Conquer the world in a Rhino from Oz

Game for any terrain, but man, can it drink?

WANT to own one of the most exclusive cars in the country that can go almost anywhere and not break the bank?

Sounds like a complete scam but when former Daily News motoring editor Vincent Gilbey, popped in recently and said we must take a look at a car he had just seen we, along with photographer Sibonelo Ngcobo, drove down to Approved Auto in Umgeni Road which specialises mostly in second-hand trucks with the occasional rather tasty BM and Merc dotted about in their extensive undercover yard.

And in pride of place right near the entrance was the bright blue vehicle looking like a Hummer on steroids, one of only two in the country. The Rhino is an Australian creation of a fibre-glass body with a Nissan Patrol chassis and a Holden motor which is basically like a small block V8 Chev 350 cu in engine. It’s selling for R169 000 and the mileage is 18 433km.

The car has massive tyres which make ground clearance fantastic but getting into the vehicle without some kind of step-up requires a degree of strength and agility - rough and tough those Aussies.

When we inquired whether the beast could be started up, a very obliging salesman, Ayanda Langa, quickly drove another 4 x 4 around to the front of it, whipped out a set of jumper cables, and a crank or two later the Rhino burst into life with a bellow and clouds of smoke which rapidly diminished as it cleared its mighty chest.

Just to prove it had got all the modcons he switched on the aircon which, in a few seconds, was blasting out frigid air, ready to take on the fiery outback or the Karoo badlands.

When we asked about the history of the car he referred us to his boss, accountant Graeme Inggs, who referred us to the owner of the car and it proved to have quite a chequered past.

Durban clearing agent Tony Davis said that a couple of years ago an Australian married a South African woman and he decided he was going to manufacture the buggies here, so imported two of them from Australia. Subsequently he got divorced and returned to Australia.

One of the buggies was sold and Davis kept the other for money owed to him by the Australian. He said that the thirst of the beast matched its size and on a trip from Joburg to Durban it had consumed more than R1 000 of 95 octane.

On our way out Inggs mentioned that the Rhino had become quite the film star having appeared in three local movies.

PICTURES: S’BONELO NGCOBO TOUGH AND GRUFF: There is no way taxis are going to try to cut you off when they see the Rhino looming in their rear- view mirrors.

HEART OF THE BEAST: The mighty V8 motor is from a Holden truck which is based on the venerable 350 cu in Chev small block motor which has powered millions of the finest Detroit muscle cars and trucks for decades.

NEAT: The interior is functional and the aircon blasts frigid air within seconds. As can be seen in the picture on the left, the huge spare tyre occupies a lot of the ‘boot’ space but a trailer is included in the price. One shudders to think what one...