January 25, 2021 - Heels & Horsepower Magazine

Mercedes-Benz is once again South Africa’s top-selling luxury car brand in 2020

vuyi on January 25, 2021

In 2019, Johannes Fritz, Co-CEO of Mercedes-Benz South Africa and Executive Director for Mercedes-Benz Cars, said he was optimistic about the brand’s prospects in South Africa for 2020

In 2019, Mercedes-Benz claimed a string of awards, including the coveted SA Car of The Year award for the new A-Class Hatch, ‘Coolest Motor Vehicle’ as awarded by the Sunday Times Gen Next, and ‘Top Brand’ accolade from Sunday Times.

In addition to those accolades, the German automaker closed off 2019 as the top selling premium car brand in South Africa, despite challenging market and economic conditions that saw an overall decline in premium vehicle sales due to pressure on consumers’ disposable income and fragile business and consumer confidence.

Also in 2019, Mercedes-Benz ended the year as global leader in the luxury car brands category and achieved its ninth consecutive record year of sales.

Fast forward to the end of 2020 and Mercedes-Benz has retained its position as the top selling premium car brand in South Africa; this in a year that saw a considerable overall decline in the market due to COVID-19. Globally, Mercedes-Benz ended 2020 as number one among the luxury car brands. 2020 saw the Stuttgart-based brand sell a total of 2 164 187 units (-7.5%) with China and Europe regions contributing most considerably to the overall number.

Johannes Fritz, Co-CEO of Mercedes-Benz South Africa and Executive Director for Mercedes-Benz Cars, said that our number one position can be attributed to the consolidated effort of Mercedes-Benz South Africa and the agent network in these challenging times.

The large number of new models introduced across the Mercedes-Benz Range including the all-new GLA, GLB, GLE Coupe, GLS and G 400d SUV Models also had a very positive impact. Additionally the E-Class Family received a Facelift with updates to the Sedan, Coupe and Cabriolet derivatives.

Mercedes-Benz GLB, galaxyblau Mercedes-Benz GLB, galaxy blue

- Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé 2019, designo hyazinthrot metallic, Outdoor Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé 2019, designo hyacinth red metallic, outdoor
- Mercedes-Benz GLS, 2019, smaragdgrün Mercedes-Benz GLS, 2019, emerald green

Mercedes-Benz GLA 220d mountaingrau magno; Leder – macchiatobeige/schwarz;Kraftstoffverbrauch kombiniert: 4,9-4,7 l/100 km; CO2-Emissionen kombiniert: 129–123 g/km Mercedes-Benz GLA 220d mountain grey magno; Leather – macchiato beige/black;Fuel consumption combined: 4.9-4.7 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 129-123 g/km

On the High-Performance front, the brand launched the Mercedes-AMG A & CLA 35, both of which received an outstanding welcome into the market, giving customers a head turning entry into the Mercedes-AMG brand. The Mercedes- AMG A & CLA45’s were also launched in 2020 as well as the GLC 43 & 63s rounding off the Mercedes-AMG Line-up.

“More than ever before, there are challenges which lie ahead of us as we constantly strive to provide customers with the utmost convenience when it comes to their mobility solutions, which is why in 2020 we launched an online platform called Mercedes-Benz Online Store, enabling customers to start and complete their online buying journey from the comfort of their homes.” concluded Fritz.

“This new Generation C-Class, which is also built in South Africa, follows a R10 billion investment in the East London Plant, and will contribute valuably to the South African economy”.

Johannes Fritz, Co-CEO of Mercedes-Benz South Africa and Executive Director for Mercedes-Benz Cars

Globally, Mercedes-Benz was again named as one of the top ten ‘Best Global Brands’ in 2020 by renowned US brand consultancy Interbrand, and defended its position as the world’s most valuable luxury automotive brand for the fourth consecutive year. In South Africa, the Mercedes-Benz brand also maintained its position in 2020 as the ‘Coolest Motor Vehicle’ as awarded by the Sunday Times Gen Next, and earned yet another ‘Top Brand’ accolade from Sunday Times. The newly introduced Mercedes-Benz GLE 400d 4Matic was selected as the Top Premium SUV for 2020 by the Autotrader Car of The Year judging panel.

