March 9, 2021 - Heels & Horsepower Magazine

27 custom Range Rovers with South African-inspired colour names available in Mzansi now

vuyi on March 9, 2021

To highlight the near endless colour spectrum available to customers as bespoke commissions, Land Rover South Africa has made 27 custom Range Rovers in a variety of special hues available to customers in Mzansi.

Similar to the one-of-a-kind Range Rover Sport built as a tribute to the Springbok Rugby Team and finished in the exact Pantone green to match the national squad’s specific logo in 2019, all 24 Range Rover Sports and three Range Rover SV Autobiography Dynamics were put through final paint processes at Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) department in Warwickshire, England.

The eight specially-formulated colours have been assigned South African-inspired titles to add a local element to the project, and all 27 vehicles are already on sale at Jaguar Land Rover retailers around the country. The special collection includes 20 Range Rover Sport SVRs finished in Stimela sa Sebusuku, single Range Rover Sport SVRs in izi Khaleni Plum, 1000 Hills Green, Namaqua Orange, and Egoli Yellow, and single Range Rover SVAD units in Bantry Blue, Sibudu Stoneand Sudwala Eve.

In addition to the unique paint offerings, each of the Range Rovers also receive custom door sill plates etched with the words ‘Built by Special Vehicle Operations’ and circular B-pillar badges etched with ‘SVO BESPOKE’ logos.

All 27 customers destined to own these vehicles will receive certificates of authenticity, each embossed with SVO logos matching respective special paint finishes and naming the South Africa-inspired colours.

South African customers interested in custom-painted Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles are not limited to these 27 offerings only, as personal colour preferences can be applied to Range Rover Sport SVR, Range Rover SVAD and Jaguar F-PACE SVR vehicles through SVO’s match-to-sample service. Whether it’s a specific brand identity, favourite pair of shoes, family heirloom or anything at all, SVO can match the colour as closely as possible using latest technologies to deliver unparalleled finishes at its dedicated paint facility.

The scope of personalisation also includes a near limitless range of interior trims and leather options through SV Bespoke, so that discerning customers can specify a vehicle to exacting preferences.

South African customers can contact any Jaguar Land Rover dealer for potential bespoke commissions to be fulfilled by Special Vehicle Operations in the UK.

South African-inspired colour descriptions

Sibudu Stone: Inspired by the ancient cliffs of the Sibudu Cave in Kwa Zulu Natal, Sibudu Stone is a rich, pearlescent grey-blue shade which dances dramatically off the Range Rover’s elegant silhouette.

Sudwala Eve : Inspired by the darkest chambers of the oldest caves in the world, this exclusive Sudwala Eve finish exudes an enigmatic aura as moving as the historic South African landmark itself. Like the 2.8-billion-year-old dolomite rocks which comprise the Sudwala cave system, the Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic commands respect like no other.

Bantry Blue: Inspired by the cool, azure Atlantic waters and cerulean sky of Bantry Bay in the Western Cape, Bantry Blue is a deeply intense colour evocative of summer escapes that will delight occupants and onlookers equally. Spellbinding in appearance, this colour applied to the Range Rover’s clean but purposeful lines has a most magical effect.

Stimela sa Sebusuku: Inspired by the rich history trains have had in shaping South Africa, Stimela sa Sebusuku translates from isiZulu as ‘Midnight train’. This deep satin black finish underlines the Range Rover Sport’s athletic lines while paying tribute to the iconic mode of transport responsible for making Mzansi what it is today.

Namaqua Orange: Inspired by the famous Flower Route north of Cape Town that is transformed in springtime by a phenomenal exhibition of flowering daisies, Namaqua Orange is an vibrant hue fitting of the Range Rover Sport SVR’s energetic nature.

Egoli Yellow: Inspired by Johannesburg – the city of Gold. Egoli yellow is a vibrant yellow hue, evocative of South Africa’s sunshine and the warmth of Mzansi’s people.

1000 Hills Green: Inspired by the verdant greenery in the rolling hills of Kwa-Zulu Natal, this lush, electric green has been applied to the Range Rover Sport SVR to create a show-stopping vehicle like no other.

Izi Khaleni Plum: Inspired by the deep purple sunset often witnessed near an impressive rock formation in Coffee Bay, izi Khaleni Plum is a lively colour for a lively SUV. Translated from Xhosa, izi Khaleni means ‘Place of thunder’ – a fitting title for the most powerful Land Rover in history.

