Official Mouthpiece of

16 Met AIS Ja!

34 Gauging Insanity
54 Solving the Chinese Puzzle
64 Tropical Twilight
79 Speed and Glamour
82 The Fink
 The Phoenix
Spoilt for Choice
The ABR AAMA Editorial Advisory Board sits every couple of months to
decide on matters of concern to the industry, and to categorise these con-
cerns in order of priority, as a guideline to ABR’s editorial direction, and
to use the AAMA Alert column as the beachhead for this editorial thrust.
A
AMA Alert made its debut in November 2009 raising
the alarm on the invidious effects of a volatile Rand, and
a follow up article in December 2009 went into more
depth on currency challenges facing the automotive
aftermarket. AAMA Alert’s sibling column, the Perrie-Scope, dis-
cussed trend lines in the industry in our February 2010 issue,
while our March 2010 issue looked into the impending Consumer
Protection Act, with particular reference to retail behaviour and
responsibility. The serious issue of counterfeiting and an industry
call for a conscience was the subject of our April 2010 issue, whilst
our May and June issues focused on the critical aspect of training
and resources, and a nod to the proactive companies who are doing
something about what is an impending crisis. ABR has acknowl-
edged that the training question is of such importance that, as we
said last month, “it is both our duty and our privilege as South
Africa’s leading and most influential automotive aftermarket pub-
lication, to be at the forefront of publicising and promoting train-
ing and development”. Our country’s reputation, if not our indus-
try’s very existence, is on the line, so we will spare no effort in get-
ting this message across.
Thus, we can say with both pride and humility that we are hon-
oured to have been chosen this month by Equal Career Services to
be the publishing medium to announce their partnership with the
French training powerhouse GNFA. This winning partnership will
allow Equal Career Services to expand their current offering of non-
technical specialised training, by adding cutting edge technical
training. GNFA is Europe’s largest provider of automotive techni-
cal training, and thus the combination of Equal Career Service’s
proven success in management, business processes and procedures,
and developmental training; with GNFA’s comprehensive technical
courses, is a sure fire way of investing in the most valuable resource
our industry has – people. Our cover feature looks at this wonder-
ful initiative, so go to page 20 to be both inspired and renewed, and
for everyone involved in our vibrant industry, don’t forget to make
use of the wonderful opportunity afforded by ECS and GNFA .
It is indeed gratifying that the ABR AAMA Editorial Advisory
Board is spot on with its identification of the important issues, and
that we are being noticed for our important media role. The biggest
problem that we now face is that we are spoilt for choice when it
comes to identifying matters of interest and concern to the indus-
try. Apart from the aforesaid subjects, we have so many other issues
to cover. South Africa, as a developing country, has so many bases
to cover, and the automotive industry has its fair share of them -
supply chain issues, franchise concepts, the greening of the indus-
2 July
try, cost escalations from parastatals, road infrastructure, roadwor-
thiness and road safety, Eskom reliability, product education, mar-
ket information, and many more subjects are just begging to be
held up to the light of investigative journalism and analysis. Our
magazine does not have the resources, and our readers do not have
the attention span or the time, to tackle all these issues at once. If
we throw all these issues into the pot and do a little bit here and a
little bit there, we run the risk of minimising the importance of
each and every issue, and to do more harm than good. It is with this
in mind, that the editorial board has to tread carefully in choosing
what to cover next, and we also have to identify critical catalysts to
growth and sustainability. It is no use going on and on about road
infrastructure, or road safety, for example, when we can basically do
very little about it. We do give it a go, in our own inimitable way,
but we realise that the country’s hands are effectively tied by a fund-
ing backlog and a less than exemplary government. What we can do
in a far more effective way is to go for the initiatives and ideas that
can play a pivotal role in changing the situation. And what better
subject than entrepreneurship?
Entrepreneurship will be the key to unlocking our country’s poten-
tial, and thus this month’s AAMA Alert focuses on entrepreneur-
ship, and what it means to our industry and our country. This is
effectively the magic bullet which will solve many of our woes, from
unemployment (another issue) to ratcheting up our economic
growth (another issue), to solving our crime problems (another
issue!), and many other issues you may want to bring up. Coupled
to training, entrepreneurship is right up there as enabling actions
that can make a huge difference in our country, so ABR, as it is
doing with training articles, will devote space and effort on this
subject, for the foreseeable future. We are fortunate enough to have
Pavlo Phitidis of Aurik Investment Holdings on board, who will
provide regular articles on entrepreneurship. Go to our AAMA
Alert column on page 14 to get to grips with this fascinating theme,
and you can read Pavlo’s insights on page 32, the first of many
inspiring tomes from this dogged crusader.
Once again, ABR is proud to be at the forefront of relevant jour-
nalism, and to be a trailblazer in our publishing segment. We are
proud to give you WORDS IN ACTION, and to proclaim that We
Care, We Deliver and that We are Relevant. Anyone else out there?
For the latest news on the Automotive
Industry, make sure to visit
w w w. a b r b u z z . c o . z a
2010
 Contents

14 22 56

39 63
2 The Phoenix 52 Tyre Talk
6 What’s the Buzz 54 Capricorn Insights
12 Personal Profile 56 Burford on Brands
14 AAMA Alert 58 Wilde things
16 Auto Topical 60 Hyundai Kia Motors Update
18 Frankly Speaking 64 Tropical Twilight
20 A Winning Partnership 65 AIDC Quiz
26 Life Goes on 68 The Golden Triangle
28 The Chery Story 69 e-CAR
30 Tony’s Take 70 Vehicle Launch
32 Entrepreneurship 72 Perspective
34 Weighty Issues 76 Corporate Conscience
36 Tyre Safety 78 Fast Wheels
38 Intelli-Driving 79 Motorsport
40 Diamond Dialogues 80 Midas Sport
44 Customer C.A.R.E. 82 The Fink
46 Launch Update 76 The Last Writes
48 Consumer Protection Act

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 publisher, except for the quotation of brief passages in reviews.

Publishing Editor Hogg, Gilbert Editorial Office Design and Reproduction

Graham Erasmus Keeg, Howard 81 Alma Road, Wendywood j. Kraft Information Design cc
Cell: 083 709 8184 McCleery, Roger Tel: 27 11 656 2198 Tel: 012 997 6946
Phitidis, Pavlo Fax: 27 11 802 3979 Fax: 012 997 6987
Editors at Large Twine, Tony E-mail: bigheart@iafrica.com E-mail: jackie@kraftinfo.co.za
Alwyn Viljoen Wilde, Fingal Website: www.abrbuzz.co.za
Paul Collings Printing
Published by Subscriptions and Data Business Print Centre, Pretoria
Intelli-Driving Editor Trilogy Publishing Management
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Correspondents Marlene Erasmus Wendywood 2144 Official Mouthpiece of
Beeton, Frank Cell: 082 837 2668 Tel: 27 11 802 6020
Borlz, Baron Claude E-mail: bigheart2@iafrica.com Fax: 27 11 802 3979
Burford, Adrian Graham Hudson-Lamb E-mail: bigheart2@iafrica.com
Foster, Gavin Cell: 083 325 4146
Gamble, Austin E-mail: bigheart3@iafrica.com

4 Photo Credits: Quickpics • Motorpics

 What’s the Buzz?
sh
News Fla one
from Au toZ
A new era for AutoZone
June 2010 marks the beginning of a new era in the AutoZone family. We are proud to announce that a consortium,
lead by RMB Corvest, a prominent Financial Investor in South Africa, Zico Capital, a prominent BEE Company and
Management Stakeholders have purchased 100% of AutoZone, South Africa’s No.1 retailer and distributer of automotive
spares and accessories, from Super Group Limited for R435 million. This transaction was unconditionally approved by share-
holders on Monday, 14th June 2010. Says Interim CEO for AutoZone, Derek Lappin, “This transaction is a momentous
occasion in the history of AutoZone. It provides us with the opportunity to determine our own destiny and realise the poten-
tial that lies within AutoZone. Our ability to continue to grow this business is built on our commitment to our customers
and suppliers. We remain focused on offering the best products to our customers.” AutoZone has for the past 13 years grown
and improved our offering to the market and are looking to continue this long into the future. There are no changes to the
AutoZone Management structure and we remain committed to our mission of being the best in the business of automotive
spares and accessories.

SKF highlights AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

the importance
of product
inspection
SKF has launched an awareness campaign to highlight the impor-
tance of inspecting the CV Joint when replacing the wheel bearing
on a vehicle. As a precision parts manufacturer and supplier that
works closely with its OE and aftermarket customers, SKF has dis-
covered that too many vehicle technicians still don’t check the CV
Joint for wear or critical damage after separating it from the wheel
bearing hub during a repair. If the vehicle technician allows the
vehicle back on to the road with a damaged or excessively worn CV
Joint, it not only presents a considerable hazard, but it will also cost
the customer more time and money as the vehicle will need to be
repaired again. SKF also recommends that vehicle technicians
inspect the wheel bearing, CV boot and the driveshaft area when
changing the CV Joint. To heighten awareness of these problems,
SKF has launched the www.clickskf.com website and is also plac-
ing awareness leaflets in relevant wheel bearing boxes. The
www.clickskf.com website not only features a striking graphic that
highlights all parts associated with the driveline and wheel bearing,
but also a range of useful statistics, case studies and sales tools that
provides vehicle technicians with clear instructions. In addition,
the website features links that vehicle technicians can use to receive
SKF newsletters and as well as ‘SKF Pole Position’ technical bul-
letins. SKF’s Driveline Product Manager, Daniele Trossi said: “SKF
is committed to enhancing standards of technical competence in
the aftermarket and we are great advocates of the importance of
carrying out a complete repair first time round. “Informing vehicle
technicians of this new website and strategically positioning our
awareness leaflets will not only highlight the importance of inspect-
ing associated components like CV Joints but it will also take peo-
ple to the right information so they can do the best possible job for
their customer,” concludes Trossi. SKF is proud to be known as a
knowledge company and this is yet another effort on their part to
improve awareness and ultimately increase efficiency at workshop
level. For general information about SKF’s ever-expanding range of
aftermarket products, please contact your local SKF representative
or visit www.vsm.skf.com
CONFERENCE 2010 – SAVE
THE DATE!
The AIDC's Automotive Industry Conference 2010 will be held on 3 and 4
November 2010 at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre
in Gauteng. Since its inception, the conference has remained true to its origi-
nal philosophy of being for industry, by industry. Barlow Manilal, AIDC CEO,
comments: "Last year's AIC was attended by over 300 delegates and brought
together industry, labour and key government institutions to map the way for-
ward for an automotive industry in crisis. As the AIDC celebrates 10 years of
delivery this year, we look forward to another insightful conference with plen-
ty of opportunity for discussion and debate." Should you be interested in
exhibition or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Asanda Gcoyi on
agcoyi@aidc.co.za or 012 564 5270.
ECI confirms dates for Tyrexpo Africa 2012
Automotive aftermarket exhibition organiser ECI International has confirmed
that its popular tyre trade and garage equipment show, Tyrexpo Africa, will
return to Johannesburg in March 2012. “2012 will be the fourth staging of
TyrexpoAfrica and we are confident that the show will continue to grow and
establish itself as the premier tyre and garage equipment trade event of its kind
in southern Africa,” says ECI managing director Paul Farrant. “Over the past
six years we have been successful in encouraging suppliers from all sectors of
the aftermarket to get behind the show, but we remain frustrated by the reluc-
tance of the big-name tyre manufacturers to support it. Many visitors have
expressed the view that manufacturers are missing an important opportunity to
communicate directly with their customers. In their absence, Chinese tyre sup-
pliers had the floor to themselves at the last event in March 2010,” he added.
The last exhibition at the Sandton Convention Centre in March of this year
reported a healthy five per cent increase in visitor numbers compared to 2008,
as well as attracting a record number of 135 exhibitors from Africa and inter-
national countries.
Show dates for 2012 will be Tuesday 6, Wednesday 7 and
Thursday 8 March at the Sandton Convention Centre,
Johannesburg (SCC), South Africa.

KenKen 7 x 7
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 1-7.
• 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 84

6 July 2010
 What’s the Buzz?

AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR TOLD

ENERGY CRISIS NOT OVER
The automotive industry would have to significantly improve
its electricity management to remain competitive, delegates at
the “Lean to Green Workshop” hosted by the AIDC and
Eskom, heard in Port Elizabeth last month. Addressing close
to 100 manufacturers at the workshop, Automotive Industry
Development Centre Supplier Development Manager, Lance
Schultz said the probability was high that load shedding
would be re-introduced by Eskom in the late part of the year
as current projections indicated that energy supply would lag
demand. “Load shedding remains an ever present reality, if -
in the medium term - industry is not able to reduce its energy
demand,” Schultz said. “However, as pressing as the threat of
outages, is the rising cost of energy, which will render several
companies in the sector unviable if not effectively managed.”

A lifetime of family memories awaits you

at the National Boat Show & Dive Expo

Are you in the market for a smooth new watersports ride, or simply curi-
ous to explore the options this fantastic lifestyle has to offer? Whatever the
case, the National Boat Show & Dive Expo will definitely float your boat.
This award-winning expo returns for the eighth year running, taking place
from 13 to 15 August 2010 at the Coca-Cola dome in Northriding,
Johannesburg. Row, row, row your way to the best deals in powerboats, sail-
boats, paddle boats, inflatable boats, big boats and small boats and all
watersports gear and equipment. In addition to checking out the latest
high-tech boating, angling, watersports and scuba diving equipment, you
can get free advice from a range of experts – and you can even win a boat,
a dive expedition and more. Watersport fanatics can get their kicks from
everything from the Wake Wars wakeboarding competition, the Rapala
Fishing for the Future workshops, an indoor “try dive” pool to scuba div-
ing workshops and sports bars. Bring the family for a fun outing – a day’s
visit will leave you with a lifetime of memories. Visit www.nationalboat-
show.co.za for more details, but diarise the dates and be sure not to miss
this feature-packed expo, where the great outdoors comes to you. If it has
to do with H2O, you’ll find it at the National Boat Show! Tickets cost R70
for adults; R40 for scholars, students and pensioners; and entrance is free
for children under 10. The expo will be open from 11am to 6pm on Friday,
13 August, from 9am to 6pm on Saturday, 14 August, and from 9am to
5pm on Sunday, 15 August.

NEW DIESEL FUEL PUMP BY FEDERAL MOGUL IMPROVES RELIABILITY

Poor reliability of engine mounted electrical diesel fuel lift pumps is a thing of the past thanks to an innovation by Federal Mogul.
The company has just introduced the market to patented, brushless diesel fuel lift pump technology that offers enhanced durability
for the life of the vehicle. “The one variable that continued to hinder reliability over the years despite many design changes has been
high engine vibration, which is transferred to the electrical diesel lift pump and causes internal motor component failure. Premature
wear of the carbon commutator and carbon brushes occurs within the traditional brush type direct current (DC) motor,” explains
Hedley Judd, Technical Services Manager, Federal Mogul Southern Africa. The new technology is available for diesel engines in a vari-
ety of industries, including on-highway, construction, heavy duty, off-road stationary, marine and agriculture equipment. “Thanks to
its universal design, the new brushless diesel fuel lift pump can be installed in many existing fuel pump packages with drop-in replace-
ment of existing brush-type diesel fuel lift pumps. We are pleased to offer our customers this new technology that will meet their prod-
uct reliability goals,” concludes Judd. Enquiries: Hedley Judd • Office: 011 630 3000 • Email: hedley.judd@federalmogul.com

8 July 2010
 What’s the Buzz?

Ashley Hayden drives

off in a new Volvo XC60
During the recent Survivor charity event in Cape Town,
Ashley Hayden showed her softer side as she handed out
gifts to homeless children now residing in one of the
Homestead houses. Homestead is a 23-year-old NGO
that operates seven Cape Town-based projects for street
children. The Homestead focuses exclusively on boys (the
majority of street children are boys) while a sister shelter
called 'Ons Plek' attends to the girls. The Homestead was
Ashley's charity of choice during Survivor and helping
children in need is a cause that's extremely close to her
heart. After making it through Survivor, Ashley is no
doubt enjoying the return to her various business inter-
ests as well as her charity work. But one of this Survivor's
biggest treats will definitely be when she takes delivery of
her brand-new Volvo XC60.

Ford teams up with Bismarck du Plessis

Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) recently
handed over a brand new Ford Ranger Double Cab 3.0TDCi
4x4 to rugby star Bismarck du Plessis. The sponsorship repre-
sents an expansion of Ford’s existing commitment to South
African Rugby. Ford is the proud vehicle sponsor of the South
African rugby team with a longstanding association with South
African rugby. “We’re delighted to have Bismarck representing
the Ford brand,” says Ben Pillay, Ford Marketing Manager. “He
is an integral part of the South African Rugby team and a hero
to many young South Africans.”