Mercedes-Benz continues to strive towards providing the best Premium Customer Experience and Customer Satisfaction remains a top priority in 2021.

Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S 4MATIC+; jupiter rot; Leder, titanium grau / schwarz;;Kraftstoffverbrauch kombiniert: 8,3-8,1 l/100 km; CO2-Emissionen kombiniert: 189-186 g/km* Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S 4MATIC+; jupiter red; Leather, two-tone – titanium gray pearl / black;;Fuel consumption combined: 8.3-8.1 l/100 km; Combined CO2 emissions: 189-186 g/km*
Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 4MATIC, Sonnengelb;Kraftstoffverbrauch kombiniert: 7,3-7,2 l/100 km; CO2-Emissionen kombiniert: 167-164 g/km* Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 4MATIC, sun yellow;Fuel consumption combined: 7.3-7.2 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 167-164 g/km*
Bildwelten zur Geländefähigkeit, Design und Onroad-Performance und greifen Naturelemente, wie Fels- und Lavaformationen, sowie Wasser auf, die wie die G-Klasse „stronger than time“ sind. Die Tonalität der Kampagne spiegelt den Charakter der Offroad-Legende wieder: starke Botschaften in beeindruckenden Bildwelten. Image worlds of off-road capability, design and on-road performance, and take on natural elements such as rock and lava formations, and water, which are like the G-class “stronger than time”. The tonality of the campaign reflects the character of the off-road legend: strong messages in impressive picture worlds.

Fritz said the product offering continues into 2021 with the launch of our brand new C-Class sedan, which will continue to set the benchmark for the midsize sedan segment. “This new Generation C-Class, which is also built in South Africa, follows a R10 billion investment in the East London Plant, and will contribute valuably to the South African economy”.

Speaking of Benchmarks, 2021 sees the introduction of the all-new Flagship S- Class, the pinnacle of technology and elegance in the industry. In addition, 2021 will see the arrival of three extremely special models in the S-Class Maybach, the GLS Maybach and finally the highly anticipated AMG GT Black series, which sets an all-new standard for performance road vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz is committed to making 2021 a great year for our customers and we are confident that we will once again raise the standard of automotive mobility with these exciting new products launches.

Get Ready for the 2022 BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy

vuyi on January 25, 2021

The International GS Trophy is an event that celebrates the “spirit” of the legendary BMW GS models. It offers everything that a GS motorbike was made for: riding fun, adventure and challenges.

“Explore the unexpected” is the motto of the eighth edition of the BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy, which will take place in Albania in 2022.

The International GS Trophy is an event that celebrates the “spirit” of the legendary BMW GS models. It offers everything that a GS motorbike was made for: riding fun, adventure and challenges.

The International GS Trophy is not a race but a team competition in which an international line-up of off-road enthusiasts compete together in various special stages. Not all of these tests are purely designed as riding tests. It is also about knowledge and teamwork. As the competitors spend a lot of time together and also sleep in bivouacs, this adventure event also promotes a feeling of togetherness. It is not uncommon for friendships to be made here which last a lifetime. In this way the GS Trophy connects people, cultures and motorcyclists from all over the world in the same way as the GS motorbikes do.

One team can already look forward to participating in the Int. GS Trophy 2022, being the Chinese Team 2020

The participating nations look forward to exciting, but also work-intensive times as they organize the qualifying events and select their teams for this unique adventure competition. Twenty-two international teams and, for the first time, six international women’s teams will be selected in the coming months.

The Southeast Europe Event 2022 is the eighth edition of the International GS Trophy.

Qualification events for the int. GS Trophy 2022 Southeast Europe have been confirmed in:

Brazil
China
France
Germany
India
Japan
Latin America
Mexico
Netherlands
Russia
South Africa
South East Asia
South Korea
United Kingdom
USA

One team can already look forward to participating in the Int. GS Trophy 2022. The Chinese Team 2020 received a wildcard because it could not participate in New Zealand due to the COVID-19 restrictions in force at the time.

