time, made a fuel delivery system
“manageable.” “Now you have a computer
box, which means for the first time the Carlo du Plessis of Cencar Centurion, relies
engine can think for itself,” says Carlo. heavily on the Golden Triangle of the KTS,
“The carburettor couldn’t think for itself. ESI[tronic], and FSA Bosch equipment
It just delivered the same amount of fuel
and air to the same cylinders. With this That’s why they did it. They moved it in a
new system, it’s not happening.” direction to save fuel and to save the envi-
ronment. The only way you can do this is
This made it easier to pinpoint a fault in to monitor the movement of the fuel
the delivery system. You have an ECU through the ECU box.”
(Engine Computer Unit) that can measure
the amounts of fuel given to the engine. To make the engines even more efficient,
According to Carlo, “you can retrieve this they brought out the new FSI engines.
information from the ECU and it will tell This stands for “Fully Stratified Injection.”
you, for example, that piston number four This motor has a homogenous mode, as
is not receiving enough fuel from the well as a stratified mode. The stratified
injector.” mode only pulls in air to the engine, which
means the compression is much higher.
The boffins then took it one step further. “Only when the cylinder pushes up, the
They started adding a coil per cylinder to fuel gets delivered,” says Carlo. “On those
manage the spark. On a four-cylinder cars it’s running even lighter on fuel, but it
engine you would now have four coils also goes a lot quicker.”
instead of the normal single unit. “So now
the ECU can see that at coil one the These developments have made a huge
engine is either sparking, or not sparking,” contribution to emission reduction. It has
says Carlo. Basically this means the ECU proven that we don’t necessarily have to
can pick up if any unused fuel is left over resort to electricity, or other means of
after the injector did its job.” propulsion, to reduce our carbon foot-
print.
September 2010
 Launch Update

Launch Displays at the

Nelspruit Motor Show by Matthys Ferreira

Even the lowest cost modern car technology will shame many more expensive cars of yesteryear. The
secret in maintaining these cars to perhaps last as long as some of the older generation cars; requires
appropriate diagnostic equipment and tools.

L
aunch Tech Co. Ltd was founded in 1992 and has since
become a global player in the automotive industry pro-
viding equipment and service solutions for mechanical
workshops and service centres. These include diagnostic
tools, wheel aligners and balancing equipment and auto transmis-
sion fluid changers. They currently have more than 400 distribu-
tors in 60 countries and are ISO 9000:2000 and QS9000 compli-
ant. Launch Technology S.A. (Pty) Ltd, a branch of Launch Tech
Co. Ltd, was established in South Africa in 2000.

Shane van Zyl with Hans Coetzee at the Launch exhibition at the
Nelspruit Motor Show.

The X431 is a mobile, light and very portable unit which,

when plugged into the electronic system of your car, can be
used to run a general diagnostic check on the vehicle's systems
or it can be used to verify the operation of specific components
as per your instruction. It is even possible to shut a specific
cylinder down by using electronic input via the X431. If, and
Hans Coetzee (Launch Marketing Manager), Hunter Zhang (General
it should not be if, you have a non-negotiable approach towards
Manager), Jacky Li (Managing Director) and Shane van Zyl (Technical
Sales Consultant). doing it right the first time, then you cannot do without a vehi-
cle diagnostic tool - having one is an imperative! The X431
offers amongst others: analysis of sensors and actuators and much
The parent company employs over 250 research and development
more, all in the palm of your hand. The X431 comes with a 16-
engineers who develop and or adapt manufacturers’ software for
pin connector that incorporates a BMW 16, Can-Bus II, OBD II
application in their products. Says Marketing Manager Hans
and Smart OBD II plugs amongst others. The X431 also offers a
Coetzee, "From a development point of view, we are never behind
print-out facility.
the manufacturers by more than 18 months. We teach technicians
how to apply and utilise our equipment to optimise productivity
At a price of R38 000 excluding VAT, you will receive a powerful
and affect quality repairs and servicing of their customers’ cars”.
diagnostic tool to be used on a wider range of motor vehicles than
Launch Technologies recently participated in the Nelspruit Motor
what any other diagnostic tool offers and best of all, if you own a
Show, now in its fifth year, to introduce, amongst other equip-
previous generation X431, you will attract a substantial discount
ment, their new X431 Master. "We have been at the show since
if you were to upgrade to the Master. If business is about making
the beginning and we have been seeing the results of our presence
money, then using the right product for the right application is
since year three. Of the service providers who use Launch prod-
the methodology to support it, and Launch should be your pre-
ucts in South Africa, 70 per cent of their equipment requirements
ferred supplier.
are met by the company”, adds Coetzee.

68 September 2010
 Industry Update
Lower
Compulsory Vehicle Insurance will
Premiums for SA’s Motorists
Good news at last for the South African motorist. The government’s plans to make third party vehicle insur-
ance compulsory for all South African drivers is likely to lead to a reduction in motor insurance premiums
for those motorists who are already paying to insure their vehicles.
A
ccording to Leigh Friend,
Johannesburg Regional Manager
for MUA Insurance; the execu-
tive home and motor insurer;
the fact that more vehicles will be insured
means that there will be a bigger premium
pot for insurers. “Ultimately what this
means is that lower premiums will be
passed on to consumers, as the losses of the
few will be compensated by the contribu-
tions of the many.”
This could not have come any
sooner. With the standard of
driving down and a rapidly
deteriorating infrastructure,
accidents are increasing.
Friend says that this is
compounded by an
influx of new drivers
with poor experience
of the dynamics of
driving, plus the
alarming increase
in unlicensed driv-
ers and the increas-
ing tendency of
lapsed professional driv-
ing certificates.
Friend says the idea of establish-
ing a compulsory insurance
body is crucial in a country
such as South Africa, where
very few motorists currently
70
insure their vehicles. “Research suggests
that South Africa has around 9.5 million
motor vehicles, of which only around 35%
are actually insured and this figure is
expected to drop even further.
Compulsory insurance is also critical for
the motor industry as it will ensure an ele-
ment of stability, allowing more repairs to
be carried out, with the result that more of
the vehicles on the road will be in an
acceptable and roadworthy condition.”
Friend, who is a member of the SAIA com-
pulsory third party insurance workgroup,
warns that while the scheme is still under
consideration, people should be aware that
there are likely to be limits imposed on
costs. “It is highly likely that the maximum
amount paid out for repairs may be
capped, still leaving those innocent parties
with additional repair costs for their own
account”.
Trade-offs are unavoidable and under-
standable, but the real challenge will be in
the collection of premiums, and the sus-
tainability thereof. Thus, the insurance will
most probably attach to the vehicle, rather
than the individual. With the fuel levy
already overburdened, other avenues will
need to be explored, such as an affordable
annual premium paid when the licence
disc is renewed. To make this feasible, an
excess may be required, in addition to the
capping of claims.
September 2010
 PARTINFORM

Taking Parts to Newcastle

It was not a dark and stormy night in Newcastle on Tuesday 10th August 2010, but the wintry north west
corner of KwaZulu Natal was indeed dark and cold when the Partinform Automotive Trade Show took place
at the Farmers Show Hall. The Partinform members, primarily local manufacturers of quality branded parts,
were, by laying out their stalls, bringing the modern equivalent of high quality coal to Newcastle.