NISSAN MARKS CHILD PROTEC-

TION WEEK WITH PRIMASTAR
‘TAXI’ FOR CHILDREN’S HOME
Nissan South Africa (Nissan SA) marked Child Protection Week with the
handover of a Nissan Primastar to the Leamogetswe Safety Home
in Saulsville. This followed a plea to the automotive manufacturer to sup-
plement funding of R100 000 from the Tshwane Department of Social
Development towards the cost of a vehicle for the home’s transport
requirements. Nissan SA also recently handed over a Nissan Bakkie to the
St John the Baptist Clinic in Winterveldt. The handovers form part of
Nissan SA’s corporate social responsibility programme which is involved in
a number of education, health and humanitarian initiatives both close to
the company’s Rosslyn-based manufacturing plant and further afield.

Nissan SA’s general manager of Corporate and General Affairs, Wonga Mesatywa, handing over keys to
Leamogetswe Safety Home project director Matlakala Makhubela

10 July 2010
 Personal profile

Q&A IAN SCHOFIELD

by Roger McCleery
MD of Investchem
Formula Ford Single Seater Motor Racing has been responsible for kick-starting the rac-
ing careers of virtually every Formula One driver or World Champion. People like Michael
Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen, Ayrton Senna, Jensen Button, Damon Hill, whose son, Joss,
races these days, Mark Webber, James Hunt, Nigel Mansel, David Coulthard and our own
Jody Scheckter, to name just a few. For 42 years this Formula Ford racing has been in
existence, the series has been kept alive in South Africa by Ford initially, who have now
abdicated their involvement, by sponsors like Midas and by individuals who have passion
and enthusiasm for the sport. Such a person is go-getter and entrepreneur, Ian Schofield
(50), the MD of Investchem, a company totally unrelated to motor sport. Ian has done
wonders for Formula Ford racing lately, to bring it up to International standards.

SINCE YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN
FORMULA FORD RACING, THE
SERIES HAS GONE TO ANOTHER
LEVEL?
Yes, I bought 15 Ford 1600 cc Duratec
engines and some 2009 chassis’ from
England for competitors in South Africa to
use. These cars, plus the current heavier 1.8
Zetec engine cars gives us the only interna-
tional road racing formula in the country.
SOME GOOD TALENT IS RACING
IN THE FORMULA AS WELL?
Well, to encourage some of the racing tal-
ent we have in the country to join us I have
put up a prize for three years. The prize is
to go to Brands Hatch in October for the
Formula Ford Festival. This will be award-
ed to the South African Champion who
will race for a top team in a 2010 car. I have
also sponsored a couple of the top drivers
with cars and provided Rick Morris with a
race car. Incidentally Rick beat Ayrton
Senna in the ‘80s. He comes out from the
UK to race at every race meeting in South
Africa.
WHAT GOT YOU INTO MOTOR
SPORT?
I was never really interested in motor sport
at school. In fact at boarding school, which
I hated, I played rugby and my ambition
was to fix and sell cars.
DID YOU?
After I left school at 16 I served my appren-
12
ticeship at a British Leyland Dealer in
Manchester. At 20 I went on my own sell-
ing cars and was fairly successful.
STILL NO RACING?
I was given a gift voucher to attend the
Richard Peacock Formula Ford Racing
School at Aintree (a circuit still used for
motor cycles only) in 1980 and I was
hooked. I also met my wife, Kay, there.
After that I had a spell racing Formula
Fords in the UK, which I couldn’t afford.
WHAT MADE YOU COME TO
SOUTH AFRICA?
I came out on holiday in 1981 to get away
from the rain and then came back to settle
in 1982. I worked for my father’s chemical
business servicing his cars and trucks then
eventually running his business. Then I got
hold of a Hawke racing car with a 1600
Kent engine and raced here during 1983,
which I had to sell as well to help pay for a
house
BUT YOU CAME BACK AGAIN TO
RACING?
Yes. Nino Venturi, who kept Formula
Ford racing going for years and was
Mr. Formula Ford in South Africa, had an
old Merlyn, which I bought for R1700,
which he helped me rebuild from scrap.
Later in 1985 in the days of Basil Mann,
Ian Hertz and Braam Smith. I bought a
Rory Byrne designed Royale RP21 from
Nino.
He helped rebuild the car at night in his
workshop in Wynberg (Jo’burg). I had
mixed success with these cars.
THEN YOU VANISHED FROM RAC-
ING FOR A BIT?
Yes, my father sold his business here and
back I went to Manchester in 1988 to run
his other company there.
CALL OF SOUTH AFRICA TOO
MUCH?
Of course. Back I came in 1991 with a new
Reynard. From 1991 to 1993 I opened and
ran a motor racing school at Midvaal
Circuit with Malcolm Barfoot, who was
very successful and was also racing at the
time. Eventually the politics in racing was
too much and the sport was not being par-
ticularly well controlled. So I sold the
Reynard to Leon Williams from Botswana
and went back to running a garage business
in Manchester until 2000. I also did some
competitive show jumping and breeding of
horses in England. In 1999 I came out to
South Africa for a holiday and saw friends,
Nino Venturi and Trevor van Rooyen, who
is probably the best preparer of Formula
Ford cars and engines and also some busi-
ness colleagues. They persuaded me to
come back to South Africa to start
Investchem. This is a business which pro-
vides chemicals to the soap industry and
has done particularly well.
Continued on page 75
July 2010
 ALERT
AAMA Salutes New Initiatives

Entrepreneurship
– the Name of the Game
During May 2010, ABR received some very
interesting statistics from Pavlo Phitidis of Aurik
Investment Holdings. These statistics relate to
the important role that small and medium
enterprises play in our economy, and most
importantly, the role they play in employment.
SME’s are the backbone of most successful
economies in the world, and thus this is a
subject that deserves
to be highlighted and
to be identified in
AAMA Alert.

S
ME’s equate to entrepreneurship. And
the more entrepreneurs you have, the more
employment and economic growth you have.
Bobby Darin had a hit in the sixties, where he sang
that “multiplication is the name of the game’. Entrepreneurship
is also the name of the game, and multiplication is sure to follow
in the right circumstances. This is what Pavlo Phitidis is preach-
ing, so we are delighted to have him on board as a regular corre-
spondent for ABR. As he says, on behalf of Aurik Investment
Holdings, “We do this because we want to support entrepreneur-
ship. We invest in developing articles that are relevant, practical, Pavlo continues, “as an editor, you are no doubt aware that South
inspiring and directly beneficial to anyone who is or is thinking of Africa is a country in crisis. Unemployment is back up to record
becoming an entrepreneur. We do this because SA is in desperate levels as a result of almost a million people retrenched last year. In
need of entrepreneurs. addition, we have three years of forecasted jobless growth ahead of
us. Something needs to be done. Because some 42.8% of all pri-
Here are the facts about the country we all live in:
vate sector employment vests with SMEs, that something is entre-
• SME's account for 42,8% of private sector jobs and are the preneurship. More entrepreneurs mean more jobs, more innova-
biggest proportionate job generators in SA tion and more of everything across the spectrum. The right kind
of content on the subject of entrepreneurship could encourage
• An informal sme with an average turnover of R45 000 per
owners of organisations to support entrepreneurial suppliers as
month in Gauteng employees an average of 8 people
well as encouraging readers employed in organisations to consid-
• SME's in SA account for only 11% of the commercial supply er entrepreneurial endeavours of their own. To this end, we would
chain, the balance in the hands of large business be happy to provide regular content that is not only relevant,
engaging and practical but also helps build entrepreneurial activ-
• We are going to enjoy global growth of 1% per annum for the
ity in your field. At one point in time, every single player in this
next 3 years and it is jobless growth
industry began as a result of an entrepreneurial endeavour. In a
Crime, poor health, a collapse in the moral fabric of our society nutshell, I believe that regular entrepreneurial content will help
are all poverty related outcomes. We all need to do our best to encourage industry professionals to start their own businesses,
support the most viable job generators in SA - current and future boosting the broader economy. Aurik is a business deeply com-
entrepreneurs! Developing a culture of entrepreneurship is all mitted to entrepreneurship having worked with over 200 entre-
about getting entrepreneurial content and images into the minds preneurial businesses of which the insights, understanding and
of all South Africans. Your publication and our stories are a small experience we will inculcate into the content and hopefully will
contribution towards this end." strike an accord with any business”.

14 July 2010
 Auto Topical
Met AIS Ja!
Details regarding the Automotive Investment Scheme (AIS) were
signed off by Trade and Industry Minister, Rob Davies, and made
public on 2nd June 2010. They form an important part of the
automotive production and development plan (APDP), which will
by Tony Twine succeed the current motor industry development programme from
the beginning of 2013.
T
he new AIS rules effectively replace the Productive
Asset Allowance (PAA) previously contained within the
MIDP. The PAA ceased to be effective from the end of
2009, and several interim arrangements have clearly
been made between vehicle assemblers and the DTI ahead of the
official announcement and start date for the AIS, as were discussed
in this column in the May edition of this magazine.
According to the DTI statement, the objective of the AIS was
“to grow and develop the automotive sector through investment in
the manufacturing of new and replacement vehicle models, as well
as automotive components, also to increase plant production
volumes, sustain employment and strengthen the automotive
value chain within the local industry.”
In essence, the AIS will:
* Give vehicle manufacturers a taxable 20% grant, based on the
value of productive asset investment for the model.
* To qualify, the light vehicle producer must demonstrate that it
will reach annual production levels of 50 000 units per year
within a ramp-up period of three years.
The popular press have been a little vague regarding the separation
of qualifications for the 20% allowance when it comes to compo-
nent manufacturers, probably because their activities do not carry
the same glitz and glamour of shiny new motorcars. The basic
rules for component manufacturers are:
* A component manufacturer that can prove that a contract is in
place and/or a contract has been awarded and/or a letter of
intent has been received for the manufacture of components
to supply into the light motor vehicle manufacturer supply
chain locally and/or internationally; and
* A component manufacturer that can prove that after this
investment it will achieve at least 5% of total entity turnover
or R10m annually by the end of the first full year of commer-
cial production, as part of a light motor vehicle manufacturer
supply chain locally and/or internationally.
An additional allowance of 5% may be awarded if at least two out
of a list of five possible benefits are created by the investment proj-
ect. The five are defined under DTI heading of tooling creation,
research and development, employment creation and sustenance,
strengthening the automotive supply chain and value addition.
Once a producer has qualified for the first additional 5%
allowance from the list of five qualifications mentioned above, a
second (i.e. additional) 5% may be claimed if vehicle producers
qualify in terms of growth of unit production, while the criteria
16
for component manufacturers for this additional allowance is set
in terms of turnover growth.
Assets that qualify include buildings owned by the applicant used
directly to produce and administer production of the automotive
goods supporting the application, plant, equipment and tools,
jigs, dyes and moulds, in-plant logistics, material handling equip-
ment, production testing and design equipment and IT hardware
and software. Both new and previously owned assets may qualify,
and certain capitalised assets financed by financial (but not oper-
ating) leases may also qualify. Assets that are explicitly excluded
from the scheme include land, vehicles including prototypes, loose
implements/hand tools, training equipment, canteens and cater-
ing equipment, site services, maintenance and consumables, hous-
ing, warehousing and storage (outside of the qualifying buildings).
Costs like revaluating assets, VAT and finance charges and rates
and taxes are specifically excluded.
Productive investment projects by component manufacturers
must exceed R1m to qualify, and by vehicle manufacturers must
exceed R30m. The incentives are payable over a three year
period, no doubt to ensure the longer term qualification criteria.
Vehicle manufacturers must apply for approval 180 days
in advance of the initiation of the project, while component
suppliers must apply 90 days in advance of their project.
All applications are subject to scrutiny and approval in advance of
the projects by DTI, and valuations and opinions regarding
technological improvements will be confirmed by consulting
engineers appointed by the DTI. The announcement reserves the
right for the DTI to change their rules and regulations at any
point in the future.
The initial budget for the AIS, covering the three fiscal years
beginning in 2010/11 amounts to R2.7bn. Simple arithmetic
conversion of this to implied levels of investment to be supported
indicate R13.45bn if the lowest level of support at 20% is assumed
and R8.96bn if maximum support at an accumulated 30%
benefit is achieved.
* This article has highly compressed the layout of the DTI
announcement document, available on the DTI website:
www.dti.org.za. The writer and publisher accept no responsi-
bility for any possible misrepresentation of the DTI’s state-
ments or intentions, or areas of commission or omission
contained in this article. Readers are welcome to use it as an
overview and a departure point for thinking, but are advised
to read the entire announcement document available as set
out above.
July 2010
 Frankly Speaking

What’s in a name?
by Frank Beeton Going Full Circle!
Back in the 1980’s when I was working at General Motors in Port Elizabeth, management
group discussions often turned to the subject of branding. At that time, we were busy
ditching the earlier strategy where just about everything sold by GMSA was branded
“Chevrolet”. Among others, we had seen Opels badged as Chev Rekords, Commodores and
Senators, following on from a previous generation of best-selling Chev 2500/3800/4100
sedans, the larger Holden-based Chev Caprice and Constantia, and the Opel Ascona-
derived Chevair, while earlier there had been the Isuzu-derived Chev LUV pickup, and the
Vauxhall Viva-based “Little Chev” Firenza series. Many of us envied our cross-town rivals
at Ford Motor Company of South Africa, who sold all of their products with the “true
blue” Ford oval on the bonnet. That was not to imply that Ford did not have a wide vari-
ety of product sources. The contemporary Escort, Cortina and Grenada passenger
models came from a number of European countries, Ford’s D-Series trucks were built in
the United Kingdom, the Louisville “heavies” came from Kentucky, while the Cortina/One
tonner “bakkie” was an indigenous South African product. These were followed, in due
course, by more unambiguously Ford offerings in the shape of Sierra and Sapphire cars,
and the Cargo truck series.

F
ord’s “alternative” US brands Mercury and Lincoln never
enjoyed much of a profile in South Africa, while other
family badges such as Thames (UK-sourced trucks) and
Taunus (German cars) had been used for periods in the
local market. The absolute sovereignty of the blue oval as the core
brand had never been in question, confirming that Ford wanted
to keep it simple, and harking back to those halcyon days just
after World War I when one product – the Model T -accounted
for 90% of the global automobile population. However, much
was to change after the local Ford operation was absorbed into
Anglo American’s SAMCOR in 1985, and the distinction
between “genuine” Ford and badge-engineered Mazda products
began to blur somewhat. By that time, Ford had already taken a
substantial shareholding in the Japanese manufacturer, and some
products were being shared between the two brands in selected
international markets. Then, in 1987, Ford started a process of
putting together a global “family”, commencing with sports car
specialist Aston Martin, and leading to the establishment of the
Premier Automobile Group comprising Volvo, Jaguar, Land
Rover, Lincoln and Aston Martin, at the start of the 21st Century.
Many observers must have questioned the wisdom of this strate-
gy, given the well-recognised earlier strength of the Ford brand.
By 2007, however, the conglomerate had started to unravel, and
Ford sold off its majority shareholding in Aston Martin, followed
by the disposal of Jaguar and Land Rover to Indian manufacturer
Tata the following year. Even the long-standing one-third control-
ling shareholding in Mazda was scaled down to just 13%. A few
months back, the news broke that Volvo was to be sold to Chinese
manufacturer Geely, so the wheel has just about turned full circle.
Ford’s current strategy has been dubbed “One Ford”, refocusing
attention on the manufacturer’s core “blue oval” brand. This
process has been further advanced by the recent announcement
that the Mercury brand is to be discontinued, and that produc-
tion of its products will cease during the fourth quarter of 2010.
71 years ago, Henry Ford’s son Edsel introduced Mercury to fill a
perceived pricing niche slightly upmarket from mainstream Ford
products, and just below more luxurious Lincolns. Mercury cars
will be remembered by some South Africans as slightly larger,
restyled versions of the familiar contemporary North American
Fords of the early nineteen-fifties. Since then, Mercury’s position-
ing within the Ford stable has changed several times. In the 1980’s
it was used as a sporty Euro-fighter, but in the 1990’s it returned
to being a range of barely-differentiated Ford models.
Recently, there have been some visible efforts to widen the percep-
tion gap once more, by the use of distinctive Mercury materials
and trim, but this has not enjoyed any obvious measure of success.
In recent years, Mercury sales have experienced a steady decline,
with fewer than 100 000 units sold in the US during 2009, and
the perception gap between Mercury and Ford models in the
North American market has narrowed to the point where the
rationale supporting two separate brands has weakened. This has
understandably led to reduced investment in the brand, and a
steadily reducing number of discrete Mercury models in the fam-
ily line-up, which currently numbers only four. These presently
account for only 0,8 percentage points of Ford’s 16% US market
share, and there are no stand-alone Mercury dealerships in North
America. The costs and risks of eliminating the brand have, there-
fore, become manageable.
Meanwhile, down in Port Elizabeth, General Motors South Africa
has announced that Chevrolet, once again, is to become the main-
stream nameplate carried by its products. This time, however
many of them will come from the General Motors Daewoo oper-
ation in South Korea, which has already achieved considerable
international success with its value-for-money cars and sports util-
ities. Anyone for Braaivleis, Rugby or Sunny Skies?