The Southeast Europe Event 2022 is the eighth edition of the International GS Trophy.

Previous editions were held in 2020 in Oceania (New Zealand), 2018 in Central Asia (Mongolia), 2016 in South East Asia (Thailand), 2014 in North America (Canada), 2012 in South America (Chile, Argentina), 2010 in South Africa (South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique) and 2008 in North Africa (Tunisia). In the current edition 22 teams compete with 60 riders from all over the world. The field of riders is accompanied by the GS Trophy Marshals, media representatives, doctors, sponsors as well as a photo and film crew.

Based on the experience of the past GS Trophy events, the most successful team will be the one that prepares the best, has the best teamwork and rides most skilfully, while having heaps of fun and enjoying the great feeling of international camaraderie.

We will share details of the GS motorcycles which will be used, the equipment that will help the participants master the event and more information on the participating countries and selected teams as soon as we receive.

NEW ON THE TARMAC: Farewell Honda Jazz. Hello Honda FIT

vuyi on January 25, 2021

Honda has unveiled the much-anticipated FIT model range, which replaces the well-known Jazz nameplate in South Africa, and Vuyi Mpofu attended the launch in Hermanus, Western Cape.

As beloved as the Jazz has been, it faced intense challenges from competitors whose increasing offering included modern design, up-to-date technology, copious amounts of interior space, and fuel efficiency. The Honda Jazz also carried the rather unfortunate stigma of being a “granny-mobile”, making it not-so-desirable to the younger and trendy market.

Determined to remain in the game and do its best to disrupt the compact hatchback segment, the Honda FIT offers South African customers – new and existing – a mix of frugality, practicality, and best of all, variety.

The first important highlight about the Honda FIT is that models aimed for Mzansi are built in Japan and not in India.
– Vuyi Mpofu, MD, Driving in heels sa

Landing at Cape Town International airport on a cold, windy, and rainy day my enthusiasm for testing the little city runner faded a little. After all, who wants to drive in such weather?

I tried to remember the safety features in the Honda Jazz and trusted those and more would save the day.

The first important highlight about the Honda FIT is that models aimed for Mzansi are built in Japan and not in India. If you’ve ever sat in a vehicle assembled in India, you’ll know why this is very, very good news and if you haven’t, let’s just say vehicles built in India give the term “new car smell’ an unpleasantly different and new meaning; to say nothing about question marks surrounding build quality.

CVT in itself works well, but, whenever you try to squeeze more power out of it, the system responds pretty much in the same way I imagine a cat would if you tried to bathe it.
– VUYI MPOFU, MD, DRIVING IN HEELS SA

Having driven the Honda FIT Hybrid on the morning of the launch, I climbed into the FIT Executive (range-topping petrol model) after a hearty lunch. The Hybrid model had set the bar rather high and I worried that the variant Executive might not live up to the task.

The petrol derivatives employ continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and therein lies the reason for my sadness and deep concern. CVT in itself works well, but, whenever you try to squeeze more power out of it, the system responds pretty much in the same way I imagine a cat would if you tried to bathe it – it emits a high-pitched scream and doesn’t let up until you ease up on the accelerator and allow the car to return to a pace which it is comfortable at.

Needless to say, this is not ideal because when I want to go, I need a car that complies – not one that protests and ultimately screeches me into defeat.

That would probably be the ‘worst’ feature about the petrol-powered Honda Fit models and accepting this begrudgingly, I set about the task of the day – driving the Honda FIT Executive model.

My best feature is the front seat heaters (available in the Executive and Hybrid models only) which came in handy during the cold, wet drive.
– VUYI MPOFU, MD, DRIVING IN HEELS SA

What It Looks Like Inside and Out

The Honda Fit range has a futuristic and contemporary design. Styling enhancements include a sleek front face, smooth contours, a short nose, and a refined rear roof spoiler. Premium-look rear combination lamps and light cluster design, all of which blend to complement the FIT’s clean, minimalistic exterior aesthetics.