N
ewcastle has bred many luminaries
across the political, judicial, educa-
tional, sport, business and music fir-
mament – ANC stalwart Mac
Maharaj, tenderpreneur Siphiwe
Nyanda, musician Lucky Dube, soccer
star Sizwe Motaung, judicial export
Margaret Marshall, to name a few.
Bakkies Botha also hails from Newcastle, which truly puts his
town on the sporting map, no ifs or head butts about it! Despite
its colonial heritage, today Arcelormittal and hundreds of Eastern
owned textile factories dominate the town, so maybe the inverse
coal to Newcastle allegory in not so outlandish, as the message of
Partinform is “local is lekker”. Colin Murphy, Chairman of
Partinform, puts it succinctly, “Imported automotive product can
now be found on every shelf of every parts reseller in South Africa.
The Partinform concept is essentially about reputable manufac-
This is a fact of life. The challenge that the automotive aftermar-
turers pooling their resources to hold regular trade shows across
ket repairer faces is that there is a massive variance in product
the breadth and depth of southern Africa, from Cape Town to
quality on offer. Whatever the origin of doubtful parts, it is a
Musina, and Durban to Windhoek, and taking these important
conundrum for the reputable manufacturers. AAMA, and
messages to the automotive aftermarket, across the whole spec-
Partinform, is about educating the motor trade on the profession-
trum, from distributor right down to the workshop and small
al benefits of using guaranteed, branded quality parts, and about
repairer. The Partinform road show remains the vehicle of choice
the need to warn the trade about the obvious dangers of unsuit-
for these endeavours, as it is an effective way of talking to resellers
able parts with regard to vehicle roadworthiness, vehicle longevi-
and repairers, using an informal atmosphere to convey this mes-
ty, and road safety. There are also the potential consequences of
sage. This is proving to be highly effective, but as Colin Murphy
imported product of low quality driving out high quality brand-
says, “Our work is never done. New entrants to the aftermarket
ed product, in both access to such product, and the destruction of
need to be caught early before bad habits set in, and we have to
local manufacturing resources, and the concomitant social
continue with the message, day in, day out, city by city, town by
impact”. With the impending introduction of the CPA
town, to ensure that both the current generation, and future parts
(Consumer Protection Act) in October 2010, Colin’s words take
professionals, understand the importance of quality, branded
on even more significance.
product, and get inculcated into this way of life”.

September 2010 71
72
Partinform
welcomes a new
member
The Partinform tribe is growing, and some
new faces were seen at Newcastle. CI Auto
have added their powerful voice to the message
of quality branded product, and ABR spoke to
the newcomers at the first showing. Nash
Misra, Sales Representative; Eugen Jaganna,
Sales Manager, KZN; and Mags Nagiaa, Sales
Executive, KZN, were happy to spread the
word to the automotive parts retailers of
Newcastle and surrounds. They see Partinform
as the ideal platform for the message of quali-
ty, quality, and more quality, which CI Auto is
only happy to provide.

September 2010 73
 Retailer of the Show
There was strong competition for the “Retailer of the Show”, voted on by the individual mem-
bers of Partinform, with Mohammed’s Midas taking the vote by a neck from AutoZone Top
Parts. ABR had a quick chat with the representatives at the show, and we are happy to report
that both of these outlets have a strong commitment to quality parts.

Clint Ince, Marketing Manager, and

Ally Dinath, a member of the sales
team, were full of praise for the event.
They found that Partinform served a
useful purpose as it re-inforced what
they practiced, in a great networking
show. They told ABR that
Mohammed’s Midas only sold the best
quality parts, and that customer satis-
faction was their primary concern.
Good news for the motorists of
Newcastle!

Partners Pradeep Singh and Pravesh Sewlal from AutoZone Top Parts were impressed with the Partinform concept and
commended the organisation of the show, and the right message that it send out. They stated their commitment to eschew-
ing poor quality parts, and their philosophy of quality over quantity. Quality branded product was the way to go, they
said in unison. The motorists of Newcastle are in good hands!

Winners Galore
Everyone is a winner at
Partinform, because
everyone goes away
with life changing infor-
mation. But there many
who go away with even
more – in the form of
prizes donated by the
members of Partinform.
And the big winner gets
to drive a Ferrari racing
car at the Partinform
Forza Racing Driving
Experience at the
Zwartkops Raceway on
Some of the other prize winners on the night
25 November 2010.

74 September 2010
 Category

Neerajh Ranjithparsadh of Neerajh’s Auto

Clinic in Newcastle reacts to the news that he
will be going to Pretoria on 25th November.

Co m p e t i t i o n Co r n e r
ABR readers need not despair, because they will
also have a chance to win a Forza Racing
Experience. Three winners shall be announced in
our October 2010 issue. All you need to do is to
answer these three simple questions, and fax to
086 6579 289 or email bigheart@iafrica.com:
1. In which month does the Consumer Protection
Act take effect?

2. Does the Consumer Protection Act protect con-

sumers from inferior quality parts?

3. What brand features on the back cover of this

month’s ABR?

Name and Surname:

Company:

Position:

Postal Address:

Contact Tel.no’s:

e-mail address:

September 2010
 Industry Update

SUPERIOR,
TRUSTWORTHY,
ECONOMICAL
Over the last year, AutoZone has reviewed their House Brands offering to the market place. Out of this
stringent review has come a bundle of ten House Brands, all geared to serve every need that the market
place could have. The AutoZone House Brands offering now includes: AmPro, AutoKraft, Eddies, Elpar,
Ecotech, Femo, Spirex, LinX, AutoZone Chemicals and V-DUB. The focus this month is on their top-
performing engine parts range, Femo.

F
emo is the fastest growing member of the AutoZone House Brands Family. Launched in 2008 and expanded greatly in 2010,
this top quality range of internal and external engine components is already a popular brand in the marketplace. Femo parts
are designed for a wide range of vehicle makes and models. You can identify the Femo products by their bright and attrac-
tive new packaging. The red, white and blue boxes are visually powerful when merchandised together, and will always leave
the right impression with the customer.

The Femo range is growing daily, and consists of the following products:

• Bearings • Clutch Kits

• Pistons • Sleeve Assemblies
• Piston Rings • Oil Pumps
• Sleeves • Gaskets
• Valves • Chain Tensioners
• Water Pumps
• Universal Joints
• Fuel Pumps
• Timing Chains
• Timing Belt Tensioners
• Release Bearings
• Timing Kits
• Clutch Plates
• Timing Chain Kits

So why choose Femo? Femo products are of the best quality. Many of the top Femo products are manufactured by the O.E
Manufacturers, ensuring excellent quality. The manufacturers are ISO certified, and stringent quality control is conducted in every fac-
tory. Added to this, Femo products are good value for money, offering the customer the top quality they require for their business, at a
price that they can afford.