New on the Tarmac: Meet the sexy new E-Class Cabriolet and Coupé

vuyi on March 9, 2021

We have always made automotive dreams come true, and the E-Class Coupé and Cabriolet facelift take this to the next level.
– Johannes Fritz, Co-CEO of Mercedes-Benz South Africa and Executive Director for Mercedes-Benz Cars

Back in 1991, Mercedes-Benz debuted an elegant cabriolet at the Frankfurt International Motor Show. A four-seater with a fabric top, it was initially known as the 300 CE-24, and revived a long tradition of four-door open-top vehicles in company’s brand history. It was renamed the E-Class in 1993, launching a range that has become amongst the most emotionally appealing in the Mercedes-Benz stable.

Fast forward to 2021, and Mercedes-Benz has just launched a comprehensive facelift for its already stunning E-Class Coupé and Cabriolet. Upgrades include a healthy facelift, with the front sections, in particular, being given a fresh look; a good dose of new technology, including the next generation of driving assistance systems and the MBUX infotainment system; and a range of electrified, more efficient, petrol and diesel engines.

“We have always made automotive dreams come true, and the E-Class Coupé and Cabriolet facelift take this to the next level. We have resharpened the brand identity and we are continuing to drive forward the revision of our entire E-Class family successively,” says Johannes Fritz, Co-CEO of Mercedes-Benz South Africa and Executive Director for Mercedes-Benz Cars.

The emotive appeal of these two dream cars has been further reinforced by the model upgrade
– Johannes Fritz, Co-CEO of Mercedes-Benz South Africa and Executive Director for Mercedes-Benz Cars.

“The emotive appeal of these two dream cars has been further reinforced by the model upgrade. The E-Class Cabriolet with the classic fabric top offers spaciousness and comfort on long journeys for up to four people, while the new E-Class Coupé combines the beauty and classic virtues of a grand tourer with state-of-the-art technology.”

South African customers will initially have two models available at launch. The E200 offers a 2 litre four-cylinder engine that delivers 145 kW and 320 Nm of torque. This results in a 0-100 time of 7.5. The E300 has the same engine, which is tweaked to deliver 190 kW and 370 Nm, with a 0-100 time of 6.4 seconds.

The E-Class Coupé models at a glance:

		E 200	E 300
Transmission	automatic
Engine		4/in-line	4/in-line
Displacement	cc	1991	1991
Output	kW	145	190
at	rpm	5500-6100	5800-6100
Peak torque	Nm	320	370
at	rpm	1650-4000	1800-4000
Fuel consumption, combined^[1]	l/100 km	6.6-7.0	6.6-7.1
CO₂ emissions¹, combined	g/km	151-161	151-161
Acceleration 0-100 km/h	s	7.5	6.4
Top speed	km/h	237	250
Retail Price		R1 036 000	R1 131 000

The E-Class Cabriolet at a glance:

		E 200	E 300
Transmission	automatic
Engine		4/in-line	4/in-line
Displacement	cc	1991	1991
Output	kW	145	190
at	rpm	5500-6100	5800-6100
Peak torque	Nm	320	370
at	rpm	1650-4000	1800-4000
Fuel consumption, combined¹	l/100 km	6.8-7.2	6.9-7.4
CO₂ emissions¹, combined	g/km	155-165	158-168
Acceleration 0-100 km/h	s	7.8	6.6
Topspeed	km/h	234	250
Retail Price		R1 164 000	R1 268 000

The Mercedes-AMG E-Class Coupé and Cabriolet at a glance:

	Mercedes-AMG E 53 4MATIC+ Coupé	Mercedes-AMG E 53 4MATIC+ Cabriolet
Transmission	AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9G	AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9G
Engine	3.0-litre 6-cylinder in-line enginewith exhaust gas turbocharger andelectric additional compressor	3.0-litre 6-cylinder in-line enginewith exhaust gas turbocharger andelectric additional compressor
Displacement	2999 cc	2999 cc
Output	320 kW at 6100 rpm	320 kW at 6100 rpm
Add. output with EQ Boost	16 kW	16 kW
Peak torque	520 Nm at 1800 – 5800 rpm	520 Nm at 1800 – 5800 rpm
Add. torque with EQ Boost	250 Nm	250 Nm
Drive	AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive with fully variable torque distribution	AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive with fully variable torque distribution
Fuel consumption, combined	8.9-8.6 l/100 km*	9.2-8.8 l/100 km*
Combined CO₂ emissions	204-198 g/km	209-202 g/km
Acceleration 0-100 km/h	4.4 s	4.6 s
Top speed	250 km/h**	250 km/h**
Retail Price	R1 618 000	R1 756 000