18 July 2010
 Product News

Tips for a perfected

seal in MLS CHG
Surface Finish sensing probe. Possible distortions of the compo- SealingCompounds
The surface finish of cylinder head and engine nent surfaces should be less than 0.1 mm over a MLS cylinder-head gaskets are designed
block has a decisive effect on the performance measured length of 1000 mm, or less than 0.03 individually to suit specific engines. Beads,
potential of MLS cylinder-head gaskets. mm within a measured area of 100 x 100 mm. stoppers, elastomer coatings, and partially
Principally: the better a surface is, the better will Stay within the specified values, and vulcanized or molded-on elements are adapted
be the sealing effect. However, it must be noted process/machine the surfaces according to precisely down to the µm. Additional sealing
that a component surface that is too smooth manufacturer specifications. measures are only required if they are specified
can also result in leakage. An extremely smooth explicitly by the manufacturer.
surface offers no adherence points for the elas- Cylinder-head Bolts
tomer coating, so that adequate micro sealing The choice of suitable cylinderhead bolts and • Practical Tip
cannot be ensured. For this reason, the surface the correct torquing procedure have a lasting When installing cylinder-head gaskets, no sealing
roughness of cylinder head and engine block effect on the surface pressure quality, and there-
compounds, grease or oil should ever be used.
should lie between 7 and 20 µm. fore on the perfect compression of the cylinder-
Sealing compounds will cure and harden, which
head gasket. changes the coating thickness, and results
• Practical Tip in leaks. What’s more, they can flow into oil and
Before installing the cylinder-head gasket, check • Practical Tip coolant channels, where they cause clogging.
the surface finish and remove any dirt and for- Only so-called stretch bolts (waisted bolts) should Sealing compounds applied in the combustion
eign particles with the Victor Reinz sealant be used, which can be torqued beyond their chamber area will burn out and impair the
remover RE-MOVE. Component unevenness and elastic limit into the plastic region. With the bead’s function.
distortion can be determined by means of a torque-angle tightening method, the bolt is tight-
straightedge; waviness (deviations in parallelism) ened further by a defined amount (prevailing
and roughness are detected with the help of a angle or torque) after a certain torquing value
(pretorque) has been reached –
re-torquing of the head bolts is no
longer necessary.

Agent in South Africa – INTRADE

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

Equal Career Services & GNFA

launch a winning partnership
Saturday 5 June 2010 was a red letter day for technical training in South Africa,
with the launch of the Equal Career Services and GNFA automotive training partner-
ship. The venue was appropriate - the Gauteng Motor Show at the Zwartkops Raceway.

M
any dignitaries were on hand, from GNFA (Groupement National pour la Formation Automobile), local industry, to gov-
ernment officials and invited guests. This was indeed fitting, because the Equal Career Services GNFA partnership will
make a significant impact on the South African automotive industry. With 30 years of experience in the field of techni-
cal training, GNFA assists vehicle manufacturers and distributors across the world to identify their problem areas and
improve their skills through personalised, distinctive and innovative training. Equal Career Services, itself a leader in its field, is plan-
ning to share its expertise and knowledge with the South African market and the rest of southern Africa, and together with GNFA to
provide unparalleled training, combining international levels of excellence with local relevance.

Dr Raymond Patel, the CEO of merSETA (Manufacturing, Engineering & Related

Services Sector and Education Authority), opened his speech with a telling quote,

“Education is a companion which no future can

depress, no crime can destroy, no enemy can
alienate and no nepotism can enslave.”
He lauded the launch of the ECS/GNFA Agreement, as its alternative training programme
for the independent aftermarket dovetails perfectly with merSETA’s vision, being a
“convergence of goals and outlooks, as it ensures the stability of the automotive industry in
meeting the needs of the market”. He concluded by giving the assurance that as CEO
of merSETA he gives his “full and undivided support” to the venture.

Ms. Mary Metcalfe, Director General in the Department of Higher Education &
Training, highlighted five points of relevance in the ECS/GNFA partnership:
• The South African government’s priority is an inclusive economic growth path, and
IPAP2 is critical to this end, with the automotive industry a key component.
• Skills growth and the addressing of the skills shortage is an absolute imperative for
growth. The ECS/GNFA initiative feeds the cycle of growth and very importantly cre-
ates jobs and absorbs labour. A very important statistic in this regard is the fact that two
and a half million people in the 18 to 24 age group are unemployed.
• Public private partnership is very important, as government cannot do the job alone.
The correct balance is a strong public sector, and an unthreatened private sector.
Technical colleges tend to lag behind the technology curve, so cutting edge training
from industry is vital.

20 July 2010
 Cover Feature
• The South African government recognises the role of international partners, and
sees France as a valuable resource of technical know-how, and is grateful to
GNFA for identifying South Africa as an important market.
• The big picture always comprises the gathering of small contributions. Each and
every initiative makes a huge difference, and the government is appreciative of
these efforts, and lauds the merSETA and ECS/GNFA collaboration.

From left to right: Pierre Diepering (ECS, First GNFA

accredited technical trainer in SA),
Guy HUBERT (CEO of GNFA), Amanda Forsythe (GNFA
Representative in SA)

From left to right: Marc CABEZA (GNFA International Department), Guy HUBERT (CEO of GNFA),
Patrice MARTIN (Head of GNFA International Department), Arnaud ZERKOWITZ (French Trade Attaché for Automotive sector),
Amanda FORSYTHE (GNFA Representative in SA), Dominique BOUTTER (French Trade Commissioner),
Kowie BOTHA (CEO of ECS), Peter LE SUEUR (Director of ECS)

July 2010 21
 Cover Feature

22 July 2010
 Cover Feature

July 2010 23
 Cover Feature

24 July 2010
 Cover Feature

July 2010 25
 Life Goes On

The Sum of all Parts

I am indeed indebted to ABR for allowing me to leverage off all the exciting
investments in the automotive industry, in my Life Goes on series, but for this
issue I will take a back seat and leave the floor to Prof. Dr. Martin
by Austin Gamble Winterkorn, the Chairman of the Management Board of Volkswagen AG, who
opened the new Volkswagen Group South Africa R230 million P&A Distribution
Centre in Centurion, Gauteng, on the 17th June 2010. ABR is thrilled to bits about this,
because this investment is purely aftermarket, which is the raison d’être for ABR’s existence.

A
t the ceremony, Winterkorn
reiterated Volkswagen Group
South Africa’s long history of
manufacturing vehicles in
South Africa, “2011 marks
60 years of manufacturing Volkswagens in
South Africa. To date we have manufac-
tured 2,7 million vehicles in our plant in
Uitenhage, for both the South African
market and markets around the world.
Throughout the past 59 years, the
Volkswagen Group has remained firmly
committed to developing a world class
manufacturing plant in Uitenhage. Over
the past four years we have invested R5bil-
lion in our South African operation.
These massive investments were made in
South Africa despite the global and
domestic market downturn during 2008
and 2009. We now have a renewed man-
ufacturing facility in Uitenhage, capable
of building even higher quality products,
more productively and more competitive-
ly for both the South Africa domestic and
global export markets. We have adopted
an aggressive local content strategy to
ensure that by the end of 2010, we will
have increased local content levels from an
historic 40% level to in excess of 70% on
both the new Polo and new Polo Vivo
platforms.”
Winterkorn then announced future
product and investment plans. “Blue
Motion is one of the most successful fuel
and environmentally efficient brands
worldwide. It represents the competence
the Volkswagen Group has in producing
efficient and economical drive trains. I’m
pleased to announce that BlueMotion will
be launched in South Africa in the fourth
quarter of 2010. This environmentally
friendly technology will be made available
in the Polo, Golf, Tiguan and new
Touareg ranges”. Winterkorn also reite-
rated Volkswagen Group South Africa’s
plan to introduce the all new 1-ton
Amarok Pick-Up to the South African
market in the fourth quarter of 2010. “We
anticipate the new Amarok will cause a
major stir in the highly competitive one
ton pickup market in South Africa. The
new Amarok will be a class leader in terms
of emissions and fuel efficiency.”
Accompanied by Deputy President
Kgalema Motlanthe and Minister Robert
Davies, Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn then
officially opened the new R230million, 26
000 square meter, P&A Distribution
Centre in Centurion. Winterkorn com-
mented that the new systems and process-
es will enable improved levels of customer
service to the Volkswagen, Audi and
Commercial Vehicles Dealer Networks in
South Africa. “Investment in the physical
P&A Distribution Centre together with
best in class systems and
processes and a major
upskilling of the two hun-
dred people employed at the
Centre, will enable a world
class P&A operation for
Volkswagen Group South
Africa. The Centre will be
fully operational before the
end of 2010. In addition,
VW will commence before
the end of 2010 the con-
struction of a new R60mil-
lion Dealer Training
Academy on the site adjoin-
ing the new Distribution
Centre. The clear objective
of this Dealer Training
Academy is to improve the
capabilities at the customer
retail level”.

26 July 2010
 A series of articles on the rise of the Chery automobile

A modern interior with

suitable appointments
by Howard Keeg

Jo’burg’s First Citizen

Having first tasted the J1 at its launch in October last year, and being suitably
impressed with a brand spanking new vehicle meticulously prepared, it was with
anticipation that I took delivery of a more well worn J1 1.3 TX in mid June 2010, for
a one week vehicle evaluation. The vehicle had 7 000 km on the clock, and having done
duty as a media fleet vehicle I knew that this small vehicle had been put through its
paces in more ways than the normal motorist could even dream about. The average
motoring journalist, when let loose on a media fleet vehicle without the fear of
sanction, makes the demolition derby look like a sedate event, so I appreciated the
import of those 7000 km.

A thoroughly acceptable hatchback that is not

out of place in its environment

A
t the launch of the J1 last year, Brett Soso, Managing Director of Chery SA, had stated that “since the brand was first intro-
duced in South Africa in May 2008, it had changed expectations in the entry level segment of the market. The Chery J1 is set
to continue this trend and reinforce our commitment to provide value for money motoring to South African vehicle owners
moving into the next segment of the market up from a Chery QQ3”. Nine months later, in a J1 that had been put through
the wringer, I can confirm the veracity of Brett’s statement. I expected at least some rattles and squeaks, but impressively this car still
drives and rides like new, despite the best efforts of the petrol heads. The interior was impeccable and is testament to the quality of mate-
rials used, and the interior and exterior styling stays fresh, stylish and inviting, which is quite an achievement considering the recent
rapid introduction of truly stunning vehicles. The 1.3 engine also doesn’t disappoint, making city driving a walk in the park, and it is
definitely not a slouch on the open road, and handled four large adults with aplomb. All with extremely acceptable fuel consumption -
I achieved an average consumption of 6,5 l/100km in mostly urban driving and not sparing the horses. The end verdict is that this car
is a stayer, and provides comfort and class at a very reasonable price. The J1 TX comes with all the goodies, such as aircon, park driv-
ing assist, onboard computer, CD player audio system, electric windows, electric mirrors, remote central locking, and much more, all
for a mere R116 900.

As I pondered all these pluses while zipping around Johannesburg, and nimbly avoiding the GPs (Gauteng Potholes), I gave the J1 the
title “First Citizen of Johannesburg”, as it really feels at home in Jozi, and it is priced to put many of the citizens of Egoli on the road
in their own spanking new cars.

28 July 2010
 Tony’s
Soccer Shuffles
by Tony Twine,
and Diski Dances
With so much time likely to be absorbed by the excitement of the Soccer
Senior Economist, World Cup 2010, here is a list of possible alternative meanings for
Director –
Econometrix some soccer terms that might help fill in expense accounts, contact
(Pty) Ltd reports, political and economic analysis, whilst staying in the spirit of
the tournament.
Banana Kick – Anything that veers off
the straight and narrow. Clever in soccer
when intentional, usually disastrous in golf.
Bicycle Kick – A last resort in the Dutch
defensive driving manual
Bookings – What Sandton Soccer Dolls
make for dinner
Centre circle – The inner cabal of any
organisation e.g. the Cabinet
Centre-off – The start or re-start of a
game, not to be confused with off-centre
(like this article)
Channel 1 – Usually, the centre forward’s
slot, but locally, where you would expect to
find the most television coverage of the soc-
cer
Chip pass – selection of healthier carbohy-
drates like rice or baked potatoes
Corner – position much favoured by
Portuguese and Greek merchandisers
Cross – Emotional reaction of a coach to
overhead pass by a winger, if missed by the
central strikers - Not happy!
Cross bar – If you’re looking for trouble,
you’ve come to the right place!
Dribble – The last of the liquid refresh-
ment – do not confuse with sales forecasts,
which are drivel
Far Post – Alastair Cook’s letter from
America
FIFA – an organisation to be observed
from the comfort of your fofa
Foul – Not nice. Especially if it refers to
the bird committed to providing the
walkie- talkie (see Walkie Talkie)
Free kick – like the concept of a free
lunch, there is no such thing - you have to
have lost something to get one
Full-time – the beginning of a match,
referring to the state of one’s glass
Goal – if you are not in business for fun or
profit, what are you doing here?
30
Take
Green Card – Not used in any form of
football, unless you are a foreigner wanting
to play for the Dallas Cowboys, Boston
Stranglers
Header – to strike with the head, not
always using the brain!
Left Wing – socialist mid-fielder
Long ball – Oval or elliptical, as used in
rugby
Long-range Shot – any forecast with a
time horizon longer than today...
Mid-field – the political centre where the
game really slows down
Officials – office bearers and occupiers
Off-side trap – one large truck overtaking
another even larger truck on a single lane
highway, both heading towards you – a test
of your resolve and decision making skills
On-side – the side of a vehicle closest to
the curb, much favoured for overtaking by
taxi’s
Own Goal – an extremely bad plan which
does more for the opposition than for your
own side
Passing – this happens very frequently,
especially when the object passed is “the
buck.”
Penalty – what could happen when some-
body blows the whistle. Mild if you were
speeding, disastrous if you have been
uncompetitive.
Red card – membership token of the
Communist party
Referee - often somebody who imagines
themselves to be the Marshal of Dodge
City, but the best ones are almost invisible.
Right Wing – Conservative or reactionary
mid-fielder, often with a penchant for
scoring. Notable examples have been
George Best, David Beckham and Eugene
Terreblance
Scoring – take it easy on this one. It is
Africa, after all.
Shoot-out – road rage after an on-side
manoeuvre, or the climax of a failed cash-
in-transit heist.
Striker – a player frequently used by both
left and right wingers to achieve their goals.
Strip – team and supporters uniforms
worn during games, as opposed to the dis-
carding of clothing at or after social events
following the game. In Africa, home strip is
safer than away strip.
Sweeper – the player who, according to
COSATU earns much less than the chief
executive
Tai-tai – fancy footwork, as used by politi-
cians when trapped off-side.
Throw-in – a deal sweetener
Walkie Talkie – a good-luck charm con-
sisting of the head and feet of a chicken,
especially popular in SA. It certainly wasn’t
good luck for the chicken!
Wall – a defensive line of players blocking
a free-kick, named after the apparent atti-
tudes of customers or superiors who are not
impressed by your ideas.
Whistle – recent experience shows that it is
safer to blow this in terms of competition
law than in terms of government contracts.
Woodwork – if you need the playing fields
levelled, or the goal posts moved, just call
the woodwork supremo and self styled cab-
inet maker, Julius.
VUVUZELA!!: A voluminous drinking
horn, very noisy when attached to oral
cavities of vacuous heads.
Yellow Card – an invitation to the
Neo-Colonialist ball from the Chinese
ambassador
July 2010
 Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurs Should Start
with the End in Mind
When last did you ask yourself why you chose to be self-employed? Reasons range
from to make money, to live the lifestyle of my choice, to pursue a great opportunity
or to do what I love. However, an aspiration without a plan is, in our experience, fool-
ish. It is just not enough.
C
reating an asset of value in the
long term is a crucial compo-
nent of entrepreneurial success
and it is all about starting your
business with the end in mind. This means
that while launching a business venture to
‘make money’ is an admirable goal, the real
goal should to build up a valuable asset
that can be sold off later on to secure the
entrepreneur’s financial future.
Building an asset of value is important not
only for retirement reasons. This is because
you might wish to sell your business before
retirement age for a number of reasons
which could include the simple need to do
something different. Any number of
events could be the one that sees you sell-
ing out to the highest bidder and hoping
that you have done your best over the years
to boost the value of your most important
asset by putting proper systems in place so
that it became more than the classic ‘one
man band’ operation. The thinking
behind this is to reduce the firm’s tax bill in
order to boost the owner’s net income.
Unfortunately, this is detrimental to the
business in the long term for the simple
reason that it devalues the business because
any potential buyer will see past perform-
ance as an indicator of future success.
Valuing your business asset is generally a
stressful event as the prospective buyer is
going to place a value on it. The process is
cold and impersonal and wholly unsympa-
thetic to the many years that you have put
into the business.
Realising that the buyer is only interested
in the future cash flow is a harsh wake-up
call to the owners of many small and medi-
um-sized businesses who hardly gave a
thought to the day when they would be
evaluating offers on the table.
Let’s look at a quick example that will
bring the point above to life. Imagine the
entrepreneurial dream came through after
many years for a small to medium-sized
businessperson named Clive.
32
by Pavlo Phitidis
streams. Is soon emerged that the business
Pavlo Phitidis, CEO at Aurik Business Incubator
was not an asset without Clive to lead it.
The deal collapsed. Besides the drop in
value, after working for himself for 25
years, the idea of reporting to a middle-
manager in a corporate located far from his
home and coming into a culture that he
did not identify with did not appeal.
Today, Clive is restructuring his business
to position it as an asset of value. A tough
task at his age but after 25 years, he needs
to walk out with something that can
become his pension plan.
Structuring a business to create a saleable
asset requires a deliberate strategy over
some years. Many entrepreneurs unwit-
tingly run their business with little fore-
thought about the day of valuation, the
To make a long story short, he was offered day that circumstances changed in their
R23 million for his business based on his lives requiring them to sell their business.
accountant’s numbers. This is understandable because it is easy to
A due diligence was performed by the list- get caught up in the day-to-day opera-
ed company interested in buying Clive’s tional activities of the business without
business. Clive was relieved as this was the taking the time to raise one’s head above
end of a gruelling process that had seen the and the factory floor in order to peer into
buyer demand all sorts of numbers, docu- the future.
ments, tax clearances, contracts and even Building your business into an asset of
interviews with staff. Everyone was on value will pay dividends well beyond any
edge and some staff members were becom- intentions that you have today. Adopting
ing restive. Clive was 59, had spent this approach will not only dramatically
25 years in the game and was tired. Finally, improve the saleability of the business but
the buyers arrived late on a Friday after- will also improve the overall performance
noon. of the business. A decision to build your
It did not take the buyers too long to spec- business as an asset of value will ensure
ify why the price had been revised to R10 that your decisions are clear, that the
million. It took even less time to qualify investment of resources is efficient and
the price with the condition that Clive that all productivity gains are identified
would be required to sign a 5 year employ- and captured. You will maximise the
ment contract with the listed company! return on your own time, energy and
The reasons for the new offer were legiti- thinking giving you a clear sense of pur-
mate. They ranged from Clive being indis- pose and direction.
pensible to the daily operations of the busi- Ensuring that you have a tradable asset,
ness, management accounts that were irrespective of whether you intend to sell
poorly presented and took forever to come or not is prudent and wise. After all, we
out, poorly structured staff and client con- live in a world of great uncertainty and full
tracts and a number of other factors that of surprises.
removed the certainty of future cash flow
July 2010
 weighty issues