So next time you’re looking for top quality, affordable engine parts, turn to Femo. With Femo products,
backed by AutoZone, you can’t go wrong!

76 September 2010
 the Buzz?

SKF signs a long term

contract with Valeo for
supply to the new i-StARS
SKF has signed a three-year contract worth around SEK34 million (R33.4 million)
with Valeo to supply SKF Rotor Positioning Bearings for the new i-StARS, Valeo's
stop-start system. i-StARS automatically cuts off the vehicle’s engine when slowing
down under 8 km/h, e.g. when stopping for a red light. The system enables further
reduction in CO2 emissions and even less fuel consumption compared to the first gen-
eration StARS. i-StARS will initially be used with both manual and automated manu-
al transmissions to equip the new diesel engine family, e-HDi, for the Citroen and
Peugeot brands. The SKF solution provides a powerful, accurate, repeatable and
durable magnetic field making it possible for the control unit to receive data on the
positioning of the shaft which enables the system to stop and re-start the engine at the
correct time in a smooth way. “Working in close cooperation with Valeo, and using our
engineering knowledge we have developed solutions, to support their innovative and
patented stop-start systems. The industry is demanding new technologies and we con-
stantly develop new offers to meet these demands”, says Tryggve Sthen, President SKF
Automotive Division. This is the second business awarded to SKF by Valeo for this
kind of application. SKF already supplies this solution to the first generation of StARS.
Deliveries will start during the third quarter this year.

SKF SOUTH AFRICA

APPOINTS NEW
MANAGING
DIRECTOR
SKF South Africa recently appointed
Barry Dailly as the new Managing
Director for the local subsidiary of the
Swedish multinational Group. Dailly,
who has been with SKF since 2007 in
the capacity of Financial Manager,
took over the reins from previous
Managing Director, Gavin Garland,
who left South African shores at the
end of April 2010 to fill a position at
SKF in China. On his appointment,
Dailly said “We have the people, the
knowledge, the products, the solutions
and the will to reach new heights. The
future looks good for SKF and our
country. I am proud to be the helm
look forward to playing my part”.

September 2010 77
 Intelli-Driving

South Africa Goes for

Gold in the TNT 2010
Drive Me Challenge
The fourth annual international TNT Drive Me Challenge takes place on 6 October 2010 on a military
airfield in Valkenburg, Netherlands. For the first time, South Africa will be competing against other TNT
operations across the globe, including Australia, China, France, Germany, UK and USA. Representing TNT
Express South Africa will be Elliot Tau, winner of the inaugural South Africa competition held on 31 July
2010 at the company’s head offices in Elandsfontein, Gauteng.

T
he Drive Me Challenge is different from other driving championships, as the goal is to recognise and reward the skills that
are most conducive to effective driving within the industry, primarily fuel efficient driving, safe driving behaviour, and the
reduction of road traffic accidents. Thus, the challenge demands expert driver skill to deliver exceptional customer service
both safely and fuel efficiently – all in a race against time.

Elliot Tau, together with runner-up Lefa Mathibela (warming up the substitute’s bench), apart from winning some great prizes, will be
prepped by MasterDrive for the competition, and in addition will become intelli-driving ambassadors for TNT and the industry.
ABR, as South Africa’s premium automotive aftermarket publication, was at the South African leg of the competition, and will be
reporting in greater detail in future issues on the international event, and on the important issues and philosophies behind this
noteworthy competition.

Elliot Tau receives congratulations from Tim The 10 drivers, all winners by simply competing, ready to roll.
Steel, CEO of TNT Express Worldwide SA.
Personal pride combined with
in-cab technology equates to
exceptional customer service

Kobus Fourie, Operations Director, and

Mary Mashiane, Corporate
Responsibility & Quality Manager,
worked hard behind the scenes to get Justine Clackworthy and Eugene Herbert from
South Africa into the international MasterDrive were part of the judging team
competition

78 September 2010
 Vehicle Evaluation

Xylo – Phone Your Dealer

If you are looking for a rugged, no nonsense cargo carrier, and want it brand spanking new,
but don’t want to stretch the budget, I have a simple piece of advice – phone your Mahindra
by Howard Keeg dealer now!

A
t R164 900, the Xylo Panel Van offers a lot. It has a spacious cargo carrying area, a proven and willing engine, good fuel con-
sumption, and the little things that make the daily grind a little bit easier, such as power steering, electric windows, aircon and
loads of nooks and crannies for those loose bits and pieces. It is the working brother of the Xylo MPV, which was introduced
to this country in March 2009 to fill the Toyota Condor gap, according to Mahindra insiders at the time.

Based on the Xylo E2 platform, the Xylo Panel Van’s grunt is delivered by the 2.5-litre m-Eagle CRDe engine and delivers 84kW at
3800rpm and 240Nm between 1800 and 3000 rpm. Being a working vehicle, there are very few frills, but the protective wire mesh that
is behind the driver’s cabin could have been placed a wee bit back, as even with my average height I could not get the driver’s seat back
enough for absolute comfort, but the tiltable steering wheel did ameliorate this a tad. The centre console is bold and cheerful, and I
found that as I drove around town that the vehicle is easily manoeuvrable and easy for the driver and passenger to enter and exit. And
the two side doors and back door make loading a cinch.

But I am not the man to give the definitive verdict on Mahindra vehicles, as this was the first that I had for a road test, and whilst a
week was sufficient for a reasonable evaluation, it was not long enough to suss out the foibles and fables. Thus, I will leave the long term
judgement on Mahindra vehicles to a gentleman I met when I was visiting a client during my Xylo roster. I was parked outside the
premises, and he drove up in a Bolero. He enthusiastically walked up to the Xylo and inspected the interior, exterior and engine com-
partment with relish. Upon enquiry, he revealed that he had driven his Bolero for a good number of years and that it had given excel-
lent service over this period, working hard for 80 000km, and that he was a great fan of this Indian marque. Not too amazing, but his
next revelation was – he owned two other vehicles, one a BMW and one a Pajero, and his favourite vehicle was the Bolero! This is only
anecdotal and not very scientific, but interesting nonetheless. He may be a quirky sort of guy, but I took him at face value.

