WEEKEND WHEELS
Advanced electric motorcycle launched Opel drives ahead with woman at wheel VW brings the beach to Sandton City
It hardly drives like a bakkie on a ladder-frame chassis with good roadholding and grip around the corners thanks largely to a coil spring five-link rear suspension, the first in a mainstream bakkie. Road and wind noise is mostly non-existent and only a purr in the cabin reminds you that there’s an oil burner under the bonnet.
Also, the interior adds to the enhanced more Suv-than-bakkie feel with a range of standard items such as reverse cameras with images broadcast on the touchscreen, cruise control, Bluetooth and navigation with live traffic updates. Sound and infotainment includes video in DVD, VCD, CD, MP3 or MPEG4 format. It’s not often that you get all these options and it’s refreshing for those who still have cut CDS with “road trip” written on the disc to be a bit nostalgic.
Obviously it’s not a 4x4 but it does have 229mm of ground clearance, an approach angle of 33 degrees, a departure angle of 27.9 degrees and a breakover angle of 25.2 degrees – all enough to get you not too far off the beaten track but enough to allow you some quiet time up a difficult road to the top of a mountain pass.
Getting in and out of the back of double cabs hasn’t always been the most elegant of manoeuvres but, having made the rear doors bigger, this is not so much an issue but I’d caution against wearing a short skirt. I used my youngster to do a comparative test between the Navara and another double cab and he found getting in and out easier and also commented that there was more legroom for his ever-increasing height.
Overall the Navara looks and feels the part with quality finishes and decent ride quality, although it does lean towards the upper-end of affordability – and in a market with so many options pricing plays a crucial part.
Nissan Assured offers a warranty of 6-year/150 000km and a 3-year/90 000km service plan. Pricing
Nissan Navara 2.3 4x2 SE DC MT – R457 900 (incl. VAT)
Nissan Navara 2.3 4x2 SE DC AT – R471 900 (incl. VAT)
Nissan Navara 2.3 4x2 LE DC – R519 900 (incl. VAT) Nissan Navara 2.3 4x2 LE DC + leather seats – R532 900 (incl. VAT)
Nissan Navara 2.3 4x2 LE DC AT – R538 900 (incl. VAT)
Nissan Navara 2.3 4x2 LE DC AT + leather seats – R551 900 (incl. VAT)
Nissan Navara 2.3 4x4 SE DC MT – R523 900 (incl. VAT)
Nissan Navara 2.3 4x4 LE DC MT – R573 500 (incl. VAT)
Nissan Navara 2.3 4x4 LE DC MT + leather seats – R586 500 (incl. VAT)
Nissan Navara 2.3 4x4 LE DC AT – R594 900 (incl. VAT)
Nissan Navara 2.3 4x4 LE DC AT + leather seats – R605 900 (incl. VAT). WHEN South African holidaymakers go in search of wide-open spaces next month, Thule’s expansive range of luggage boxes can ensure that they have plenty of space up-close too, en route to their chosen destination.
The Thule Force XT cargo box is a new addition to the range and available from Thule Partner stores this December. Unveiled at the Automechanika Show in Frankfurt in September, the Thule Force XT is a versatile and robust roof-mounted cargo box for everyday use and is capable of carrying bulky loads of all sizes. INMOTION Ventures, Jaguar Land Rover’s venture capital fund, has announced its investment in Arc, which unveiled “Vector” – the world’s first fully-electric motorcycle with Human Machine Interface (HMI).
Arc Vector is the most advanced electric motorcycle ever brought to market.
It uses exotic materials, thoroughbred componentry and cutting-edge architecture, wrapped in a futuristic body. FOUR years after the death of her husband (Adam Opel) in 1895, Sophie Opel decided to start producing cars after listening to the opinions of her sons Carl, Wilhelm and Friedrich Opel.
Before this, the Opel family specialised in the manufacturing of bicycles.
What started with a dynamic woman at the helm in a garage in Rüsselsheim am Main with a few handmade “Opel Patentmotorwagen”, became the Opel vehicle empire we know today – a remarkable phenomenon with more than 70 million Opel vehicles built to date. AS THE proud supporters of the 2018 City Surf Series, the Volkswagen SA Open of Surfing and The Dyer Island Conservation Trust, Volkswagen SA is bringing the beach inland.
As part of the beach culture of the 1960s, Volkswagen and the Kombi in particular have always been about freedom, the outdoors and the open road.
It invokes thoughts of surfing, travel, camping and good times.
So just before Joburgers flock to the beaches for the Festive Season, VW is highlighting the importance of protecting our oceans and supporting the local surfing community through a fun family experience at Sandton City this weekend.