GAUGING INSANITY
To those readers who were expecting this month’s column to cover truck-
ing issues, let me immediately apologise, because the subject under discus-
by Frank Beeton sion will be……trains! However, in view of the Department of Transport’s
oft-repeated intention to shift the freight modal split back in the direction
of rail transport, this matter should be of interest to trucking people, if only to keep a
wary eye on the mode that is being officially sanctioned to progressively diminish their
slice of the freight transport “cake”. However, it is important that I declare up front that
I am not anti-train. Nothing would give me more pleasure than to see South Africa with a
rational transport system, where each mode is allowed to bring its particular benefits
to the table. Rail’s natural efficiencies lie in the long-distance line-haul transport of
bulk commodities and containerised goods, and an effective railway system would have
the potential to take enormous pressure off our National Roads, by greatly reducing
the impact of thousands of heavy vehicles moving daily between coastal ports and inland
destinations.

H
owever, for rail to perform
this task, it needs to be more
cost-effective and service con-
scious than the road transport
alternative. The fact that increasing vol-
umes of cargo have moved away from rail
since the progressive deregulation of road
transportation commenced in the late
Nineteen-Seventies, is proof enough that
South Africa’s rail system does not shape
up. Unfortunately, Transnet Freightrail’s
progenitor, the South African Railways
and Harbours, took the form of a welfare
organisation for its countless thousands of
workers, which also happened to operate
trains, while being protected from direct
competition by draconian legislation that
kept privately-owned trucks out of any-
thing other than urban and peri-urban dis-
tribution. Little wonder, then, that the
phase-out of this legislation dramatically
altered the balance, despite efforts by the
SAR&H’s successors, SA Transport
Services and ultimately Transnet, to take
on a mantle of competitive participation in
the free market.
However, the inability of the rail network
to stem this defection of a previously cap-
tive client base has got very little to do
with its geographic footprint, or any tech-
nical inability to perform a substantial
logistic task. Along with most other coun-
tries historically in the British sphere of
influence, South Africa inherited the lega-
cy of a comprehensive and well-organised
railway system. The main problems con-
tributing to its subsequent decline lie in
a lack of commercial orientation and
customer-friendliness, two factors that still
appear to be prevalent, given the violent
and disruptive nature of the recent
Transnet strike. This perception is further
reinforced by frequent complaints issuing
from the mining sector clients using
Transnet’s dedicated Sishen-Saldanha and
Richards Bay single-product lines, both of
which are dream rail operating scenarios. It
is against this background that recent
media reports relating to a strategic dis-
agreement on future direction for the
country’s railway infrastructure must be
viewed. It seems that the Department of
Transport has identified the measured dis-
tance between the rails on the vast majori-
ty of the nation’s rail routes as the main
reason for the non-competitiveness of the
mode, and, as part of a R 750-billion infra-
structure plan, would like to change it
from the present dimension of 1 067 mm
to the more universal 1 435 mm. The
main rationale behind this is, apparently,
to enable trains to travel faster. Transnet’s
response is that this would be a mammoth
and hugely expensive task, given the 23
000 km of railway already in existence in
the country, and that the 40 km/h average
speed possible on the current infrastruc-
ture is consistent with international
norms.
Before commenting on this disagreement,
it is important to record that the 1 067mm
rail gauge, also known as “Cape Gauge”,
was adopted in the second half of the
Nineteenth Century by independent rail
operations in the erstwhile British
Colonies and Boer Republics for a number
of good reasons. The most important of
these was that the tighter curve radii made
possible by the narrower gauge reduced the
total route distance between coastal and
inland termini, particularly in the moun-
tainous areas inland from Cape Town, and
over the escarpment between Durban and
the Reef. Any change in gauge would
necessitate, over time, the following net-
work modifications:
• Complete replacement of motive
power (locomotives) and rolling stock
(carriages and wagons) with new
equipment.
• Realignment of the right-of-way with
curves of increased radius.
• Replacement of embankments,
cuttings, and tunnels.
• Replacement of railway station plat-
forms to accommodate increased rail
vehicle clearance.
The practical implications may even be
considerably more comprehensive than the
above list, but the potential for expendi-
ture and disruption is, clearly, enormous!
None of this will address Transnet’s lack of
business culture discussed earlier! Surely, a
more logical route would be to provide a
reliable, predictable and cost-competitive
service level that seriously questions the
desirability of using vast fleets of road vehi-
cles. In other words: “Fix it, don’t change
it!”, but supportive employee attitudes will
be key. More recently we have read about
an initiative to privatise certain under-
utilised rail branch lines, on the apparent
assumption that the private sector will be
able to find viability where Transnet could
not. Before any response to this “interest-
ing” proposition has even been received,
Transnet’s organised labour has already
registered its somewhat predictable oppo-
sition to this development! This does not
bode well for the broader private sector
participation initiatives which Transnet
sees as its preferred route to increased
competitiveness.

34 July 2010
 Tyres
Hopefully after the last two issues the message has got through about using tyres
within their designed parameters. Not wanting to belabour the point, this month we
want discuss the importance of tyre maintenance.
T
yre maintenance in any type of
vehicle fleet is one of the easiest
ways to save running costs. It is
also one of the easiest ways to
maintain safety and reliability in the fleet.
It is also the one major facet of transport
that is most often neglected, which should
not be so as tyres are commonly the third
highest constant cost factor in the indus-
try. In the past three months we know of
at least six major accidents which have
been caused through the condition of the
tyres fitted to the involved vehicles. Each
of these involved fatalities. Trucks, busses,
safari type tour vehicles, taxis and bakkies.
Over many years of accident investiga-
tions, we have found that the conditions of
tyres, not the tyre type or even the wrong
tyre for the job, but tyre condition is
responsible for the great majority of tyre
related accidents. And those running car
fleets must not think they are exempt from
tyre related accidents. Phone any insurance
company and check the stats. Car drivers,
and their company fleet operators are as
guilty of tyre neglect as any other fleet
owner/manager/controller.
We’re going to spend some time on good
tyre practice and how it affects safety, but
for the moment we want to look at the
influence the workshop has on tyres. And
for this issue we’re looking at light truck
and LDV fleets. One must always remem-
ber that the condition of the vehicles has
the most direct effect on the life of tyres
fitted to it. And this is where the workshop
36
and Their Contribution
to Safety in Motoring
www.bridgestone.co.za
comes into play. It is fairly common prac-
tice for local workshops to take shortcuts.
Service schedules exist for every make and
type vehicle but are often ignored and sec-
ond rate replacement parts are then used.
The results of this are vehicles running in
unacceptable states of roadworthy fitness,
and the tyres are the first components to
suffer. Considering that tyres are the only
components to physically keep the vehicles
on the road a pattern of catastrophe
emerges from the poor decisions made in
the workshop. These decisions sometimes
come about because of pressure from
above, with respect to budget constraints.
So there exists a situation where vehicles
cause severe tyre degradation due to many
factors; poor wheel alignment, worn sus-
pension components, badly maintained
braking systems and the list goes
on………….
Let’s look at how tyres are affected. Firstly
one of the most neglected aspects of a vehi-
cle from a workshops point of view is
wheel alignment. Very few workshops
place enough importance on regular wheel
alignment checks, where it is mainly left to
outside contractors to do the actual work.
Marcus Haw
Practically speaking this is a good idea.
The mobile wheel alignment operator has
the know-how, the equipment and is a spe-
cialist. In truth we believe most are, but we
have witnessed alignments being done in
impossibly short times. We have witnessed
alignments being done on vehicles with
worn suspension bushes, and also being
done without anything else on the vehicle
being checked to see if it’s worth doing the
alignment. And that’s the problem. It
should remain the workshop’s responsibil-
ity to ensure the wheel alignment is carried
out correctly and regularly. We surely don’t
have to go into what happens to tyres with
alignment problems.
Mechanical problems are the biggest cause
of accelerated and irregular wear on tyres
in this country by a huge margin, although
few fleet operators will agree to this fact.
So let’s look at what should be happening
to tyres in the workshop. What are the
basic practices that all workshops should
be following?
• All lower chassis components should
be maintained as safety critical.
Suspension components, brakes etc
• Only top quality replacement parts
should be used irrespective of price. In
the long term this will be the cheaper
way.
• Steering components must be meticu-
lously maintained.
• Wheel rims must be kept clean and
checked regularly for any balance con-
cerns or road damage deformities. Rim
flanges must be kept clean and free of
dirt, rust etc.
These are the minimal requirements that a
decent workshop should be paying atten-
tion to in order to carry their side of tyre
maintenance.
Next month we’ll look at the requirements
of the tyre staff, but until then keep in
mind that tyres are safety critical items that
need care.
July 2010
 Getting the
Message Across
It’s a difficult task, taking into account the ingrained
habits of South African motorists, but there are many
intelli-driving proponents who simply refuse to throw in
the towel. Getting the Message Across is their mantra,
and they will keep on banging on, and using as many
means as possible to achieve their objective, which is to
make South Africa’s roads safer.

O
ne of these means is the Stay Alert Stay Alive initiative, and ABR
was present at the end of the 5th annual Road Safety
Economy Run, to give our readers some flavour of the
day. This year the run started in Port Elizabeth and ended
with great fanfare at the Wanderers Club, Illovo,
Johannesburg on Monday, 31st May 2010. Eugene Herbert, of Master
Drive, who led the triumphant procession into the parking area reserved for
the occasion, told ABR that “the economy run is a great way to promote the
concept of intelli-driving, in all its facets. From a road safety angle, we ensure
alive
that we drive roadworthy cars, and at all times we obey the rules of the road. arrives alert and
Eugene Herbert
And this being a long journey, we make certain that we have a good night’s rest
before we set off, and we meticulously apply the rule of having a rest every two
hours or every 200km. We also stop for meals and refreshments when necessary,
to keep our blood sugar levels at the optimum. From an eco-driving aspect, we
drive carefully and intelligently, and we observe the basic fuel saving tips: changing
gear at 2 000 rpm for diesel engines, or 2 400 rpm for petrol engines; ensuring that the
tyre pressures are to manufacturers’ specs; limiting the difference between outside and
inside temperatures to five degrees, and when stopping for more than a minute, switch-
ing off the engine”.

There many other aspects, which ABR hopes to cover in far greater detail in future.
For this run, Eugene was driving an Audi A4 2,0 TSi, and Wayne Duvenhage,
Managing Director of Avis, was behind the wheel of a Toyota Corolla 1,3 six speed.
Avis is a key sponsor of the Economy Run, so naturally these vehicles came from Gary Ronald of the AA makes sure
their fleet, which consists of 20 000 vehicles, and all in pristine condition. Not that the cars the kids learn about buckling up
are the most important in Avis’ eyes. Their slogan is “We care more about people than cars”, a slogan
that says many things, with the key message being one of road safety, eco-driving, and primarily caring about our
generation and future generations. More on this in future editions of ABR.

38 July 2010
 Intelli-Driving

The F1 in Schools Programme seeks

out the engineers of the future

The youth are important, as this is

where the message must start

of
the Coordinator
Lawrence Barit, e, wows the ladies
Aliv
Stay Alert, Stay

rit greets Wayne

Dr. Lawrence Ba ing Director of
ag
Duvenhage, Man is.
Av

ell
an is alive and w
Alfred E. Neum Johannesburg
and living in

July 2010 39
 Diamond Dialogues

Editorial
Partnership
Giel Steyn

In this series of articles ABR discusses with Giel Steyn of Grandmark International the four significant factors that should be taken into
account when purchasing automotive parts - Technology, Quality, Safety and Value for Money. These four characteristics are inter-related, and
each cannot stand on their own, and together they become a motorist's best friend. Similarly, diamonds are also judged on four characteristics,
known as the “four c's” - carat, clarity, colour and cut; and of course, diamonds are a girl's best friend. Grandmark International, as a dis-
tributor of automotive parts, is keenly aware of the need to source only the best in Technology, Quality, Safety and Value for Money, and
therefore it is appropriate that this series of articles is titled Diamond Dialogues.

Automotive Glass
– the Transparent Facts
There is a lot of confusion in the marketplace around the quality of automotive parts
and the correlation between good and bad quality and geographical source. This con-
fusion is a result of a number of factors, nm. the proliferation of low quality prod-
uct, previous (and current) bad practices, ingrained perceptions, tarring everyone
with the same brush, and badmouthing by vested interests. This unfair situation is par-
ticularly relevant when it comes to automotive glass. However, over time the cream
will rise to the top, and perceptions can and do change. A good example of this is
cited by Giel Steyn of Grandmark International, when he refers to “the realisation
by the insurance industry that alternative suppliers of SABS approved glass are pro-
viding product that is equal in quality to other SABS approved glass”.