80 September 2010
 Consumer Protection Act
ABR brings you a series of articles on the Consumer Protection Act.
New! Shaka’s safety spear
Alwyn Viljoen explains why selling a assegai in place of an airbag
won’t get you sued under the new Consumer Protection Act.
A
frica’s “Napoleon”, a.k.a.
King Shaka, is famous for
designing what historians call
the short stabbing spear.
Shaka called it umkhonto we
sizwe, which name the ANC also saw fit to
use for its army, ignoring oral history
which still whispers how that short despot
wielded this assegai to cut open pregnant
women and the throats of any old soldiers
– except for one man, who was famously
“too beautiful”.
Manje, I’m not also going to call Shaka a
sadistic, gay warlord whose genocides
destroyed the flourishing international
trade routes of the baKoni and baRoka and
left us with a language that has a dozen
words for a klap.
Considering the new Consumer Protec-
tion Act which is being phased in until
October 2010, I shall instead be his
imbongi and sing the (potential) praises of
using his stabbing spear as a uniquely
South African safety device in our cars.
All a dealer needs to do is to fix that foot-
long blade so that it juts out of the steering
wheel and then explain in graphic detail to
the driver what will happen in a collision.
Understand I’m only taking a wild stab at
the predicted results… but I’m pretty con-
fident the spear, affixed thus, will make
our traffic a lot safer.
Instead of this practical safety spear, we sell
a device designed by a bunch of large
Americans who tried to make cars safer by
doing what they do best: exude hot air.
The airbag started out and still is a politi-
cal answer to a problem that did not exist
for people who do not drive but instead
experience "involuntary acceleration inci-
dents". When these people crash into
things, they discover that airbags don't
"deploy" in super slow motion as depicted
on telly. They explode.
September 2010
Crash test dummies
are the only con-
sumers who won't
sue for being sold a
hazard like an
airbag. People who
get hurt like this
guy, will.
I have seen several case studies of airbags
that smashed in the faces of petite women
whose short arms force them to sit too
close to the steering wheel. Before breaking
her nose, the airbag snapped her wrists
while the super-hot gasses dumped a
residue of skin-searing chemicals on her
third degree burns.
Not that any of our ladies have reason for
concern. When the new CPA is fully
phased by November, she can take her bro-
ken nose and scarred arms to court and sue
the pants off everyone involved in selling
her a car that contained a hazardous item.
Yes, indeed. The new act holds all of us
liable for selling her a product that has a
proven track record of causing hurt with-
out explaining the dangers. Correct me
here, but don’t those bold bits below
describe the way in which we sell airbags?
Paragraph 61. (1): “The producer or
importer, distributor or retailer of any
goods is liable for any harm, as described
in subsection (5) caused wholly or partly as
a consequence of supplying any unsafe
goods, a product failure, defect or hazard
in any goods; or inadequate instructions or
warnings provided to the consumer per-
taining to any hazard arising from or asso-
ciated with the use of any goods.
What is more, 61 (3) states “if, in a partic-
ular case, more than one person is liable in
terms of this section, their liability is joint
and several”. This includes the guy who
later replaced the windscreen or fixed the
bumper.
Section 4 of the Act does absolve said
sellers and suppliers of some of the liabili-
ty under certain conditions, but if your
sales patter still include the words “airbag”
and “safety device” in one breath without a
detailed explanation in the client’s vernac-
ular of their inherent hazards, your firm
can be held liable for duping the poor
consumer.
Which is why it may be simpler to just
remove all airbags and fix Shaka’s stabbing
spear in its place. Everyone will understand
its function fluently in all 11 languages.
alwynjsviljoen@gmail.com is an award-
winning transport and travel writer
81
 ROBERT BOSCH

The Changing Face of Automotive

Repair in South Africa
Howard Keeg takes a look at service and repair options

M
y growing band of loyal readers will recognise that I am rather pedantic about the issues of automotive repair in South
Africa, and they will also know that I am a proponent of first class service. Both of these readers will tell you that I am
adamant that the modern car simply cannot be left to the tender mercies of Joe the Mobile Motor Repairer, or the back-
yard mechanic who is friends with your wife’s hairdresser’s husband’s pool partner. Thus, it was with great delight that I
received a press release in mid-August, announcing a maintenance plan for older vehicles out of the manufacturer’s service plan. It is
truly a wonderful innovation, and because of the import, I have my editor’s approval to give you this press release verbatim, which is
impressively comprehensive. It is worth every word!