Furthermore, the A-pillar thickness is now just 55mm and along with the hidden windscreen wipers, this provides the driver and front-seat passenger with an unobstructed, almost panoramic field of vision.

The clean, uncluttered design of the Honda FIT continues on the inside and Honda has included enough technological elements to bring the little city runner on par with its competitors.

The user-focused dashboard incorporates a slim instrument panel that sweeps horizontally across the cabin, enhancing the sense of cabin spaciousness. The central HMI 9-inch touchscreen (standard on Elegance and Executive grades) and 7-inch full TFT instrument cluster which is standard across the range, are simple and easy to read.

My best feature is the front seat heaters (available in the Executive and Hybrid models only) which came in handy during the cold, wet drive. A review-view camera is fitted to all the models except for the entry-level Comfort

My concerns about driving on wet roads were decapitated once I began driving the Executive model.
VUYI MPOFU, MD, DRIVING IN HEELS SA

What’s Under It’s Pretty Little Bonnet?

There are three petrol derivatives in the Honda FIT line-up as well as a Hybrid model. These are the entry-level Comfort, mid-level Elegance, and range-topping Executive, All are fitted with a 1.5L DOHC petrol engine, (the same unit found in the latest Honda Ballade) that churns 90kW of power and 146Nm of torque.

Interestingly, a manual transmission is not on offer.

All The Safety You Need

My concerns about driving on wet roads were decapitated once I began driving the Executive model because the Honda FIT range comes standard with an impressive list of safety features which include (but are not limited to), Vehicle Stability Assist, Brake Assist System, Hill Start Assist and Automatic Brake Hold.

Passive safety comes in the form of six airbags, comprising front, side, and curtain SRS airbags.

Model Specifications & Colour Line-Up

The colour line-up for the new FIT range includes a host of new colours including Opal White (Pearl), Crystal Red (Metallic), Meteoroid Grey (Metallic), Midnight Blue (Metallic), and Rose Gold (Metallic), in addition to existing line-up colours which include Platinum White (Pearl) and Lunar silver (Metallic).

I look forward to receiving the Honda FIT on a longer test period at which time my thoughts about the city car will be more detailed. From the launch experience, however, I believe the Honda FIT offers the South African market a fresh design, good value for money, up-to-date technology, copious amounts of interior space and legroom, and fuel efficiency. The Honda FIT seems to be a city car for everyday use, ready to meet the needs of modern consumers.

Warranty And Service Plan

For additional peace of mind, the Honda FIT range comes standard with Honda’s five-year/200 000 warranty, as well as a four-year/60 000km Service Plan with 15 000km service intervals. Customers also have the reassurance of three-year AA Roadside Assistance. The FIT Hybrid model comes standard with an extended eight-year/200 000km warranty specifically covering the battery and related components of the Hybrid system.

Pricing:

1.5 Comfort CVT: R319,900

1.5 Elegance CVT: R359,900

1.5 Executive CVT: R389,900

1.5 e-CVT Hybrid: R469,900 (only available from October 2021)

Pricing includes a five-year/200,000km warranty and a four-year/60,000km service plan.

7-Tips to lessen load-shedding driving woes

vuyi on January 25, 2021

While loadshedding has been temporarily suspended, motorists can still expect it to make an unwelcome return in the near future.

If you still make your way to the office everyday or spend time on the roads throughout the day, this is what you can do to ensure you stay safe on the roads despite congestion and traffic lights that do not work.

Keep an eye on loadshedding schedules and attempt to avoid areas experiencing outages during your travel times with the help of apps like Google Maps.
Give yourself additional travel time so you avoid feeling pressurised while driving.
Do not drive in the yellow lane while waiting in congestion at a traffic light. It worsens the traffic for other motorists, makes it more dangerous to re-enter traffic later on and may incite anger from other motorists.
While intersections should be treated as four-way stops, often this does not happen making it necessary that you double check every path that crosses yours before going. Rather take longer to cross than not make it across at all.
If you find it difficult to remain calm in congestion find ways that can assist in relaxing you such as selecting relaxing music before you leave.
Listen to points people directing traffic and give them the respect that they deserve for the help they provide.
If another driver is displaying reckless, selfish or any other questionable behaviour, rather ignore them and move out of their way than get upset or try to intervene.