It is with this ringing endorsement that Giel Steyn has provided ABR with a fact sheet, which spells it out
clearly and transparently. We pass on the good news to our readers:
Wide Range to meet your
clients’ needs
Grandmark Glass has one of the widest
ranges of automotive glass in southern
Africa. With over 2 000 types of laminated
and toughened glass, Grandmark has the
most popular items to meet your clients’
needs. The manufacturer of Grandmark
Glass carries over 26 000 different glasses
from which Grandmark can draw from.
Safety and Quality with every
glass product
Tried, tested, and approved –
Grandmark Glass has passed tough third
party tests to ensure its quality. Whether it
is Germany’s TÜV or South Africa’s SABS
certification process, Grandmark Glass has
met or exceeded the quality standards set
out by these and other regulatory bodies.
As a result, all Grandmark Glass has the
following product certifications: SABS
(South African Bureau of Standards certifi-
cation), E-mark (European certification),
ECE R43 (Economic Commission for
Europe Regulation 43), and DOT #563
(United States Department of
Transportation certification). The manu-
facturer of Grandmark Glass also holds the
following prestigious factory certifications:
ISO/TS 16949:2002 (International
Organisation for Standardisation
Technical Specification), ISO 14001:2004
(Environmental Compliance), CCC
(China Compulsory Certification) and
SABS.
Meets OEM standards – All Grandmark
windscreens meet or exceed original equip-
ment manufacturer (OEM) specifications
in terms of fit, form and performance.
When it comes to ensuring the motorists’
safety, no shortcuts are taken!
Quality Materials used – All
Grandmark windscreens and toughened
glass use the highest quality raw materials.
Recycled vinyl, which is used in cheaper
glass, can jeopardise your clients’ safety.
This is definitely not used in Grandmark
Glass. All Grandmark windscreens use pre-
mium virgin vinyl from DuPont in
America and Sekisui Chemical in Japan.
The Grandmark Commitment to Shatter
Proof Quality – Every single Grandmark
windscreen is shatter proof, with a strong
layer of virgin vinyl sandwiched between
two outer layers of high impact safety
glass. The lamination process ensures that
the windscreen resists shattering on impact
and prevents a flying object from penetrat-
ing the inner compartment. Finally,
Grandmark International stands behind its
quality with a US$10 million liability
insurance for each and every windscreen.
Peace of Mind with World
Class Manufacturing
Partnering with one of the largest
glass factories in the world – With
over 10 000 employees and five plants
spread over three million square meters,
Grandmark Glass’ manufacturing partner
is one of the largest glass manufacturing
facilities in the world.

40 July 2010
 Diamond Dialogues
The company is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange and has a subsidiary
in Toronto, Canada. The forecasted turnover for 2010 is US$678 million.

Quality manufacturing using world class machinery –

Grandmark Glass is made using state of the art technology:

• Von Ardenne low-e coating lines from Germany

• Glass robots and Tamglass tempering furnaces from Finland
• Lisec cutting tables from Austria

Confidence through complete testing – Whether for extreme weather

conditions or safety reasons, Grandmark Glass undergoes many tests to
ensure its glass meets stringent performance standards:

Laminated Windscreen Tests: Light Stability Testing; Humidity Testing;

Impact Testing (Ball/Dart); Distortion and Deviation Testing; Luminous
Transmittance Testing; Abrasion Resistance Testing; Penetration Testing;
Temperature Testing; Radiation Testing; Optical Distortion Testing;
Secondary Image Separation Testing.

Tempered Glass Tests: Light Stability Testing; Luminous Transmittance

Testing; Impact Testing (Ball); Fracture Testing; Impact Testing (Shot Bag);
Abrasion Resistance Testing.

Approved all over the World

Sold Globally – With annual windscreen sales of 4,5 million units,
Grandmark Glass’ manufacturing partner recently ranked 1st in China as the
largest exporter of automotive aftermarket glass. In addition to southern
Africa, the manufacturer of Grandmark Glass exports glass to over 100 coun-
tries. The breakdown is: North America 41%, Europe 21%, Asia 16%, Africa
14%, Middle East/South America 8%. In the USA and Canada, unit volume
exceeds 2,1 million windscreen units each year. That’s about a 15% market
share of the North American glass replacement market – a stunning affirma-
tion of quality and value for money!

Join other world class customers – With prestigious customers such as the
Pilkington Group in the UK and OEM customers such as Ford, General
Motors and Volkswagen, anyone who fits a Grandmark Glass is in good com-
pany!

Serving southern Africa since 1996

Grandmark Glass has been serving the automotive glass industry for the past
14 years – distributing glass through its own fitment centres as well as 1 000
distributors in southern Africa. A trusted partner indeed.

July 2010 41
 Customer C.A.R.E. Programme
– sponsored by Federal-Mogul

Module THIRTEEN – THE FORMALISATION

STAGE continued
The end result of the staff meetings to decide the prime activities goods, or buy the goods. You also need to know how much you
of the company, was, IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE: sold to your customers, and how much they owe you, and the cost
of selling these goods. You also need to present this info to those
KEY ACTIVITY # 1 TECHNICAL
nice people who lent you the money to do all these wonderful
KEY ACTIVITY # 2 LOGISTICS
things.
KEY ACTIVITY # 3 SALES
KEY ACTIVITY # 4 FIELDWORK
MARKETING is no.7, because once you’ve got the first six
KEY ACTIVITY # 5 PERSONNEL (HR)
things in place, you will have become a very smart company, and
KEY ACTIVITY # 6 ADMINISTRATION
you will need to tell everyone how smart you are.
KEY ACTIVITY # 7 MARKETING
The rationale behind this is very simple, and very logical. This THE RIDER
pretty much applies to all companies, with only slight variations: This is where the rider comes in. Once you’ve got your act togeth-
er, and I mean that you truly have got your act together, and that
TECHNICAL is no.1, because without a product to sell, you
all the key activities are functioning smoothly; then, and only
don’t have a company.
then,
LOGISTICS is no.2, because if you don’t have systems in place
KEY ACTIVITY # 7 becomes KEY ACTIVITY # 1.
to order the goods, get the goods to you, warehouses to store the
goods, distribution systems to get the goods to your customers, The reason that this happens, is because now you have something
etc., you will only have a company that has goods to sell, but no to sell, and you now have something to shout about - a good
means to sell them. product and good service. NOW, marketing becomes the most
important activity in your company, and a key element of the
SALES is no.3, because now that you have a product to sell, and
marketing mix is, of course, CUSTOMER C.A.R.E. Sorry, not a
the means to do all the good things that go with selling the prod-
key element, THE MOST IMPORTANT element. We are talk-
uct, you now have to sell! Otherwise, you will sell, but only at a
ing about the lifeblood of your company, THE CUSTOMER.
liquidation sale.
Marketing is not just about attracting the customer. Even more
importantly, marketing is about KEEPING the customer. This is
FIELDWORK is no.4, because once you’ve sold the goods,
where customer c.a.r.e. comes into its own. All the activities men-
someone has to make sure that the people who’ve bought the
tioned; technical, logistics, sales, fieldwork, personnel and admin-
goods, know what to do with them, and that once they’ve used
istration; all have an important role to play in customer c.a.r.e.
them, they have the urge to use them again. And, on the rare
Therefore, they all become part of the marketing effort. They
occasions that something does go wrong, they have our support.
become part of the KEY ACTIVITY # 1: MARKETING.
They will also need our help in promoting the product, if they are
re-sellers.
Give examples
PERSONNEL (HR) is no.5, because someone has to make sure of how the
that you have the people to do all those technical, logistical, sales various key
and fieldwork things. Plus, you have to make sure that they get activities can
paid, and are happy and contented, and get looked after on the
rare occasions when things go wrong.
play a role in
customer
ADMINISTRATION is no.6, because someone has to keep
DISCUSSION POINTS
c.a.r.e.
score on how much it costs to develop the goods, and make the

44 June 2010
 Launch Update

X-431 Master Hits a Ton

In one of the most successful sales campaigns in Launch Technologies South Africa’s
history, the X-431 Master has proved to be a big winner. In less than three months,
Launch Technologies SA (Pty) Ltd. has sold its entire stock of this remarkable prod-
uct, the world’s most powerful diagnostic scan tool. Orders continue to stream in,
as each shipment is gratefully snapped up by eager customers.

H
ans Coetzee, Marketing Manager of Launch
Technologies, is over the moon, and ABR had the
chance to speak to him when he handed over the
100th X-431 Master to Richard Michelson of
Sparklite Gearboxes in Wynberg, Johannesburg. Hans attributes
the success of the programme to a superb product and an excel-
lent marketing campaign. He adds that the foundation was built
by the reputation of the X-431 Master’s predecessor, the X-431
Super Scanner. The Super Scanner proved to be a versatile,
reliable, and user friendly diagnostic machine, and thus the mar-
ket was ready for its impressive successor, capable of so much
more. An added ingredient is the back-up and service provided by
in-house after sales service teams, which has resulted in the
impressive statistic that of the workshops in South Africa using
Launch equipment, 70% of their requirements are met by Launch
Technologies. Hans’ only regret is that the X-431 Master has been
a victim of its own success, with Launch being unable to meet
local demand, caused by the massive global clamouring for this
innovative tool. The good news is that South Africa will soon
come off rations as production has been ramped up, and
improved supply is just round the corner. But Hans advises all
progressive workshops not to take chances, and to take advantage
of the extremely attractive upgrade offer for all existing owners of
the X-431 Scanner, ADC 20000 and Carlink products. Savings of
up to 60% can be achieved, depending on the age and condition
of the equipment. Contact Launch Technologies SA (Pty) Ltd at
one of the following contact points:
Phone no: 011 937 3072/3
Fax no: 011 397 6489
Hunter: 082 418 2257 / quiteaguy@163.com
Hans: 082 701 4203 / greglaunchsa@yahoo.com
For those wishing to upgrade the details required
are: model, serial no, physical address, contact
person, contact no and service agent.

Hans Coetzee hands over the 100th X-431 Master to Richard Michelson and Shlomi Maimon of Sparklite Gearboxes. Sparklite
have been Launch users since day one and in all this time have had no complaints. Richard says that he has done many compar-
isons over the years and that in his opinion the Launch equipment is unmatched in diagnosing problems, and that it is unrivalled
in flexibility. Sparklite Gearboxes are also loyal Capricorn members, as they have found that Capricorn has been good for their
business, enabling them to purchase from a variety of vendors under one account. This has improved productivity, and naturally the
purchase of the Launch X-431 shall be financed through Capricorn.

46 July 2010
 Consumer Protection Act
ABR brings you a series of articles on the Consumer Protection Act.
The client is always King
…but not always right
The new Consumer Protection Act (CPA) is being phased in from
April 2010 to October, during which time all franchise holders
by Alwyn Viljoen and branch offices have to train their frontline staff NOT to
create any expectations the organisation cannot meet.
T
he CPA has been described as a state-of-the-
art law that gives SA buyers the latest pro-
tection against unfair practices, and in
the free-for-all that characterised some
parts of the automotive after sales market, this is
a welcome development. What happens, howev-
er, when it is the buyer that is in the wrong…
can the supplier provide himself with ANY form
of protection? One solution which a practical
ABR reader suggested, was to put up large posters
with terms and conditions of sale to protect himself
against ignorant buyers. Surely a good lawyer could make
such T&Cs work in favour of the supplier?
Advocate Neville Melville, author of, “The Consumer Protection
Act Made Easy” and former banking ombudsman, says the answer,
in short, is “no”
The CPA will have far reaching impacts on the automotive
aftermarket, beginning with frontline staff who must comply with
the stipulations of the Act in the information they pass onto
consumers – or face penalties.
Melville advised that this will not absolve any supplier of specific
negligence by his frontline staff. “A supplier can, in theory, protect
himself against ordinary negligence, but only in a manner that is
fair to the consumer,” said Neville. Any other discounts promised,
expectations created or agreements made on behalf of the firm by
even a junior receptionist may as well have been cast in stone.
In some rural areas with low literacy rates, a good litigator would
even be able to negate any terms and conditions against ordinary
negligence on the grounds that they were not delivered fairly
because the client could not read or it was not in the vernacular,
or if it was in the vernacular, the translation had errors. Under the
new CPA, businesses can be held liable for defective products on
a no-fault basis and be fined up to R1 million for contravening the
provisions of the Act.
The only solution is to train staff exactly on what they can not sell
or say under the new CPA. Money-lenders and insurance compa-
nies especially have a lot to lose through their traditionally finely
printed contracts and hence were first to start such training. The
training provided by BANKSETA, a statutory body that trains the
banking and micro-finance industry on the implementation of the
CPA, is also available to automotive dealers who provide loans.
The wide-ranging training includes covering the CPA’s implica-
tions, such as saving the consumers’ money; providing compara-
tive information so that they can make informed choices about
your product, protecting them against possible health hazards in
your product and creating easy means of redress for consumers to
avoid litigation.
48
The new Consumer Protection Act puts you at
risk if you can answer yes to three or more of
the questions below:
• Do you operate a customer loyalty
programme?
• Do you have any consumer fixed-term
contracts?
• Is your warranty period on all goods at least
six months?
• Do you market through any direct,
catalogue or mail marketing?
• Do you provide clients with vouchers, store credits and/or
allow prepayments?
• Do any of your legal contracts contain complicated legal
concepts or Latin wording?
• Do you clearly label all items which are reconditioned or grey
market goods as such?
• Do you sell bundled or packaged goods without such items
also being available individually?
• Are there sometimes discrepancies in respect of prices
displayed and prices which are charged to customers?
• Do you offer customers the option to repair, refund or
replace a defective item if it is returned within six months
of purchase?
“What happens if it is the buyer was
wrong… does the supplier have
ANY protection?
“The only solution is to train staff
exactly on what they can not sell or
say under the new CPA.”
Definition of a Supplier:
A person or an entity who markets Goods and Services, irre-
spective of whether the supplier:
• Resides or has its principal office within or outside the
Republic
• Operates on a for-profit basis or otherwise
• Is an individual, company, close corporation, partnership,
trust, organ of state, an entity owned or directed by an organ
of state, a person contracted or licensed by an organ of state
… or is a public-private partnership
• Is required or licensed in terms of any public regulation to
make the supply of the particular goods or services available.
July 2010
 Tyre Talk
The pros and cons of
burning rubber
Government has to opt between different proposals in how to get rid
of old tyres in way that would be best for the environment.
T
he tyre industry’s “integrated plan” focuses on creating
jobs by recycling your tyres at the end of the lives – the
SA Tyre Recycling Programme, a Section 21 company,
proposes to save big industry some serious money by
burning it. Government now has the difficult task of supporting
either of these desirable outcomes and is – as always – turning to
the voters for their views.
Several groups representing the interests of South Africa’s youth
certainly prefer the job option and have given their full support to
tyre industry’s integrated waste tyre management plan.
These groups range from the socialist SA Communist Youth
League to the philanthropic National Youth Development
Association to the more capitalist Johannesburg Chamber of
Commerce and Industry.
Bafana Dube, spoke on behalf of these youth groups when he said
South Africa needed to create jobs above all else, and that the pro-
posal by the tyre industry’s associations met this directive the best.
“The problem that we have is that at the moment there are no
approved tyre producer management plans, therefore the tyre
dealer will be obliged to dispose of the waste tyres in terms of the
General Prohibitions of the WTR, regulation 4; This regulation
allows for waste tyres to be disposed of by recycling or energy
recovery if authorised by law or disposal at a landfill site. It is the
responsibility of the tyre dealer to verify the destination of waste
tyres collected from their businesses. Once the management plans
of the tyre producers are approved by Department of
Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT), it will be Gazetted
and tyre dealers will be advised how to manage the waste tyres.
“Our integrated plan proposes a workable solution that will cre-
ate approximately 10 000 jobs in the first five year period,” says
Hermann Erdmann, spokesperson for the associations and
national chairperson of the Tyres Dealers and Fitment Association
The tyre industry’s integrated plan was submitted in terms of
regulation 9 of the waste tyre Regulations as gazette in February
2009, and promised to create at least 10,000 jobs,
“We have studied the integrated plan and prefer it over the model
proposed by the SA Tyre Recycling Programme, which will effec-
tively create only nine recycling centres and transport tenders in
each province, with the money benefiting established companies
as opposed to uplifting the small guy who are currently transport-
ing and often burning tyres,” said Dube.
Erdmann said there was a marked new awareness from all sectors
of government to actually benefit more people at grass roots
through tenders. “Our proposal enjoys the support of all the con-
stituent associations of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation
(“the RMI”), a non-profit organisation whose objectives include
52
by Alwyn Viljoen
maintaining ethical trading conditions in the motoring industry,”
The integrated industry waste management plan proposes to
manage all types of tyre that have reached the end of their useful
life, from the giant tyres used in open cast mines to aircraft tyres
– and all types of the levels in between.
He added that the average life of most tyres was five years, with
South Africa currently selling 12 million tyres annually which
number the industry expects to grow at 1m tyres per year.
He said the parties to the tyres industry’s plan can do three things
with tyres.
The first option is to re-use – mainly by retreading but also by
allowing a customer the choice to continue using a tyre with
sufficient tread on vehicles not used on public roads, including
donkey carts.
The second option is to recycle tyres, with farmers using them to
build dam walls or to create back-yard vegetable stacks, which is
ideal to grow and easily harvest potatoes. The third option is to
recover the energy in old tyres by burning it to generate power
either using steam or reticulated hot water.
“We can also export them to anyone that undertakes to do the
above”, said Erdmann. He prefers export to landfill, illegal dump-
ing and burning tyres. “It has the benefit that waste tyre volumes
in excess of recycling and other requirements are disposed of in a
more environmentally friendly manner than the previously men-
tioned dumping actions. The process of preparing waste for
export also entails job creation,”
Who will pay?
The plan will be financed through a Statutory Fund to be estab-
lished specifically for the purpose of financing the entire oper-
ation from collection to recycling of wastetyres on a national
basis.
The Statutory Fund is initiated by Government as a statutory
body to undertake the determination, imposition, collection,
management administration of and disbursements from levies
paid into the fund by tyre producers and importers. The Fund
will also promote and support, and, to the extent that the pri-
vate sector is unable to assist, undertake the necessary actions to
ensure environmentally acceptable recycling of waste tyres.
If legislation for a Statutory Fund takes too long, the parties to
the Plan aim to create an alternate fund for the intended pur-
poses.
July 2010