Introducing the Bosch Service

Maintenance Policy
A truly reliable maintenance plan for older vehicles out of motorplan
South Africa is primarily a used car
market
Analysis of the eNaTIS and new car sales
statistics highlight the fact that of a live
population of 5.5 million cars and 1.9
million LDV’s over 6 million are older
than 3 years. (eNatis June 2010 statistics).
Furthermore analysts seem to agree that
it’s going to be some time before the new
car market recovers, with cash-strapped
motorists increasingly choosing to buy
second hand cars or driving their existing
vehicles for longer.
What are the maintenance options
for older vehicles?
While new vehicles are covered by the
manufacturer’s warranty and/or limited
motor plan, the maintenance and repair
support options for owners of vehicles
where the warranty has expired are more
complex. There are numerous extended
warranties and motor plans available in
the market, but consumers are under-
standably wary, with exclusions and fine
print often tripping them up when they
need the policy most. Furthermore many
new vehicle owners do not go back to the
OE manufacturer’s workshop when the
warranty expires and there is a steady
stream of new entrants to the used car
market looking for an affordable but reli-
able local workshop. With a real mixture
of workshop experiences awaiting them
they are rightly concerned about the costs
and reliability of the work that will
inevitably have to be done on their car.
The problem is that while many vehicles
82
are old enough to be out of manufacturer’s
warranty they still incorporate sophisticat-
ed components and systems such as ABS,
fuel injection and power steering that
require advanced diagnostic testing and
highly-skilled mechanical and auto-elec-
trical technicians to maintain and repair
them – and these skills are not often
found at local workshop level.
Repairs to these systems are seldom cheap-
around R7 500 for a new air-con com-
pressor, R28 000 for 4X4 shocks, etc, and
South Africans are not renowned for
planned budgeting, least of all for unex-
pected vehicle repair costs. This is often
when they turn to the cheaper, less profes-
sional repair options and end up with a
bad experience.
Now there’s an affordable solution,
from the service specialists
Not only did Bosch invent many of
advanced systems such as ABS and elec-
tronic fuel injection utilised in today’s
vehicles, but they also developed the diag-
nostic and testing equipment necessary to
maintain these systems in peak condition.
As the largest workshop concept in the
world Bosch Service is the ideal choice for
motorists looking for quality components
and reliable repairs to all makes and mod-
els of motor vehicles. And now Bosch
Service has entered the maintenance poli-
cy market with a simple, flexible and
affordable product that is underpinned by
the professionalism of their Bosch Service
workshops.
The new Bosch Service Maintenance
Policy is a sensible way to meet the unex-
pected repair costs and maintenance issues
that are a part of owning a vehicle out of
warranty, but without the hidden pitfalls.
The Bosch Service Maintenance
Policy – it’s like medical aid for your
car
Like a good medical aid the Bosch Service
Maintenance Policy establishes the risk of
covering each vehicle individually based
on their model and mileage. But critically,
like good insurance products, they do an
end-to-end check of the vehicle upfront to
establish its prospective repair risk profile.
And getting the cover depends on the
results.
The Bosch Service Inspection
Certificate
This is what really makes the Bosch offer
stand out from the rest. An exhaustive
116-point check-up is done as the first
step to accepting the vehicle for cover. The
owner visits one of the many Bosch
Service workshops around the country for
the inspection by Bosch mechanical and
auto-electricians using the latest diagnos-
tic equipment. The inspection tests every
major component and system of the vehi-
cle including all filters, oil, brake, trans-
mission fluids and additives such as anti-
freeze (the boiling and freezing point of
brake fluid and anti-freeze respectively is
also tested). The transmission (including
differential and diff locks) and engine
(including a compression test) are also
examined, as is the air conditioning sys-
September 2010
tem. A complete check for oil leaks is also
conducted and the braking, cooling, igni-
tion, clutch, steering ands exhaust systems
are examined. An 18 point check of the
drive line including bearings, CV shafts
and joints, alignment and balancing is
conducted while a complete electronics
diagnostic test is conducted including a
battery and alternator test. It’s been
described as the most comprehensive
inspection in the industry, and there’s a
good reason for it because, with the com-
prehensive cover provided by the Bosch
Service Maintenance Plan, the Bosch
workshop will basically be ‘adopting’ the
vehicle so they need to be confident of its
state of repair. A ‘medical report’ is issued
to the client, which is extremely valuable
in itself, and is also submitted to the quo-
tation centre. Within 24 hours a policy
quote is then offered to the owner outlin-
ing the plan options and costs available to
them.
Four affordable ways to extend the
life of any vehicle
There are 4 plans offered through Bosch
service- a Hospital Plan for petrol driven
vehicles, another for diesel vehicles as well
as an Intensive Care Plan for covering
expensive breakdowns and
Comprehensive Cover option that covers
up to 100% of all service and mainte-
nance costs. (see blocked insert)
Cover is available for vehicles under 12
years old with under 240 000 km on the
clock and is payable as a once off payment
or by monthly debit order. All Bosch
Service Maintenance Policies can be pur-
chased in units of 25 000km intervals up
to a maximum of 75 000km, with a 15
month time limit allowed for each 25
000km. Additional cover can be pur-
chased after the policy period or mileage
has been completed.
Free 24hr emergency roadside and
medical assistance
When something major does go wrong
with a car it seldom happens at home!
Every Bosch Service Maintenance Policy
includes mandatory emergency roadside
assistance to ensure that the owner isn’t
stranded at the side of the road.
Administered by Emperitus and
underwritten by Guard Risk
With the global Bosch reputation for
quality, service and commitment to excel-
lence, our choice of financial and risk
September 2010
Ewald Faulstich, Director
Automotive Aftermarket Division
a at Robert Bosch (Pty) Limited
(sitting), and Rory Conacher,
Managing Director of Emperitus,
sign a momentous deal.
management partners is critical. Empe-
ritus and underwriters Guard Risk share
our vision of providing a flexible, afford-
able and accountable maintenance solu-
tion that genuinely adds value for
motorists.
A trustworthy solution for motorists,
car dealers and workshops
The Bosch Service Inspection Certificate
is the basis for establishing the true value
of a vehicle and means that all parties can
base their decisions on facts and not
hearsay. Motorists can buy and sell with
confidence and returns and call backs, a
nightmare for second-hand dealers, are
eliminated, enabling trust to be built with
the customer. The Bosch Service Main-
tenance Policy is an attractive option to
allow individuals, businesses and fleet
operations to effectively budget for
repairs.
Key features of the 4 plan options
available
• Bosch Service Hospital Plan – a
mechanical and electrical breakdown
plan designed specifically for petrol
vehicles. Covers engine, gearbox, drive
axle assembly, turbo assembly, engine
management system and petrol fuel
injection system.
• Bosch Service Hospital Plan Plus – a
mechanical and electrical breakdown
plan covers the six major components
of diesel vehicles. Covers engine, gear-
box, drive axle assembly, engine man-
agement system and diesel fuel injec-
tion system.
• Bosch Service Intensive Care Plan –
this extended Hospital Plan is the ideal
cover for expensive breakdowns and
unforeseen wear and tear items. You
budget for regular service costs and we
cover all maintenance related repairs
and part replacement required through
normal wear and tear or mechanical/
electrical failure.
• Bosch Service Comprehensive Cover -
ultimate cover for all vehicles out of
warranty. The plan covers 100% of
routine service costs, and up to 100%
of all maintenance related repairs and
part replacement required through
normal wear and tear or mechanical
/electrical failure.
83
 What’s the Buzz?

2010 EXCELLENCE AWARDS FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

The votes are in, and the countdown has begun. The announcement of the finalists for the fifth annual Focus on Excellence Awards, sponsored by
WesBank, took place at the beautiful WesBank building in Fairlands. Scott Byers, the research company in charge of counting the thousands of votes,
will now kick into high gear figuring out who will be going home with trophies come November 9 with the winners being names at a red carpet ban-
quet to be held at the Barnyard Theatre in Broadacres, Gauteng. “WesBank is delighted to have supported the Focus on Excellence awards for the past
three years. We have always shown great interest in being part of celebrating performance and service excellence and the fact that so many of our indus-
try partners and esteemed customers are here with us today is a tribute to you all,” says general manager of WesBank Corporate Gerald Burton. A large
array of categories is represented – from the humble one-ton bakkie to extra heavy commercial vehicles, buses and coaches. Naturally, the country’s pre-
mier truck, bus and coach operators are also saluted. In addition to this, awards are presented to vehicle manufacturers who excel in the fields of sales,
service and parts support.

Gerald Burton
(Wesbank) and
Raymond Shultz
(Nissan Diesel) Marja Brunninger (MAN
Truck and Bus Africa),
Ignatius Muthien (Hino SA),
and Charleen Clarke (Focus
On Transport)

Stephen Temple (Barlow World),

Julio Favia (Bridgestone) and Jon Byers
(Scott Byers)

Barney Curtis (Fesarta), Nadia Vosloo (Total

SA), Marco Gouveia (Cummins), and Paul
Kable (Cummins)
Abrie de Swardt (Imperial Logistics) and
The finalists for 2010 Excellence Awards are: Derek Crandon (Wesbank).

BEST ONE TON BAKKIE: BEST COMMUTER BUS BEST SUPPLIER OF TYRE VEHICLE DISTRIBUTOR
General Motors MAN Truck and Bus SA SERVICES WITH THE BEST SALES
Nissan SA Mercedes-Benz South Africa Max T Solutions SUPPORT
Toyota SA Scania South Africa Supa Quick Auto Centres
Freightliner
Trentyre Hino SA
BEST MEDIUM COMMER- BEST TOURING COACH Isuzu Truck SA
CIAL VEHICLE (GVM 3 MAN Truck and Bus SA BEST TRANSPORT OPER- MAN Truck and Bus SA
500 – 8 500 KG) Mercedes-Benz South Africa ATOR Mercedes-Benz South Africa
Hino SA Scania South Africa Hestony Transport Mitsubishi Fuso
Isuzu Truck SA Volvo Southern Africa Imperial Logistics Scania
Mercedes-Benz South Africa Unitrans UD Trucks Southern Africa
UD Trucks Southern Africa BEST SUPPLIER OF Value Logistics Volvo Southern Africa
FUELS
BEST HEAVY COMMER- BP Southern Africa BEST BUS OPERATOR VEHICLE DISTRIBUTOR
CIAL VEHICLE (GVM 8 Chevron SA Buscor WITH THE BEST SERV-
500 – 16 500 KG) Engen Petroleum Limited Golden Arrow ICE SUPPORT
Hino SA Shell South Africa Mega Bus and Coach Hino SA
Isuzu Truck SA Putco Isuzu Truck SA
MAN Truck and Bus SA BEST SUPPLIER OF MAN Truck and Bus SA
Mercedes-Benz South Africa LUBRICANTS BEST COACH OPERATOR Mercedes-Benz South Africa
UD Trucks Southern Africa
BP Southern Africa Greyhound Scania South Africa
Castrol Mega Bus and Coach UD Trucks Southern Africa
BEST EXTRA HEAVY Chevron SA Springbok Atlas Volvo Southern Africa
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE Engen Petroleum Limited Translux
(GVM 16 500 KG AND Shell South Africa VEHICLE DISTRIBUTOR
ABOVE) BEST SUPPLIER OF WITH THE BEST PARTS
Freightliner BEST TYRE TRAILERS SUPPORT
MAN Truck and Bus SA Bridgestone Afrit Isuzu Truck SA
Mercedes-Benz South Africa Dunlop Henred Fruehauf MAN Truck and Bus SA
UD Trucks Southern Africa Firestone SA Truck Bodies Mercedes-Benz South Africa
Volvo Southern Africa Goodyear UD Trucks Southern Africa
Michelin