Article courtesy of MasterDrive

Volkswagen Group South Africa tops passenger car market in pandemic-hit 2020

vuyi on January 25, 2021

Despite a year that was severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA), which consists of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars and Commercial Vehicles brands as well as Audi, ended 2020 as the passenger car market leader in South Africa.

“2020 was a challenging year not just for our brands but for the motoring industry as a whole and to come out of 2020 still holding onto our leadership of the passenger car market, is an incredible feat,” said Mike Glendinning, VWSA Sales and Marketing Director.

According to naamsa, 380 449 vehicles were sold in South Africa last year, a 29.1% decline when compared to 2019. “VWSA was severely affected by the pandemic which ground vehicle sales to a halt in April; our 2020 sales are down by 28.9% year-on-year when compared to 2019,” said Glendinning.

In what was been an unprecedented year, VWSA’s performance in 2020 is thanks to our dedicated Dealer Network who pushed for every sale.

“Despite the difficulties we faced in 2020, the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand posted a record market share last year; the 21.6% market share achieved by the brand in 2020 is 1.2% higher than the one in 2019 and is the highest market share in the history of the brand as well as the highest market share of all Volkswagen markets across the world,” added Glendinning.

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand recorded total sales of 53 319 units last year. With 19 750 units sold in 2020, the locally-manufactured Polo Vivo is not only Volkswagen’s top-selling vehicle, but it is also the South Africa’s best-selling passenger car. The compact SUV, the T-Cross, is now Volkswagen’s best-selling imported vehicle with 5 693 units sold in 2020. With less than two years since being launched in South Africa, the T-Cross is now sitting in second position in the A0 SUV segment in the local market.

In a year that was particularly challenging for the premium market, the Audi brand increased its market share by 0.3% when compared to 2019 and recorded full-year sales of 5 819 units last year. The Audi Q2 was the best-selling model range for the premium brand last year posting sales of 1 131 units.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, which is responsible for vehicle derivatives like the Amarok, Caddy, Kombi, Caravelle, Panel Van and the Crafter, posted total sales of 4 344 and ended the year with a 3.7% market share in 2020. The Caddy was the brand’s best-selling derivative with 1 730 units sold in 2020.

I’d also like to thank our loyal Audi and Volkswagen customers who continue to ensure that VWSA is South Africa’s most loved passenger brand year after year.

“In what was been an unprecedented year, VWSA’s performance in 2020 is thanks to our dedicated Dealer Network who pushed for every sale. I’d also like to thank our loyal Audi and Volkswagen customers who continue to ensure that VWSA is South Africa’s most loved passenger brand year after year,” concluded Glendinning.

Looking ahead at 2021

This year, Volkswagen South Africa will be turning 70 years old in August. The first Volkswagen rolled off the production line in Uitenhage in 1951. Besides Volkswagen’s special birthday, there are also some exciting vehicles making their way to South Africa this year. The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand will start off the year with a bang with the launch of the highly-anticipated hot hatch, the Golf 8 GTI. A Tiguan facelift, as well as the Golf 8 R, will also be launched in the local market this year.

2021 will also be an action-packed year for the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand as they kick off the year with sales of the most powerful bakkie in South Africa, the Amarok 190kW, from the first quarter of this year. New model introductions include the T6.1 Kombi, Crafter Auto, as well as the fifth generation of the best-selling Caddy model range.

Besides the introduction of a totally refreshed and extensive R and RS performance range (new RS4, RS5, RS6, RS7, RSQ8, RSQ3, R8 are all due in 2021), key model introductions for this year for the Audi brand in South Africa include the all-new Audi A3 model range. The Audi Q5 and Q2 model ranges are also due for a facelift in 2021 as well.