Either fund intends to levy a Green Fees on producers and importers of
tyres and retreadable casings of approximately R 1.50 per kg of manu-
factured and/or imported tyres and casings, which will escalate by about
6% per year in tandem with the average inflation rate until 2014.
The collection, from importers will be at the time of import clearance,
and for local manufacturers at the time of manufacture.
Green Fees must also be paid for scrap tyres produced and not sold by
manufacturers. The principal of the polluter pays will be applied to all
tyres. Importers will pay the levy through customs, which, in turn will,
transfer to the Statutory Fund.
Tyre manufacturers will pay their levies directly to the Fund electroni-
cally. The time frame for paying levies is the same as that for VAT.
The levy paid will become a cost to the manufacturer and/or importer
and is taken into consideration when determining their selling prices.
Market forces will ensure that the inclusion of the levy in the cost is not
abused. This system is the preferred one and obviates the need to make
special provision in invoicing systems for separate line item invoicing.
The cost of changing existing invoicing systems is high.
“It is imperative to note that, at this stage, accurate figures cannot be
provided, and the figures are based on estimates. Our integrated plan
does however make provision for attainment of accurate industry figures
and statistics,” said Erdmann.
July 2010
Tyre Talk
Ways to convert waste tyres
into other useful materials
Crumbing renders tyre waste as suitable raw material
for many processes such as moulded rubber products, road
surface and many others. It also is the preferable form for
the cost effective export of crumb surplus to the local
requirement.
Crumbing is also a precursor for Reclaimed Rubber. The
latter is exportable and used in small quantities in many
rubber formulations for a variety of moulded and extrud-
ed products.
Pyrolysis extracts fuel oils, char/carbon black and steel
from waste tyres.
These value added products are saleable and a source of
sustainable income.
Energy recovery burns waste tyres as fuel or co-feed with
coal in electric power, steam and hot water generation. The
current South African power stations are designed around
sophisticated coal feeding mechanisms which is not
suitable for rubber co-feed. Energy recovery may become
an option when designing new power stations.
53
 Insights

Estimates vary, but reliable sources place the Chinese vehicle car parc in
South Africa at close to 200 000 vehicles. A not insignificant number,
whichever way you look at it, particularly from an aftermarket perspective.
These vehicles have to be serviced and maintained, and the lot falls on the
workshop fraternity of South Africa.

Solving the Chinese Puzzle

T
he problem, or opportunity,
is that a good portion of
these vehicles entered the
country during the halcyon
days of 2005 to 2008, when
every Tom, Dick and Harry (or is that –
) rushed into the
country with a variety of Chinese vehicle
brands. The focus was on selling vehicles,
with scant attention placed on aftermarket
planning. Compounding this error was the
liquidation of many of these importers
during the recession from late 2008 to early
2010. South Africa may have excellent
homologation rules, but this counts for
nothing when those responsible for ensur-
ing that their brands have back-up, have
simply rolled over and died.
The situation could have been chaotic, and
could have descended into ugly anarchy.
The potential for predatory behaviour and
appalling price gouging on vital parts was
huge. However, cometh the hour, cometh
the man. The marines arrived in the form
of Marius Smal, proprietor of the fast
growing Mandarin Parts Distributors.
Marius launched his business in the eye of
the economic storm, on 1st May 2009.
When asked whether this was an act of
confidence or an act of bravado bordering
on insanity, Marius says that it was a bit of
both. Mandarin Parts Distributors spe-
cialises in parts for Chinese vehicles, and
this was, and is, a godsend for owners of
Asiawing, CAM, Chana, Changhe, Chery,
Marius Smal is happy in his role as a
Preferred Capricorn Supplier, and so are his
customers
CMC, DFM, Fudi, Geely, Gonow, GWM,
Hafei, Inyathi, Polarsun, Soyat, Chinese
Taxi and Meiya vehicles. Prior to his busi-
ness venture Marius had been Group Parts
Manager of CMH for over 10 years, and
when CMH decided to disinvest from
their Chinese brand venture, Marius saw
the gap, having picked up valuable contacts
with Chinese OEMs. The agreement
between Marius and CMH served many
purposes. The name Mandarin came from
CMH, thus providing continuity for
CMH’s Chinese brand vehicle owners, and
Mandarin Parts Distributors assumed the
role as an OEM parts distributor for the
CMH brands and many others. The rest is
not yet history, but Marius is working
assiduously at creating a compelling story,
marketing his business via an innovative
and effective website, together with an effi-
cient word of mouth grapevine fed enthu-
siastically by a grateful customer base.
Marius is passionate and proud about his
role in keeping the Chinese car parc in
southern Africa mobile, and he states with
confidence that not one of these vehicles
have been kept off the road because of an
inability to provide parts. This passion goes
further – Marius gives the Capricorn
Society credit for being part of the business
solution. Marius has had a relationship
with Capricorn since 2003, having become
a Preferred Supplier when he was with
CMH, and taking this relationship further
with Mandarin Parts Distributors. Marius
lauds Capricorn for adding value, and giv-
ing a sense of security to the consumers. He
understands that small businesses are the
backbone of the industry and that
“Capricorn plays a huge role in keeping the
small guy on the go”. Marius is particular-
ly impressed with the fact that Capricorn’s
networking facilities gives him exposure to
the right people, and that as a supplier he
can count on payment within 30 days. “In
actual fact”, he continues, “I have never
lost one cent in bad debts from Capricorn
members, and this is worth gold to a sup-
plier”. There you have it – Capricorn and
Mandarin have joined forces to solve the
Chinese puzzle.

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

54 July 2010
 Burford on
Mighty Maori
McLaren was a racing car manufacturer founded by New Zealander
Bruce McLaren, who died in a car bearing his name in 1970. He was just
32 and the company barely five years old when he plunged off the
Goodwood circuit while testing a McLaren-Chevrolet Can-Am car on
by Adrian Burford
June 2, prematurely ending a stellar career.
I
ronically, at the time of his death the team was toying with
the idea of a road car but a further two decades would pass
before that became a reality. If he was still around, he
would no doubt approve of what the company bearing his
name has become: the second most successful Formula
One team in the history of the sport, with 20 drivers’ and manu-
facturers’ world championships and 168 race wins – up to and
including the Lewis Hamilton/Jensen Button one-two in Canada
on June 13. And also a company on the brink of launching its sec-
ond supercar.
It was initially Teddy Mayer’s name which featured
prominently in the post-Bruce era, but intrinsi-
cally interwoven with the brand is Ron Dennis
– an Englishman who joined in September
1980 when McLaren International came
into being. He had been in Formula One
since 1966, starting out a mechanic, but
rose rapidly and soon gave McLaren the
polish for which it is now renowned. The
John Barnard/Dennis era from the early
1980s saw McLaren completely dominate F1
and that continued when Durban’s Gordon
Murray came on board and continued where his
predecessor left off. In the 10 years between 1984 and
1993 McLaren either won the constructors’ championship or fin-
ished as runner-up (six wins) and in the same period claim seven
drivers’ crowns.
Having an exceedingly fertile mind, Murray soon tired of creat-
ing dominant racing machines and turned his attention to build-
ing the company’s first road car: the McLaren F1. It was revolu-
tionary in a number of ways, not least of all thanks to its central
driving position with the two additional seats placed further back
in a vee formation. When launched, it rewrote the rulebook and
at the time was the fastest road car on the planet with a top speed
of 391 km/h.
It’s hard to believe it all happened nearly 20 years ago and it was
officially unveiled in Monaco (where else?) on May 28 1991. A
total of 106 were made up until 1998, including the GTR racers
56
Brands
and the five LM versions built to celebrate that car’s overall victo-
ry in the 1995 Le Mans 24-hour race. In fact, they also finished
third, fourth and fifth. Throughout its production life the power
plant remained unchanged: a 6,1-litre BMW V12 which gave the
standard car an astonishing power to weight ratio of just over 400
kW per tonne. To put that in perspective, today’s Ford Focus ST
– no slouch itself – has a power to weight ratio of 120 kW per
tonne...
The F1’s successor is the MP4-12C, another car which breaks
with convention. For example, the monocoque body –
dubbed a MonoCell -is a one-piece carbon fibre
affair, and both light and strong. The engine is a
3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 said to be exceptional-
ly powerful while still setting new standards
in terms of economy and emission levels.
The suspension is active, with three settings
which the driver can select. It also dispens-
es with conventional anti-roll bars and as a
result will be equally at home on the road
and on the track, say McLaren Automotive,
the division of McLaren Group responsible for
the road cars. And theoretically there’s no one
better equipped in terms of equipment and skill
and much of the research and development work was
done on the same driving simulator used for their Formula One
cars.
So how much will it cost, and when will it become available?
Seeing it is aimed squarely at ‘compact’ supercars of the ilk of the
Lamborghini Gallardo and Ferrari 430, we suspect that it’ll cost
around R2 500 000, with a likely local availability of mid-2011.
And where will you buy it? Well, on June 19 the Daytona Group
was confirmed as the local importer, laying to rest months of
speculation as to who would get to sell this sought-after product.
With a proven record in selling high-end machinery such as
Aston Martin and Rolls-Royce, they must be very excited about
adding another famous British brand (albeit named after a New
Zealander) to their stable.
July 2010
 Wilde Things

Johannesburg’s
African Class Mayor
In the March and April 2010’s issues of ABR, I discussed
Johannesburg’s pothole situation, with the hope that things would
by Fingal Wilde improve. Alas, the situation seems to have deteriorated, despite the
hype around the World Cup. What has brought us to this pass?
A Sunday Times interview a few months ago with the mayor of Johannesburg, Amos
Masondo, appears to locate the smoking gun.

I give you a few excerpts from the interview where Chris Barron
has “So Many Questions”:

Is Joburg ready for the World Cup? I think we are.

What about the potholes? We are addressing the problem.
What about the trenches that are left open for months for
people to fall into? Again, that’s one of the big problems.
What about the broken traffic lights? It’s being addressed in
an ongoing way.
What about the street lights that don’t work? You keep on
mentioning these things one by one. We are working on address-
ing the problems.
What about the missing street signs? The matter has been
raised with the mayoral committee.
What about the litter, the blocked storm water drains? Eish Did someone say that the
They’re not being properly maintained? They’re not being JRA is just a figment of
properly maintained. our imaginations? No,
You plug Johannesburg as a world class African city. Isn’t they do exist, and are
this false advertising? No, it’s not false at all. That’s a goal we’re working very hard at
working towards, that’s a vision. reducing Johannesburg’s
world record number of
There you have it, folks. Mea Culpa 101. And no shame, no potholes.
responsibility, and no culpability. And definitely no falling on
one’s sword. It’s the African way. Our esteemed mayor and his
cronies are allowing our once beautiful city to fall into ruin, and
all we get is words and promises, and more words about “prob-
lems” and “visions”. Ten years of Amos has brought us to the
brink of a truly African class city. Anywhere else in the civilised
world he would have been unemployed a long time ago.
Unfortunately, here on the southern tip of Africa, we have to do
with the ANC’s version of democracy.

I do not have to provide any evidence of our city carers’ malfea-

sance, because it is openly apparent to anyone walking or driving
through the city, but I thought that I would share this one with Just keeping on drawing that
our readers. It is a lulu. The corner of Witkoppen Road and salary, Amos. And keep on
Bowling Ave in Sunninghill is extremely busy, but for ten days in attending those functions with
May 2010 the commuters had to run the gauntlet of a batch of those lovely buffets. And keep
strategically placed potholes. I would hate to guess as to how on talking about problems and
many tyres and rims were destroyed. No longer are single potholes visions. The good citizens of
good enough for the JRA, now multi potholes are the vogue. They Johannesburg will keep the city
did eventually fix it before the World Cup started, but I predict a going in their own inimitable
downhill curve after the last visitor has left our shores. and indomitable way.

58 July 2010
 Update

Enhancing the FIFA World Cup™ Experience

Hyundai Trumpets its Success
and KIA Has a Ball
Sponsorship is one thing. Leveraging off
this sponsorship is another. Two brands
that understand the importance of this,
and get the maximum mileage out of being
official partners of the 2010 FIFA World
Cup™ are Hyundai and Kia. Spectacular
events, trailblazing innovations, exciting
and uplifting competitions were the
order of the day from these Korean sib-
lings, spiced up with South African
flavour and verve, before and during
the 2010 World Cup. It was, and still
is, an international glad fest, and
ABR brings to our readers a visual
celebration of the World Cup, inter-
spersed with images from the many
Kia and Hyundai initiatives.

60 July 2010
 Update

Size does count, and Hyundai and Kia indulged in some friendly competi-
tion in making this point. Hyundai made good use of Cape Town’s unfin-
ished highway by erecting a 35 metre long and 5,5 metres wide Vuvuzela
above the traffic. The world’s biggest Vuvuzela has been making sound
waves and other waves in the mother city. Kia was not to be outdone, and
unveiled the world’s biggest soccer ball at Emperors Palace, adjacent to the
O.R. Tambo Airport in Gauteng. This ball towers above the casino com-
plex, and even Ronaldo would have trouble getting this one into the net.

Zakumi is
orably tied inex-
Kia brand to the
, and
has been he
travelling
world. Her the
eh
welcomed e is
Emirate’s a at
home base irline
enthralled by an
cabin
crew

The Hyundai d
l Roa
Goodwill Bal nning
as a stu
Show w
s, an d it all came
succes andton
S
to an end in th June
on Saturd ay 5
street
with an epic ing
parade, invo daz-lv
0
more than 60 ormers
pe rf
zling street
all fever
igniting footb the
and “gees” in blic
pu
S th African e city.
ou
rs to th
and visito

The Hyundai Fan Parks have been well attended,

allowing fans to watch all the games.

July 2010 61
 Update

62 July 2010
 Update

July 2010 63
 AIDC Quiz

by Roger McCleery

Roger McCleery asks the questions

See how many of these 20 Questions you can answer.
1. What was the biggest selling passenger car in South Africa in May?

2. Biggest selling bakkie in May?

3. Who won the Turkish F1 Grand Prix in May?

4. After the Turkish GP, who leads the World F1 Championship?

5. What country does he come from?

6. What engine does the Red Bull Formula 1 Team use?

7. On the side of a tyre, what does ‘R’ mean?

8. Who owns the L’Ormarins Motor Museum in Franschhoek?

9. What do the letters ‘DOHC’ mean when referring to a motor?

10. What does ‘BDA’ mean describing a Ford Engine?

11. How many road racing circuits are there in South Africa?

12. Who is the holder of the land speed record?

13. What does he do for a living?

14. What does 312 mean in Ferrari language?

15. Alfa Romeo is 100 years old this year. How old is Morgan?

16. What racing Island features three legs in its badge?

17. What was Ford’s answer to the Chev Corvette?

18. What town in Italy features canary yellow in its logo?

19. Name the South African competitor who raced in the 2010 Indy 500 in the USA?

20. What does the BMW badge symbolise?

Answers on page 78

July 2010 65
 Robert Bosch
A series of articles on the versatile FSA 720/740/754 series

The Golden Triangle – KTS, ESI[tronic], and FSA

>>To Cap it All<<

This is the third and final article on the problem solving routine followed by Carlo
du Plessis of Cencar, Centurion. To recap, Carlo has been grappling with a 2004 VW
Golf III 1600i that refuses to start. Carlo, being a fully trained Bosch technician,
always relies on the Golden Triangle – the KTS Compact Control Unit Diagnostic
Tester, the ESI[tronic] Service Information System, and the FSA Engine Management
System. With these three tools, coupled with Carlo’s technical training and analyti-
cal skills, any problem can be solved.
As discussed previously (see ABR’s May safety risk with the high voltage, and a signal wire, using the back probe with
and June 2010 issues), Carlo also knows back spike can also blow the ECU. The positive channel one, putting the negative
that there are just three things that are other advantage of the FSA is that it gives wire on the battery negative. He cranks the
required to make a petrol engine run: Fuel, the secondary voltage on each plug. vehicle, and gets no sign on the oscillo-
Compression and Spark. Fuel and Everything is fine, so the next step is to scope. We have now found the problem.
Compression were covered in the previous open the distributor cap and to check for Carlo checks the windows and shutters
articles, and now Carlo zeroes in on the cracks and to verify that the carbon pin is inside the distributor cap, and as there is
Spark. Using the FSA, he connects the okay. This pin plays the key role of receiv- no physical damage, he identifies the prob-
plug leads and proceeds to work back- ing voltage from the coil, and transferring lem as the switch inside the distributor.
wards. With the plugs being relatively new, this voltage to the leads through the rotor. Carlo now has two options – replace the
he assumes that the plugs are okay. He The rotor ‘s resistance on the carbon pin whole distributor, or strip down and
now checks for spark by cranking the side must also be checked, and the reading replace the switch. The difference in cost
engine, and at the same time gets a reading is 2,1 ohms, so the distributor is now would be about R500, so his decision
via the FSA on the secondary voltage. The replaced and we test the voltage from the would be based on the general condition of
FSA can provide a print-out on the read- coil supply. No problems so far, so now the distributor and the customer’s wishes.
ing, which is extremely useful as a docu- Carlo measures the electrical plug, which
ment which can be given to the customer. plays the role of the traditional points and Another problem solved, but hypothe-
There is also the old fashioned method for condenser. He tests the positive and nega- tically the coil could have been the
checking spark at the plug lead by using a tive wires using the multi meter from the problem, and in our next visit to the
screwdriver to short the works, but Carlo FSA, and the readings of 12,5 volts indi- Golden Triangle, Carlo wishes to discuss
advises strongly against this as there is a cate no problem. Carlo now focuses on the the issues around the coil.