84 September 2010
 Two Wheels
A New Generation of Bikes
Future motorcycle development will focus on safety, comfort and environmental issues rather than speed,
says GAVIN FOSTER, who went for a ride on Honda’s new VFR1200F that offers a six-speed dual-
clutch transmission.
H
onda has always been a leader rather than a follower
in motorcycle technology. While the Brits were still
trying to figure out how to stop their single and twin
cylinder machinery leaking oil, the Japanese manu-
facturer came up with 50cc twins, 125cc fours and fives, and
250cc six cylinder Grand Prix winners. Back in 1969 the factory
dished up the world’s first true superbike, an oiltight 750cc over-
head camshaft machine with reliable electrics, disc brakes and an
electric starter, that instantly rendered the British industry with its
reliance on a staunch right leg for starting, drum brakes for stop-
ping, and a bag of cement for drying up the oil, hopelessly redun-
dant. Interestingly, Honda also experimented back in the 1950s
with coupled front and rear brakes incorporating an ABS system.
It would be 30 years before any Honda went into production with
linked ABS though. One of Honda’s few technological advances
that failed dismally was the two speed automatic transmission
offered briefly on their 750 four and 400cc twins in the 1970s.
The 750’s engine was detuned from 65 to 47 bhp for the self-
shifting version of the bike, which won it no friends, and the 400,
although not detuned, was pretty gutless to start with. Both bikes
were bad sellers and not much missed when they were discontin-
ued a year or so later. Since then other manufacturers – notably
Moto Guzzi and Aprilia – have developed auto transmissions, but
none have been over popular in the marketplace. The only two-
wheelers with auto transmissions that have ever gained ready
acceptance with the public are motor scooters that use stepless
continuously variable transmissions (CVT) to save inexperienced
riders the schlep of learning how to use a clutch and gearbox
properly.
Honda’s VFR1200, launched in January with a conventional
manual gearbox and six months later with dual clutch transmis-
sion is a marvellous machine at heart. While its kerb weight of
267 kg (277 for the dual clutch version) is about 70 kg higher
than that of a pure sports machine, the big Honda nevertheless
86
manages to feel a lot nimbler than you’d expect, and straight-line
performance is also very, very brisk. At the Cape Town launch of
the manual version I saw an indicated 267 km/h on the
speedometer with more to come, and at Gauteng altitude in July
262 km/h popped up briefly on the speedo before I backed off.
The big 1237cc V4 engine dishes up a tad over 170 horsepower
(127 kW) at 10 000 rpm and a very useful 129 Nm of torque at
8 750, meaning that the bike, once rolling in third or fourth gear,
could probably get by very well without any further gear changes
until you had to stop and pull off again.
It’s important to remember that the Honda’s new gearbox is not
an auto in the usual sense of the word, but a dual clutch system
as is increasingly found in high performance cars. Because size is
much more important in a motorcycle the Honda set-up uses dual
concentric input shafts, one running inside the other, and two in-
line hydraulic clutches, with a typically motorcycle shift drum
rather than the independent shifters found in car units. One
clutch serves 1st, 3rd and 5th gears, while the other looks after
2nd, 4th and 6th. The clutches work alternately, allowing each
gear to be selected in advance, and the clutches engaged and dis-
engaged simultaneously as the change up or down is effected.
The Honda offers automatic or manual shifting, with the auto-
matic option allowing a choice of “D” and “S” modes. In “D” the
system makes use of the massive torque produced by the engine,
short-shifting and saving on fuel, while the “S” option changes
the nature of the beast entirely. Initial take-off feels slightly lethar-
gic but as the initial inertia is overcome all those frisky horses
come out to play and you’d better hang on to your hat.
If you want to play boy racer you can use a switch on the right
handlebar to select “M” for Manual, point the bike towards where
you want to go and simply open the throttle. To change up or
down you prod the appropriate paddle with your left thumb or
forefinger, and the gear-changes are instantaneously effected on
demand. The system really works well and the computer doesn’t
try to override your decisions unless you really, really try to abuse
the rev-limiter.
When you come to a stop the bike automatically disengages the
drive, so there’s a handbrake operated by a small lever on the han-
dlebar that stops the bike rolling off the sidestand when you park
the bike on a downhill slope.
At R169 999 the Honda VFR1200F Dual Clutch costs R10 000
more than the conventional six-speeder manual version, which,
for those who want what it has to offer, isn’t much because it real-
ly works so well. I’m not sure how many will want it though. My
gut feeling is that perhaps 5 or 10% of VFR1200’s sold will be
self- shifters, because bike people are mostly set in their ways.
Then again, I’m not really keen on automatic cars either…
September 2010
 THe Fink

Letters to the Editor go for som

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tomer poo st e n q uiring wh p re c ia te hearing d s so m e informa ! A ll lovely, bu a c tu a ll y botherin
early Au g u e do ap then a d not p a y uter, is query.
a message n c e in writing. W perating Company w th re e years do im p e rs onal comp se to h is follow-up
ur experi e O be lo an o n
to put yo Bombela t children part from y for a resp
se rv ice”. The y o u know tha a n d no one, a ait in g patientl ng a great
improving
o u r
m o re. And d id
m a te d respo n se ,
d th e editor is w
h a n k s for deliveri e,
s, fares, a n d an a u to ice!! ! A n self . T for its tim
bus route e , it a p p ears this is im p ro v e their serv e , M r. G autrain him e engineering feat w ith a
. You se ing to van der M
erw esom ation
was asked m u c h fo r continu e s to Ja c k a n ic w as also an aw o o p aft e r an alterc e q u al
ails. So r go e Tit its p ent in
these e-m M id as G ift Vouche it a n ic ” on us. Th v e ts g o t it to pop m e n t a n d amusem m b ela
500 “ T ri tB o
month’s R n’t foist th
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g ent, amaze e dunce a
is b asi s that this c k . B u t please do ff , a n d so me dicey cre d u lity , bewilderm nd the head of th
th Ja u , in pou
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transport ca u e c itiz en s o
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but it wen fr o ze n w ater. So, fo h is lo c a l Midas sto h en the sun sh
u n k of to v is it ly fly w
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Jack gets s that air
measure, w h o th ink
Company
Operating

And thanks to all those readers

who commented on the Phoenix
column and Howard Keeg’s article
on the Ford Figo, and those
browsers who clicked on the
AutoCrew button on www.abr-
buzz.co.za. These got the most
readers’ responses to our August
2010 issue. For those readers such
as Norman Mudau and
Netshamavu Lufuno, who now
want to buy a Figo, ABR cannot
help you, but please make a visit to
your nearest Ford dealership, and
say that Howard Keeg sent you.
He eagerly awaits his spotter’s fee.