New on the Tarmac: Meet the new look Mercedes-Benz E-Class

vuyi on March 9, 2021

The E-Class has proved extremely successful, with more than 1.2 million customers around the world
– Johannes Fritz, Co-CEO of Mercedes-Benz South Africa and Executive Director for Mercedes-Benz Cars

With over 14 million units delivered since 1946, the E-Class is the bestselling model series in the history of Mercedes-Benz, with many regarding it as the ‘heart of the brand’.

Produced in the state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant, the new E-Class comes off the same line as the Mercedes-Benz CLS and the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door Coupé.

Johannes Fritz, Co-CEO of Mercedes-Benz South Africa and Executive Director for Mercedes-Benz Cars, says customers of the E-Class are among the most loyal fans of the Mercedes star: Eight out of ten customers of the E-Class Sedan remain loyal to Mercedes-Benz when buying their next vehicle.

“The tenth generation of the E-Class set styling trends in 2016 with its clean, yet emotionally appealing design and an exclusive, high-quality interior.

Together with the wealth of innovation in areas like driving assistance systems, it proved extremely successful, with more than 1.2 million customers around the world buying a current-generation E-Class Sedan,” said Fritz. “Our latest extensive facelift builds on that platform to deliver the most advanced E-Class Sedan yet.”

The facelifted front end, with increased chrome content, shows the new E-Class means business, with two chrome louvres and vertical high-gloss black struts providing a sporty and elegant appearance. The designers also updated the Sedan’s rear end with a new bumper, split tail lamps and a new boot lid.

Inside, there’s even more comfort in the interior, including a new steering wheel with touch controls, large display screens as standard (2 x 10.25 inches), and the latest generation of the MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) multimedia system. MBUX incudes the now-familiar ‘Hey Mercedes’ voice control and augmented reality that displays additional information, such as house numbers, in the video image of the surroundings.

The new E-Class features Urban Guard, which offers all-round surveillance of the parked vehicle. This includes functions like warnings for collision damage warning, tow-away protection and ant-theft.

Other innovations include:

Active Tailback Assist, which can substantially assist the driver with lane-keeping and maintaining a safe distance at speeds up to around 60 km/h, with a high degree of availability.
Active Blind Spot Assist, which lowers the risk of a collision with other road users, like passing cyclists. It also monitors the blind spot when at standstill, and can warn the driver of approaching vehicles, motorcycles or bicycles when opening the door.
Parking Package with 360° camera: Side View gives the Parking package a new function that keeps an eye on the entire side of the vehicle. The extended side view makes it easier to manoeuvre alongside nearby, parallel obstacles such as kerbs and garage walls.

The Mercedes-AMG E 63 S 4MATIC+ offers not only outstanding performance and vehicle dynamics at the highest level
– Selvin Govender, Marketing and Sales Director for Mercedes-Benz Cars.

Energizing comfort control

Energizing seat kinetics is another new feature in the E-Class. It supports beneficial changes in seated posture by means of minute movements of the seat cushion and backrest when on a journey. Energizing comfort control networks various comfort systems in the vehicle, and uses musical and lighting moods plus a number of massage modes for a wide range of feel-good programmes. The aim is for passengers to feel well and relaxed even during demanding or monotonous journeys.

At the heart of the new Mercedes-AMG E 63 S 4MATIC+ lies a 4.0 litre V8 biturbo engine with twin-scroll turbochargers, which delivers 450 kW and a maximum torque of 850 Nm. This is enough to complete the 0- 100 km/h sprint in 3.4 seconds, with combined fuel consumption of 11.9-11.6 l/100 km.

“Thanks to our efficient V8 engine and the fully variable all-wheel drive, the Mercedes-AMG E 63 S 4MATIC+ offers not only outstanding performance and vehicle dynamics at the highest level, but significantly increased comfort while retaining the hallmark AMG character. In conjunction with the extensive design update, we’re offering our customers an even more attractive package,” said Selvin Govender, Marketing and Sales Director for Mercedes-Benz Cars.