A distributor with its rotor

and cap removed. The
windows and shutters at the
top of the distributor can be
clearly seen.The coil lead
is the centre lead on the
distributor cap.

This is what an oscilloscope reading would

look like if the windows and shutters,
together with the switch, are doing their job.

68 July 2010
 There is something
about e-CAR
The city of Springs, some 50km east of Johannesburg, now forms part of the
Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, but it has a rich history and contribution
of its own, from agriculture to mining to industry, and more. Today it is one of
the industrial and engineering centres of the Witwatersrand, and plays a key
role in the economy of Gauteng. Springs has also had many notable residents; an
eclectic group including Nobel Laureate Nadine Gordimer, Olympic Gold
Medallist Penny Heyns, Springbok rugby player Lawrence Sephaka and Ferdinand
Chauvier, the inventor of the Kreepy Krauly.

A
notable corporate resident is Vision Service Centre, located and reliable service, and Vision’s local reputation as a good corpo-
on the busy Fourth Avenue in Geduld. Run by Marius van rate citizen from its sponsorships of schools’ sports teams,
der Westhuizen and a dynamic team, Vision’s e-CAR work- together with word of mouth advertising, keeps the business
shop was established in January 2010 to accommodate a growing streaming in. Marius, however, does not rest on his laurels. He
need for quality automotive repairs and service. Hennie du Preez, ensures that his three auto electricians and his automotive techni-
founder of Vision Air Brake in 1990, which became a CBS branch cian attend the latest training courses, and that the latest trends are
in 2003, had started a Motolek in June 2009, splitting CBS light catered for. For example, he is gearing up to meet the increasing
and heavy duty business, and it was soon clear that the light duty demand for vehicle tracking fitment and fleet management
customers needed something more. Hennie and Marius realised systems. There’s no doubt about it, Vision and e-CAR are the
that they needed a national workshop brand behind them, as a source of comfort for Springs motorists.
strong support structure and product availability would be critical
to the success of this venture. They investigated the various
options and decided upon the e-CAR concept. The decision was
based on e-CAR’s professional approach and the intelligent way
they had set up the e-CAR package. Marius says that e-CAR’s
model requires minimal upfront costs and low monthly contribu-
tions, with significant support in terms of technical training and
back-up, a national corporate image, and very importantly, “there
is something special about e-CAR”. This something special The learner drivers in Springs can rest assured that their
includes advice on diagnostic equipment (Marius says that the cars are roadworthy
Bosch KTS diagnostic equipment gives him everything he needs),
a Bosch technical support hot-line, up-to-date Bosch technical
training, e-CAR’s innovative regional and national advertising,
and extremely valuable business advice from DESAMARK/Diesel-
Electric, e-CAR’s corporate parent. Thus, Marius can strongly rec-
ommend the e-CAR concept for all workshops aspiring to be
something better. He puts it succinctly, “e-CAR is a risk free
investment!”

Six months down the line, Vision Service Centre is attracting cus-
tomers from all corners. Passing motorists on the busy 4th Avenue Marius van der Westhuizen (second from left) and his dynamic
are attracted by the visible and welcoming e-CAR signage, the team. Some members were absent, having their skills upgraded
many used car dealers in the area rely on Vision’s value for money at a training course.

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)

July 2010 69
 Vehicle Launch

French Flair vs
by Howard Keeg
Italian Chic
During the past few weeks I had the opportunity to savour both French flair and
Italian chic, in the form of the Citroën DS3 and the Alfa Romeo MiTo MultiAir. I
had the 1.6 litre 88kW DS3 Style for a week, and my acquaintance with the MiTo
MultiAir was only for a day, but the drive to Cullinan was enough to evaluate
the 1.4 100kW Progression and the 1.4 125kW Quadrifoglio Verde.

N
ot having had the pleasure of driving the Citroën
DS3 Sport, which pushes out 116kW, I will do
my comparison between the lower grunt versions.
Not that 100kW, or even 88kW, in small vehicles
can be described as lower grunt. The power that you get from
both the Citroën and the Alfa is perfectly acceptable. Enough
said. It is on this basis that I shall restrict my comments to the
handling, the comfort, the style, the interior, and all those so-
called softer issues. Suffice to say that in all areas these hot
hatches are oh so similar, and yet oh so different. We are in the
realm of subjectivity, and one man’s poison is another man’s
meat. And during the FIFA World Cup, national and cultural
differences do kick in and become exaggerated, despite the fact
that the French and the Italians are only separated by the Alps.
That last comment opens me to assault from both foie gras
and lasagne lovers.

Handling
A dead heat. I simply cannot fault either vehicle when it comes
to handling. The cars are superb on the tarmac, and cornering
at high speed does not raise the pulse rate. Sublime is a word
that comes to mind, and this feeling of assurance and bravado
comes from the marvellous cocoon like driving position, the
top class build quality, and the stylish and welcoming interior
of both vehicles. The Alfa does have the much vaunted DNA,
which I am sure has its benefits, but for me the N mode was
okay all the way.

70 July 2010
 Category

Comfort, Style
and Interior
This is where the Gallic flair and the Latin
chic kick seriously in. Centuries of renais-
sance credentials in Italy and that little con-
tretemps in France in the late 18th century
about liberté, égalité, and fraternité, have
given these guys a head start on the rest of
us. It may be a chromosome thing, it may be
subliminal osmosis, it may be the way their
mothers dress them, but whatever it is, the
comfort, styling and interior of French and
Italian cars just have that extra something.
Both the DS3 and the MultiAir handle our
unforgiving South African roads with a cer-
tain panache, and the ride does not seem as
harsh as you expect it to be. In my humble
and subjective opinion, when it comes to
styling, the Citroën wins hands down. That
floating roof, that aggressive B-pillar and
those exotic and distinctive LED lights make this car both beautiful and brassy, or as Peter Cheney would say, sexy and sassy. Not that
the Alfa is ugly, far from it. It is far more stylish than 90% of the vehicles on our roads, but it just falls a little short against the anti-
retro, modern marvel DS3. And the front, which I rate as powerfully distinctive and a brand statement of note, still gets a few dismis-
sive nods from the fellow journos. Not that I care, and I am sure the Milan Turin crowd also dismiss this with a smile and a stiletto.

The Big Difference

There is one big difference between these vehicles, and that is the revolutionary Fiat Group engine technology in the Alfa MultiAir,
known as, ahem, MultiAir. The same guys who came up with the common rail fuel injection technology have done it again. The only
difference from then and now is that the Fiat Group has patented the MultiAir technology, which means that other manufacturers will
have to pay for this, unlike the free ride they had with common rail. The technology is quite complicated for a non geek like me, but
to put it in a nutshell it is all about eliminating the compromises found in existing electro-mechanical variable valve timing systems, by
using an advanced electro-hydraulic actuation and control system that optimally adjusts valve timing and lift to exactly suit different
engine speeds and loads, ensuring strong low and mid range torque and vigorous top end power, combined with good economy and
low emissions. The explanation can get very complicated, but the bottom line is that the 1.4 TBi MultiAir 100kW, compared to the
1.4 TBi 88kW (not available in South Africa), makes the following difference:
• CO2 reduced by over 10%
• Max power increased by 12,5%
• Acceleration (0 to 100km/h) reduced by 0,4 seconds
• Better throttle response, less turbo lag
• Fuel consumption reduced by up to 10%
This is the technology of the future, and it is for this reason that I give a small nod to the Alfa. It may cost R227 900 vs. the R199 500
for the Citroën DS3 Style, but with the MultiAir technology, the DNA system, and the Start and Stop feature, it is incredible value for
money. The Citroën is also an excellent deal, so all I have to say is that the difference comes down ultimately to your preferences – and
let the Mini beware!
July 2010 71
 Perspective

A Day in the Life by Howard Keeg

Many people think that a motoring journalist leads the Life of Riley. All that we do
is attend exotic vehicle launches in even more exotic locations, and expand our waist-
lines as we dine sumptuously and drink merrily, and then write absolute drivel about
a vehicle that we cannot afford. Actually, this is true. The problem for me is that I
am of the other sort of motoring journalist, derisively known as an automotive indus-
try journalist, who plies his/her trade in the less glamorous corridors of the real
world, aka the automotive aftermarket. I do get an invitation now and then for car
launches, but I am grounded enough to know that invites to overseas launches will
not come my way. I deal in the currency of reality, so for my readers’ elucidation,
here is a day in the life of an automotive industry journalist:

Saturday 5 June 2010

06h30: Arise and prepare for the day ahead

08h30: Arrive in the heart of Pretoria’s trading district,

to do a story on Mandarin Parts (see page 54 of this issue).

10h30: Rush off to the Zwartkops Raceway (rush is rather hyperbolic,

considering the volume of traffic going into Zwartkops) to cover
the launch of the ECS/GNFA partnership (see cover feature on
page 20) at the Gauteng Motor Show.

After the launch have a quick look round for ABR

advertisers.

15h00: Rattle back along the

third world R55 to Kyalami, to
cover another story (see page
79) and to suss out the action.

In all these travels and the frenetic covering of events, amazing coincidences do occur, when you come across other
peripatetic companies/individuals. Take a look at this:

Friday 28 May 2010

05h30: Arise and prepare for the day ahead

07h00: Arrive to cover the “Not the State of the Nation Address” at the Hyatt Hotel, Rosebank. This charity breakfast event (ABR
does pay its way!) is held regularly to assist NOAH (Nurturing Orphans of AIDS for Humanity) in its noteworthy efforts in
empowering communities to care for their orphans.

72 July 2010
David Bullard, Journalist & Celebrity Public Speaker; Lynette Finlay of Finlay &
Associates, representing NOAH; Bongani Bingwa, Carte Blanche presenter and MC
for the morning; Eusebius McKaiser, Political & Social Analyst; Michael Trapido,
Journalist & Political Commentator, were the panellists at the breakfast. This high
power group contributed insightfully in a funny/serious manner to a debate on the
state of our nation. Some of the more insightful quotes were:

“South Africa is like a Quality Street tin of sweets – as the sweets are surreptitiously
removed, we risk the danger of being left with a half filled tin of a bland collection “

“The ANC is a party for the intellectual elite (apart from JZ)”
“Affirmative action is a moral imperative, but should not be a
platform for ANC patronage”
“The paradox about having too much information is that we
now live in an age of uncertainty”
The best quote of all – “South Africa is a lucky country”
Co-incidence #1: Attending the breakfast was Kelvin Naidoo, Group
Technical Executive of Powertech Batteries

10h30 Rush off to Centurion to cover the Bosch Charity Golf Day (see
article on page 76)

Co-incidence #2 Murray Long, Marketing Director of

Powertech Batteries, participated in this worthwhile
event

Monday 31 May 2010

09h30 Attend the Stay Alert Stay Alive function at the
Wanderers Club, Illovo (see page 38)

Co-incidence #3
SABAT was there
as a sponsor

Tuesday 1 June 2010

14h00 Visit the Africa Rail Expo at the Sandton
Convention Centre

Co-incidence #4 Willard Batteries exhibit-

ed at this expo

July 2010 73
74 July 2010
Q&A: IAN SCHOFIELD
...Contined from page 12

DID YOU WANT TO RACE FORMULA

FORDS AGAIN AT 40?

Sure did. I bought my Reynard back from Leon

Williams and got going again in 2001 when the for-
mula was scratching for entries. It needed something
else and the Zetec engines were the way to go. I
bought some cars and ten engines to get the Zetec for-
mula going and got Steve Morris out from England to
drive one of the cars. I had bought the cars from his
father, Rick, who still races with us.

YOUR WIFE HAS PUT UP WITH A LOT?

She has been behind all the moves. Two wonderful

kids. Jane, our daughter, is involved with Formula
Ford racing, and Andrew is currently going for his
commercial pilot’s licence at 19. He went to Beaulieu
College near Kyalami and also Hilton down in Natal.
DID ANYBODY INFLUENCE YOUR THINK-
ING?
In racing it must be Ayrton Senna, who I saw racing
the Kent engined Fords at Oulton Park. He remem-
bered meeting me there in every detail when he came
out to race the McLaren at Kyalami in 1993.
CARS YOU HAVE LIKED AND OWNED?
My favourite has always been an Aston Martin or a
V12 E-Type.
CURRENTLY?
Believe it or not, I have got a Ford Sierra XR8, which
was a real muscle car when it first was launched in
South Africa and have the latest Jaguar XKR’s, which
is magnificent.

July 2010
 Corporte Conscience

Bosch Automotive
Golf Day 2010
All work and no play makes Jack a dull
boy. All work and no play also makes
Jack a less than caring boy. This is
understood by most corporations the
world over, and is the ethos behind Xmas
functions, corporate outings, annual
conventions and team building exercises.

T
he annual corporate golf day has become the vehicle of choice for
charity auctions and good deeds. It provides an opportunity for the
busy executive to unwind, a great networking nineteenth hole, and
best of all, it allows for money to be collected for favourite charities, thus tick-
ing the boxes an all of the above. The Bosch Automotive Golf Day has become
an institution, and ABR was at the Centurion Country Club on Friday, 28 May
2010, to give our readers a taste of the 2010 do – a picture tells a thousand words,
so here is a book of charitable thoughts. And the great news is that on the day Bosch
raised over R60 000 for social responsibility projects.

76 July 2010
 Fast Wheels

Street Circuits Save

Formula 1 So Far
Of the eight F1 GP’s held so far in 2010, street circuits in Australia and Montreal
by Roger McCleery

have provided the most exciting races. Both made good TV viewing.We also had the
added bonus of seeing the sheer speed of these cars, which is not normally the case.

R
ound 8 and the Canadian Grand Prix had all the elements of
what a F1 GP should be like. Lots of passing. Five different
leaders. Cars touching each other. A full house of spectators.
Drama in the pits sorting out tyre choices as rubber
degraded. Cars crashing into walls with drivers getting away without a
scratch. The biggest plus was that no safety car was deployed, which
the British commentators wanted. Safety cars create a false race. The
use of a safety car also makes the leading driver the hell-in after all the
work and tension he has put into staying ahead of the pack.
Funny thing is that these street circuits are mostly roads that are used
daily and not like the purpose built tracks e.g. Bahrain, China and so
on, with corners and chicanes engineered with radiused corners.
Nico Rosberg brought the Mercedes Benz home next with Kubica in
his Renault a consistent 7th and a credit to his team. Next was Swiss,
Seb Buemi, who stays in Bahrain and is quick and finished 8th. The
two Force India Mercedes Benz engined cars with Liuzzi and Sutil 9th
and 10th were the final points scorers.
For 40 laps the Turkish Grand Prix in front of a relatively small crowd,
(probably because the entrance fees are too high for the locals) was
processional until Vettel challenged the leader, Mark Webber, on the
brakes and Red Bull lost their lead in the Manufacturers title.
Hamilton and Button, after a small skirmish amongst themselves,
went on to record a one/two with Webber hanging on for 3rd.
Schumacher was 4th ahead of Rosberg.

Tyre degradation was the decider as far as teams tactics went on a
Circuit that hadn’t been used since 2008. Any motor racing circuit has
to be used constantly otherwise it becomes bumpy and loses grip.
This degradation wasn’t predicted, particularly as the soft rubber only
lasted in some cases for something like a few laps.
In the end the big boys fought it out with the McLaren Team getting
their second one/two in a row. Alonso waiting for a new car at the next
round in Valencia, still completed the podium. In 4th and 5th were
Red Bull (Vettel and Webber). The Red Bull Team still slip up on
small but vital things either in the car, amongst themselves or in the
tactics decided by their pits.
If you want to see the brilliance of a Grand Prix driver and their team
and what they can achieve, watch qualifying on Saturday afternoon
and the excitement it can bring. The tension can almost be felt on TV.
And to find out more about F1 racing, listen to the different commen-
tators on Friday and Saturday during unofficial practice and hear all
the inside stories told without fear or favour.
With five winners in eight races and eleven GP’s still to be held in the
next five months, going through to November, anything can still
happen. Nobody is going to run away with this World Championship
easily.