Win a Midas Voucher The judges decision, no matter how one-eyed they are,
will be final.
The FINK is looking for letters to the Editor. The more the
merrier, and the more thought provoking of these shall find their
way into ABR. The best letter will win a Midas voucher to the
value of R500. So get out those pens and write to:
The Fink
P O Box 102
Wendywood, 2144
Or Fax 0866 579 289
Or email:bigheart@iafrica.com

88 September 2010
 Fast
Formula 1 Lights
the Fires
To quote Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula 1 supremo, “If there are no fires in F1, we will
light them”. Or words to that effect.
F
ormula 1 certainly has done that over the last couple of
Grands Prix. I know you have to have rules, but stewards
come up with new obscure ones all the time with the express
purpose it seems to me of closing up the field or wrecking or
altering a race. No team instructions, stay a certain distance from
the safety car, fines for attending technical inspection late, change
of starting grid positions for demeanours like changing engines
and gearboxes and drive-through penalties are just some of the race
wreckers. Maybe “they” felt it needs all this to make the racing at
least controversial, talked about or more exciting. The last three
Formula 1 Championship world events suffered from one or all
of these.
Silverstone was back to its former glory for the British Grand Prix.
It had been drastically revised, had lots of new corners and was fast
as before. A record breaking crowd pitched up on the Friday,
Saturday and Sunday to give the place a great buzz. McLaren was
favourite to win but it wasn’t to be. Red Bulls filled the first row.
Vettel on pole and Webber alongside him. Into the first corner
Stowe, Webber took the lead while Vettel punctured after being hit
by Hamilton. Webber went on to lead throughout with Hamilton
hounding him just 11/2 seconds behind throughout the race.
Ferrari weren’t a happy equipe with Alonso attempting to pass
Kubica in his ailing Renault on the grass inside a corner. The stew-
ards with Nigel Mansell as an adviser hit him with a drive-through
penalty and out of the points., Maybe it was pay-back time for
some reason for Mansell. Vettel was always favoured to win the
German Grand Prix at Hockenhaim in front of his own crowd. It
was not to be. Ferrari, never to be underestimated, came along
with uncatchable cars and that was going to be that.
Wrong. Massa, leading for the first time since his huge crash in
Hungary in 2009, looked good for a win. Alonso on his tail was
fractionally faster but had Vettel closing quickly. The team radio
came on to tell Massa “Alonso is faster. Please acknowledge you
understand this message.” In code it meant – “Move over for
Alonso. He is our best chance of catching up to the leader in the
points championship.” That little instruction cost Ferrari a cool
Answers
1. VW Polo Vivo 4. Mark Webber
2. USA. It is under Montana 5. Australia
and the two Dakotas. 6. Giuseppe Farina
There is enough oil for 503 7. Alfa Romeo 158
billion barrels. 8. Brescia
3. Zwartkops 9. Mini
90
Wheels
by Roger McCleery
$100,000. Motorsport is an individual sport, except for speedway
and Moto Cross Des Nations which are team sports for your club
or country. However, if you have a contract with Ferrari paying
huge bucks, you have to do what they tell you in an effort for the
team to clinch the world championship title. Nobody really gives
a toss about the manufacturers title but the manufacturers them-
selves. Ferrari helped Massa when he was on his way to a world
title and lost by only 1 point on the last lap in Brazil to hand the
championship to Hamilton. That could have been a fiddle as well..
Now Alonso has the best chance. Therefore, don’t get huffy with
everyone on the podium and at the after-race interviews. These
instructions do make nonsense of Formula 1 racing but that is how
it is in these big teams, although with hands on the heart they all
say “It doesn’t happen.” Slow pit stops, can’t find the right wheels
and other little niceties have all been used in the past.
The Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest will be remembered for a
few things. Webber taking his sixth career win by a mile thanks to
his skill, speed and a safety car intervention. This saw his teammate
Vettel lose his initial lead and the race when he headed for the pits.
The collision of Kubica and Sutil in the pit road was good. Nico
Rosberg, losing his right rear wheel as he drove away from the pit
box saw it bounce its way through a host of mechanics waiting for
their cars to pit, was dramatic. Fortunately nobody was hurt.
Sebastian Vettel, much to his disgust, picked up a drive-through
penalty for being too far behind the safety car at the restart.
It looked like he was holding the field back to give Webber a
chance to clear off. No way could that be the case because these
two are at war. Where do they get these stewards from?
The reputation-ruining Big Daddy was for Michael Schumacher.
He squeezed Barricello against the pit wall as he tried to pass him,
going flat out. Schumacher lost a lot of fans doing that. Ten grid
spots, a penalty for Belgium, was handed out for that.
Webber and Red Bull lead the Drivers and Manufacturers
Championship with seven races to go. Lots of fires can still to be
lit before the final in Brazil.
From page 42
10. Golf 6 16. John Jessup
11. Ducati 17. Mahindra in India
12. Crossbow 18. Cleveland Ohio
13. Honda 19. Guilietta
14. 15 million 20. Tata and Mahindra
15. Fuji Heavy Industries
September 2010