The job of stopping the Mercedes-AMG E 63 S 4MATIC+ effectively is taken care of by the AMG high-performance brake system, which is reliable, quick and fade-resistant, even under high loads.

The AMG RIDE CONTROL+ suspension ensures the hallmark Mercedes E-Class comfort, combined with the high levels of precision and driving dynamics of the AMG brand.

And now, for a personalised experience

With up to six DYNAMIC SELECT drive programs – Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Individual and RACE (standard in the S version), the characteristics range from efficient and comfortable to very sporty. The modes modify key parameters, such as the response of the engine, transmission, suspension and steering.

Independently of the DYNAMIC SELECT drive programs, the driver has the option of switching directly to manual mode, in which gearshifts are executed exclusively using the shift paddles on the steering wheel.

The E-Class Sedan at a glance:

		E 200	E 220d	Mercedes-AMG E63 S 4MATIC+
Transmission		9G TRONIC automatic	9G TRONIC automatic	AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 9G
Engine		4/in-line	4/in-line	4.0-litre V8 with direct injection and twin turbochargers
Displacement	cc	1991	1950	3982 cc
Output	kW	145	143	450 kW
at	rpm	5500-6100	3800-3800	5750-6500
Peak torque	Nm	320	400	850 Nm
at	rpm	1650-4000	1600-2800	2500-4500
Drive				AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive with fully variable torque distribution
Fuel consumption, combined¹	l/100 km	6.9-6.5	4.9-4.7	11.6
CO₂ emissions¹, combined	g/km	158-149	130-123	267
Acceleration 0-100 km/h	s	7.4	7.4	3.4
Topspeed	km/h	240	235	300
Retail Price		R920 000	R984 000	R2 423 000

Are you sitting correctly in your car?

vuyi on March 9, 2021

Safety technology in vehicles can be the difference between life and death. In the majority of instances, however, drivers and passengers need to use this technology in certain ways in order for it to work properly. In fact, if you do not do something as simple as sitting correctly, or wear a seatbelt correctly, it can cause damage to the occupant.

The managing director of MasterDrive, Eugene Herbert, says drivers and passengers who use seatbelts and sit properly, reduce mortality rates in crashes by up to 67%. “This proves the importance of using these safety features correctly. Many people, knowingly and unknowingly, sit in vehicles in ways that not only prevent the safety technology from working as it should but causes additional injuries.”

These are some of the most dangerous ways to sit in a vehicle:

Feet on the dash: airbags deploy at up to 350km/h. If one deploys while your feet are on the dash, instead of protecting you it can break bones in your legs, hips, and/or back and even result in death.
With a child or pet on your lap: you will rob the child of the safety of wearing a seatbelt and propel the child or animal out the front window at the speed that the vehicle was traveling at. If the airbag deploys, it will slam into the child or animal at up to 350km/h while they continue their forward projectory at the speed the car was moving.
Sitting in the rear unrestrained: in a crash, unrestrained people, animals, and unsecured objects will slam into the front seats at the speed that the vehicle was moving. While this could result in only injuries to unrestrained passengers in the back, it could kill front passengers as they are squeezed between the force from the back and the seatbelt in the front. The passenger in the rear can slam into the front seat at the weight of an elephant in a car that is traveling at 60km/h.
Not wearing a seatbelt correctly: a seatbelt should be worn with the bottom part across your hip bones and the section that crosses your body should rest on your collarbone. It should not be against your neck or be worn under the arm. Wearing a seatbelt correctly ensures the impact is absorbed by the strongest parts of your body and protects from internal injuries and broken ribs.
Slouching: avoid sitting with your seat as far back and low as is possible with one arm straight out holding the steering. Your visibility is limited and you have reduced control while steering. Rather position your seat so that if you straighten your arms you can rest your wrists on top and still have a slight bend in your arm. Before you start, position your seat so that you can press all pedals completely to the floor. Ensure you hold the steering wheel with both hands.

Think carefully about your safety before you slide into your favorite position the next time you get in the car. “Avoid these too common ways of sitting to prevent life-changing injuries or death should you be in a car accident,” says Herbert.