Answers From page 65

1. Polo 7. Radial 12. Andy Green 17. Thunder Bird or T-Bird

2. Toyota Hi-Lux 8. Johann Rupert 13. Group Commander 18. Modena, the home of
3. Lewis Hamilton 9. Double Overhead in the RAF Ferrari – hence its badge
4. Mark Webber Cam Shaft 14. 3-litre 12 Cylinder 19. Tomas Scheckter
5. Australia 10. Belt Driven Assembly 15. 100 years 20. Spinning propeller blades
6. Renault 11. Eight 16. Isle of Man

78 July 2010
 Motorsport

Speed and Glamour

“Racing is life.......anything before or after is just waiting”. These are the words of
Steve McQueen, who would undoubtedly have approved of the Gatorback Ford
Mustang, which goes from 0 – 100 km/h in 3,1 seconds, and reaches a top speed of
over 300 km/h.

M
r. McQueen would
also have heartily
approved of a fast lady
taming this 6000cc
beast, and taking the wheel behind
450 kW of power and 650Nm of
torque, and absorbing with style and
grace lateral G-Forces of 1.8g.
The lady in question, Clare Vale, par-
ticipates competitively in the nation-
al WesBank V8 Supercar Champion-
ship series. Clare shattered the glass
ceiling of racing in November 2007
when she became the first lady racer
in this premier series, and in March 2009 she went one step
further by taking her first pole position and leading the pack for
two full laps. No longer was there a glass ceiling to be shattered,
Clare had dismantled the entire roof and consigned it to history!
The boy racers can no longer take their place on the grid with
complacency.
inspiring. Clare introduced me to racing, and now I am a speed
freak. If you want to find me at the races, the best place to look
for me is the pits. And they don’t have to ask me twice to wave the
chequered flag!”
The Wesbank V8 Supercar Championship forms part of South
Africa’s premier national motorsport championship, the Wesbank
Super Series. “Our team is a perfect fit with RAM,” Clare says.
“We share the same dedication to excellence, and are constantly
seeking ways to improve and deliver our best performance.
Motorsport is the ideal arena in which to test and prove high
performance products, and needless to say, both our Mustang race
car and MAN Top Used horse are equipped only with Goodyear-
branded RAM belts and hoses.”
Clare Vale blasts pasts the finishing line, with the boys in tow.

Backing Clare all the way is a growing band of supporters and

fans. Chief financial backer and Clare’s main sponsor is RAM
Quality Belts & Hoses, the well-known automotive parts brand
belonging to Veyance Technologies. Colin Preddy, General
Manager of Distribution Products at the Automotive Division of
Veyance Technologies, is extremely happy with the exposure that
Goodyear RAM Quality Belts & Hoses is getting, and the mar-
keting space that the Gatorback belt is now occupying. Other
advertisers can only look on with awe and envy when Clare blasts
her way down the main straight, knowing full well that a niche
has been carved by the Goodyear Gatorback RAM Team boffins.

“RAM products, underpinned by the global Goodyear brand,

have always been synonymous with high quality and exceptional
performance,” says Preddy. “We believe that our partnership with
Clare Vale highlights our total commitment to top performance
service and products for the automotive industry.”

Clare can also take pride in her fan base, and two of her more
notable fans are Bienkie and Niek Naudé (Christina Storm and
David Rees) from South Africa’s favourite soapie Egoli, and
recently a hit movie which premiered in June 2010. Christina and
David are avid fans, who rarely miss the chance to watch the
“Rolling Thunder”, by which the fastest saloon car series in the
country is now popularly known. Christina Storm was emphatic
when ABR spoke to her. “I love racing, and I’m a huge fan of the
big American muscle cars; the Mustangs, the Corvettes; and of
course the V8 Supercar series is my favourite South African David Rees says that a day at the
races is an absolute ball and he
formula. Naturally, I support Clare Vale, because to see a woman
equates it to “drowning in adrenalin”
her size handle these powerful vehicles, is truly wonderful and

July 2010 79
 Midas Sport
A series of articles on Midas motorsport initiatives in 2010

Turning the Paige

Paige Lindenberg, at the ripe old age of 18, is already a racing veteran.
Exceptional, but not surprising, when one considers that Paige is the daughter of
South Africa’s powerboat and motor racing legend, Peter Lindenberg.

R
acing genes may be coursing through her veins, but it
is still a remarkable achievement to win the Junior
Powerboat World Championships at nine years of age,
which Paige did in 2001 in Cape Town, competing
against boys and girls nearly twice her age. Paige was brought up
on the banks of the Vaal River, which gives a clue to her aquatic
feats. She took to powerboat racing like a duck to water, and by
the age of seven she was already making a splash at local events,
before stunning the world at the Junior World Championships in
2001, and continuing to rule the waves till 2003. Paige then
became a landlubber, making the transition to go-kart racing in
2004/2005, before her father and mentor, Peter Lindenberg,
decided “as a father of a daughter, to give Paige an opportunity to
be a girl”, and gently eased her out of competitive racing.
However, Paige had a need for speed, and after a two year sabbat-
ical, Peter purchased an oval track car for her, to allow her to
indulge her passion, but events overtook them when Peter sold
the WesBank Raceway in 2008, delaying Paige’s return to racing.
The disappointment was short lived, and Paige was back on the
track in 2009 when Peter purchased Simon Moss’ VW Polo, and
now you will find Paige mixing it with the boys in the Super
Saloon Modified Production Cars series, making her mark in
Class B. Paige’s race number is the iconic 23, and whilst the series
has no weight limits, which counts against her heavier car, Paige
and her father are not that stressed about winning, but see this
series as a learning curve to better things.
The Polo Cup beckons, and negotiations are already underway
with one of the top race teams, to seal an exciting deal. Girl power
is on the rise in motorsport, and Ms. Lindenberg is turning the
paige of history! Intriguingly, Paige’s true love is not motorsport,
but something far more sedate. Paige loves to bring out the thes-
pian talents of her mates at St. Stithians Girls College, and
recently she took “You Strike the Woman, You Strike the Rock”
to the finals of the Crawford One Act Play Festival, in an
inspiring directorial debut.
Paige’s main sponsors are Midas and Gatorback, with Midas
having come on board this year with their re-entry into motor-
sport sponsorship. Stefan le Roux, Midas Franchise, Marketing
and Commercial Vehicle Director, says that “this sponsorship is in
line with the extensive but low key approach that Midas is adopt-
ing this year. Midas is the preferred distributor, value added
provider and franchisor to the automotive aftermarket in South
Africa, and we have identified sponsorship opportunities that
relate to our objectives in this regard. With over 265 franchised
outlets in southern Africa, and with the biggest franchise foot-
print across the region, we need to ensure that our motorsport
activities dovetail with this geographical reality. We are active in
Production Cars, the ProTour, Formula Ford, the Clubman series,
historics, oval track, motocross, regional rallying, modified
saloons, to name a few. We want to support up and coming rac-
ers, and Paige fits the bill perfectly, and Midas will be as proud as
punch if Paige goes on to make an impact in the Polo Cup series”.

A happy dad – Peter Lindenberg stands with his protégé Paige during the races at Midvaal on 19th June
2010. Paige had just shown the boys a thing or two by moving up six places, to finish a credible sixth in the
previous heat. Peter says that Paige has been an excellent racing student. Having taught hundreds of kids to
race, he says that girls are far easier to teach, because they listen!

80 July 2010
 THe Fink

Letters to the Editor

The inaugural winner of our “Letters to the Editor” competition, pouching himself a
handy R500 Midas Gift Voucher, is Hans Coetzee, Marketing Manager of Launch
Technologies South Africa. Hans wrote an inspiring letter to the FINK. We proudly
print this letter, with appropriate comment from the editor.

Dear Sir,

I am writing to you in my personal capacity to express my thanks for the role your publication played in the success of the X-431 Master
marketing campaign. Our campaign was launched with e-mails and faxes to existing customers, and we followed this up with telephone
calls and visits. To support this, we placed ads in automotive aftermarket publications, of which ABR was one. We were very happy with
the response to our ads in your publication, and upon reflection I am sure that the secret to this response was the combination of a
powerful advertisement and well written editorial content. The direct reaction to this combination has been tremendous, no two ways
about it, and the X-431 has been literally flying off the shelves. Thank you to ABR and their committed editorial staff.

Yours sincerely,
Hans Coetzee
Marketing Manager
Launch Technologies S.A. (Pty) Ltd.

Editors Comment
I am extremely grateful that the FINK and his judging panel have
chosen this letter. And thanks to Hans Coetzee for his kind
words, and the opportunity to proselytise. This letter is truly a
wonderful affirmation of what I have been preaching for a long
time, and it confirms the words of Baron Claude Borlz in his Last
Writes column in our previous issue. Let me repeat these pro-
found words, “The man who stops advertising to save money is
like the man who stops the clock to save time”. So true, but in the
case of ABR, it is even more insightful, because ABR does gen-
uinely offer its advertisers a unique offering of words in action,
over and above its advertising opportunities. If you will allow me
to elucidate:
Automotive Business Review was forged in the furnace of back-
stabbing, deceit, unbelievable bad faith, hidden agendas, and evil
intent. And those were the better characteristics of the people
involved! Not an auspicious start for a publication, but two years
after the culmination of some incredibly appalling machinations
from the underworld, in hindsight I have realised it was actually
a magnificent opportunity to create something unique, and that
fortunately the ABR team took this unintended gift with alacrity,
and we now find ourselves in a great place. I am also starting to
believe in the concept of yin and yang, in that the universe always
finds a balance between the positive and the negative. Enough of
the theological musings! And back to the amazing and unique
creation known as ABR, which is a refreshing, upbeat, and funky
trade publication, and which is presented in a clear, crisp and
anecdotal style. ABR never forgets its promise to its readers, a
promise that they will receive words in action and the real deal.
With the largest authenticated B2B automotive data base in the
automotive industry, ABR can also offer an unparalleled reach
into the maze of automotive businesses dotted around the length
and breadth of South Africa – this is an offer that no other
publication in our segment of the industry can offer – period.
In addition to its prized print copies, ABR’s issues can be viewed
on its website www.abrbuzz.co.za, together with the latest news
updated on a daily basis, acquiring some 70 000 hits per month,
and growing! This is impressive in itself, but does not make ABR
outstandingly unique in its chosen segment, so let us look at
recent research conducted on the three publications in ABR’s
segment of the publishing industry, and let the facts talk for
themselves. The analysis was between ABR (Automotive Business
Review), CMW (Car Magazine Wannabe) and PRD (Press
Release Digest). Space constraints preclude the full analysis, so I
will take just three slides from the presentation to make the point.
Slide One analyses the percentage of aftermarket articles in each
publication, with ABR standing head and shoulders above the
rest with 60%. More detailed analysis reinforces this by showing
that the other publications have less than 10% genuine automo-
tive aftermarket articles, and this comes through strongly for the
readers of the publications over a period of time. As Abraham
Lincoln said, you can fool some of the people all of the time, and
all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the
people all of the time. And need I remind you that these publica-
tions are all in the automotive aftermarket segment! Then we
come to the subject of effort, or conversely sloth. Slide Two shows
the ratio of own editorial (unique in-house) to sourced editorial.
A vast discrepancy! Research for articles also plays a role in the
effort versus sloth debate, and Slide Three confirms our worst
fears on ABR’s “competitors”. ABR’s uniquely researched
automotive aftermarket articles make up 40% of its editorial,
whereas the others hardly raise a sweat.
Now you know why ABR’s unique blend of editorial and adver-
tising gets results, while the also rans can merely posture.
Ol’ Abraham certainly knew his onions. The truly remarkable
thing is that ABR does not see itself as a “flying off the shelves”
magazine. I much prefer the role of building brands – this is the
true calling of ABR. We Care, We are Ethical, and We Deliver.
Most importantly, We are Relevant!

82 July 2010
 THe Fink

Final comment
from the Fink
This is an impassioned plea to the
readers who intend to have a go at
winning that R500 Midas Gift
Voucher. Please do not give this
long winded editor another
opportunity to peddle his wares.
Let’s have letters debating
editorial comment, or the
reporting style, or the weather,
or whatever – just do not give this
guy a gap again.
I would really appreciate new
issues being brought up – who
knows, we may unearth some
interesting new subjects, or even a
budding Fingal Wilde? Go for it!

Win a Midas Voucher

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
The judges decision, no matter how one
eyed they are,
will be final.

July 2010 83
 The Last
“For our more discerning readers .....”
I have it on good authority that there has been an alarming number of accidents this past month
involving soccer tourists, who have been having problems in adapting to South Africans’ driving
styles. It may be a case of shutting the stable door after the horses, stable hands and milking maids have hoofed it,
but as a belated public service for the last week of the tournament, we give the tourists who have managed to
survive, and have a good supply of Valium, some tips on travelling our manic roads:
1. Never indicate – this will give
away your next move. A real
South African driver never
uses indicators.
2. Under no circumstances
should you leave a safe dis-
tance between yourself and
the car in front of you. This
space will be filled by at least
two taxis and a BMW in a
micro second, putting you in
an even more dangerous situ-
ation.
3. The faster you drive through a
red light, the smaller the
chance you have of getting
hit.
4. Never ever come to a com-
plete stop at a stop sign. No one
expects it and it will only result in you
being rear-ended. And note that only a
very small segment of our population
enjoys being rear-ended.
5. Braking is to be done as hard and late
as possible to ensure that your ABS
kicks in, giving you a nice relaxing foot
massage as the brake pedal pulsates.
For those of you without ABS, it’s a
chance to stretch your legs. The minor-
ity of drivers who enjoy being rear-
ended, have a particular fascination
with a pulsating brake pedal.
6. Never pass on the right when you can
pass on the left. It’s a good way to
check if the people entering the high-
way are awake.
7. Speed limits are arbitrary figures, given
only as a very rough guideline. They
are especially not applicable in South
Africa during rush hour. That is why
it’s called “rush hour” .... have a “bribe”
(anything from R20 to R2 000) ready
if you get caught. Note: during rush
hour you may not be moving at all. If
so, please ignore the previous advice,
unless the gridlock is caused by a police
roadblock – then you will definitely
need “bribe” money.
8. Just because you’re in the right lane and
have no room to speed up or move over
doesn’t mean that a South African driv-
er flashing his beams behind you does-
n’t think he can go faster in your spot.
84
Writes by Baron Claude Borlz
14.You may also have come to
the opinion that most South
African drivers suffer from ear-
ache, and that this is as a result of
long term exposure to the
Vuvuzela. This is not true – the
drivers’ are merely holding
mobile phones to their ears – this
also explains their erratic driving.
15.And last, but definitely not
least - if you spy a flashing blue
light in your rear view mirror, do
not hesitate. Get out of the way
immediately. Even if there is no
space to get out of the way, find a
way. If you have to drive off the
road, or off a bridge, do it. The
consequences will be less severe
9. Always slow down and rubberneck
than upsetting the blue light brigade.
when you see an accident or even
There are various punishments for this
someone changing a tyre. Never stop to
offence, ranging from the mild (pistol
help – you will be mugged, or even
whipping) to the severe (shot to death).
worse. Rubbernecking is one of South
And God forbid that you delay President
Africa’s national sports, so please bear
Zuma rushing off to his next extramarital
with us.
liaison – when in the mood, he does not
10. Learn to swerve abruptly. South Africa
tolerate delay, and you could be premature-
is the home of the high-speed slalom
ly rear-ended.
driving manoeuvre thanks to our
impressive government with a highly
developed sense of humour, which puts And finally, some words of wisdom to
potholes in key locations to test drivers’ the many procrastinators out there:
reflexes and to keep them on their toes.
A lot of people resent being kept on The difference between
their toes, but the vast majority of the tomorrow and today is
minority who enjoy being rear-ended one heartbeat.
actually look forward to being kept on
their toes.
11. It is traditional to honk your horn at
cars that don’t move the instant the
lights turn green. This prevents storks
Answer from page 6
from building nests on top of the traf-
fic lights and birds from making
deposits on top of your car.
12. Remember that the goal of every South
African driver is to get there first, by
whatever means necessary. Beware –
there are no exceptions, and we simply
take no prisoners.
13. On average, at least three cars can still
go through an intersection after the
lights turn red. It is the silly people not
adhering to this basic principle who
cause the big traffic jams during rush
hour.
July 2010