A series of articles on Midas motorsport initiatives in 2010
Zaugg adds the Midas touch
Former Team South Africa A1GP driver Adrian Zaugg is regarded as a future motorsport star and recent results
in GP2 have confirmed he is knocking at the door of Formula One. And at Phakisa on 14 August 2010 he
seamlessly moved to production cars to prove his credentials.
R
ound five of the WesBank Super Series at Phakisa
Freeway in Welkom saw Midas Sport enter two cars in
class A of the Bridgestone Production car series. Earlier
in the year, former V8 Supercar race winner Richard
Pinard drove the Midas Sport Lotus Exige, but after the last race
he made the decision to join the Subaru team which meant the
Lotus was driverless for Phakisa. “The car is prepared by Carel
Zaugg makes the transition from single-seater to saloon car seem as
simple as pie
Pienaar’s SP Race Engineering team who also prepare the Subaru
Impreza STIs of Hennie Groenewald and Dawie Olivier, so it just
made sense from a logistics point of view to run a similar Subaru
under the Midas Sport banner,” explained Pinard.
At around about the same time Zaugg was holidaying in Cape
Town and a meeting with Motorsport South Africa Managing
Director Francois Pretorius led to him being offered the Lotus to
race. Like any top class driver he jumped at the opportunity, but
first ensured it did not clash with any other sponsorship agree-
ments. A brief shakedown test at Zwartkops before the team left
for Phakisa was the first opportunity he had to show his class.
Thanks to its low weight and short wheelbase the Lotus is well
suited to Zwartkops, but no one expected him to lap as quickly as
he did. It was also the first chance for the Midas Sport teammates
to meet and get to know each other. “He is humble and certainly
not like I expected an international star to be,” said Pinard after-
wards. “It was also nice to hear him confirm the handling issues I
had with the car.”
At Phakisa, with its long sweeping corners, the Lotus didn’t have
the advantage it had at Zwartkops yet he still managed to qualify
fifth fastest. Due to last minute regulation changes, the Subarus
were unable to qualify which meant Pinard had to start the Midas
Sport Subaru from the back of the grid. Whilst in the midst of a
tight tussle in the opening race, Zaugg was tapped by the Audi of
Tschops Sipuka and spun at turn three which dropped him down
September 2010
Midas Sport
by Steve Wicks
the order. “These things happen in racing,” he pointed out after-
wards. Pinard, whose car turned a wheel for the first time at the
Zwartkops test, was delighted to have an incident free race and fin-
ish sixth just ahead of Zaugg who had fought back impressively.
A feature of Bridgestone Production Cars is that there are three
races on the day with the first two being six lap sprints with no
Richard Pinard gets acquainted with his new Subaru
work allowed on the cars between races as they simply reform up
on the grid. Pinard was forced to start race two from the pit lane
as he pitted to check a vibration after the first race and this brought
out the best in him as he fought back to finish fifth while Olivier
won in the Sasol Timken Subaru. “I didn’t expect that, but the car
was good and everything fell into place,” explained Pinard as he
acknowledged there was a bit of luck involved. Zaugg’s race didn’t
go as planned as he was forced to retire from fifth place on the
penultimate lap. The final was a 12-lap affair and Pinard’s race
came to a spectacular end on lap four when he spun and hit the
barriers exiting turn one. “I went in a bit hot and the car got away
from me,” was his honest reply.
Zaugg’s day of woe continued
and this time he retired with gear
selection problems but he still
smiled. “Sure it would have been
nice to get a good result, but it
was a last minute deal and I
enjoyed myself. There are a lot of
nice people here.”
Adrian Zaugg checks his lap times
with Motorsport South Africa
Managing Director Francois
Pretorius
91
 The Last Writes by Baron Claude Borlz

“For our more discerning readers .....”

The title of this e-mail from the reader said ONLY A MAN WOULD ATTEMPT THIS –
I won’t argue because I have done something similar, but with only a 65 000 volts Taser, so
the results were not as dramatic, but still something I will never do again!

P
ocket Taser Stun Gun, a great gift for the wife... A guy
who purchased his lovely wife a pocket Taser for their
anniversary submitted this: Last weekend I saw some-
thing at Larry's Pistol & Pawn Shop that sparked my
interest...The occasion was our 15th anniversary and I was look-
ing for a little something extra for my wife Julie. What I came
across was a 100,000-volt, pocket/purse- sized Taser. The effects of
the Taser were supposed to be short lived, with no long-term
adverse effect on your assailant, allowing her adequate time to
retreat to safety....?? WAY TOO COOL! Long story short,
I bought the device and brought it home. Loaded two AAA bat-
teries in the darn thing and pushed the button. Nothing! I was dis-
appointed. I learned, however, that if I pushed the button and
pressed it against a metal surface at the same time; I'd get the blue
arc of electricity darting back and forth between the prongs. AWE-
SOME!!! Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Julie what that
burn spot is on the face of her microwave.
Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy, thinking to myself
that it couldn't be all that bad with only two AAA batteries, right?
There I sat in my recliner, my cat Gracie looking on intently
(trusting little soul)while I was reading the directions and thinking
that I really needed to try this thing out on a flesh & blood mov-
ing target. I must admit I thought about zapping Gracie (for a
fraction of a second) and then thought better of it... She is such a
sweet cat. But, if I was going to give this thing to my wife to pro-
tect herself against a mugger, I did want some assurance that it
would work as advertised. Am I wrong? So, there I sat in a pair of
shorts and a tank top with my reading glasses perched delicately
on the bridge of my nose, directions in one hand, and Taser in
another. The directions said that a one-second burst would shock
and disorient your assailant; a two-second burst was supposed to
cause muscle spasms and a major loss of bodily control; and a
three-second burst would purportedly make your assailant flop on
the ground like a fish out of water. Any burst longer than three sec-
onds would be wasting the batteries. All the while I'm looking at
this little device measuring about 5" long, less than 3/4 inch in cir-
cumference (loaded with two itsy, bitsy AAA batteries); pretty cute
really, and thinking to myself, 'no possible way!'
the oddest position, and tingling in my legs! The cat was making
meowing sounds I had never heard before, clinging to a picture
frame hanging above the fireplace, obviously in an attempt to
avoid getting slammed by my body flopping all over the living
room.
Note: If you ever feel compelled to 'mug' yourself with a Taser, one
note of caution: there is NO such thing as a one second burst
when you zap yourself! You will not let go of that thing until it is
dislodged from your hand by a violent thrashing about on the
floor! A three second burst would be considered conservative! A
minute or so later (I can't be sure, as time was a relative thing at
that point), I collected my wits (what little I had left), sat up and
surveyed the landscape. My bent reading glasses were on the man-
tel of the fireplace. The recliner was upside down and about 8 feet
or so from where it originally was. My triceps, right thigh and both
nipples were still twitching. My face felt like it had been shot up
with Novocain, and my bottom lip weighed 88 lbs.. I had no con-
trol over the drooling. Apparently I had crapped in my shorts, but
was too numb to know for sure, and my sense of smell was gone.
I saw a faint smoke cloud above my head, which I believe came
from my hair. I'm still looking for my testicles and I'm offering a
significant reward for their safe return!
P.S. My wife can't stop laughing about my experience, loved the
gift and now regularly threatens me with it! If you think education
is difficult, try being stupid !!!

What happened next is almost beyond description, but I'll do my

best...I'm sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head
cocked to one side so as to say, 'Don't do it stupid,' reasoning that Apparently, this picture was
a one second burst from such a tiny 'lil ole thing couldn't hurt all
that bad. I decided to give myself a one second burst just for heck
taken at the announcement that
of it. I touched the prongs to my naked thigh, pushed the button, Caster Semenya was the new
and...HOLY MOTHER OF....WEAPONS OF MASS DES- Brand Ambassador
TRUCTION...WHAT THE....!!! I'm pretty sure Hulk Hogan ran
in through the side door, picked me up in the recliner, then body
(ambassadress?) for Mrs. Ball’s
slammed us both on the carpet, over and over and over again. I Chutney. Careful, Caster, you’re
vaguely recall waking up on my side in the foetal position, with not as safe as you think!
tears in my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, testicles
nowhere to be found, with my left arm tucked under my body in

92 September 2010