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Suzuki Safari - Project Lilies1/1/2024 There’s some amazing natural phenomena that happens on this planet, a fair bit of it being unexplained, but that doesn’t take away from the awesomeness of it. Africa has more than its fair share of these amazing sights, and neighbouring Namibia is home to a few of those. There are things like the Sossusvlei dunes, the wild desert elephants of the Namib, Etosha National Park, the Fish River canyon, the Caprivi strip – and the wild Crinum Paludosoum lilies that flower en masse in an 800 hectare pan about 50km from the small town of Maltahöhe. Known as the Sandhof lilies thanks to the naturally-occurring pan being found on Farm Sandhof. This lily pan is world-famous and attracts visitors from far and wide, but the catch is that they only flower after the year’s first good rainfall when the pan floods, which is only at a depth of around 30-40 cm. With Namibia being a rather arid environment, the arrival of these rains can’t really be timed properly, so if you’re planning on traveling to see this absolutely amazing natural sight, you need to be ready for immediate action – or utter disappointment. This year the rains came early but luckily those in the know, like Johan and Justin du Toit from African Expeditions who head up the unforgettable Suzuki Safari Expeditions, have their proverbial ear to the ground with these things. When the pan floods, the flowers spark to life, and in day 1 – 7 the stalk shoots up to about 40-50 cm above the water, then from day 7 – 14 the flowers bloom in a sea of white, pink and red petals. From day 14 – 21 the flowers die, the petals fall off and the phenomenon is over. This means you either have to be ready at the proverbial drop of a hat, or you can sort of plan by getting ready to leave but with a month’s (or at least two weeks) leeway and a trip to Farm Sandhof and wait for the signal to go. If you keep in contact with the African Expeditions crew a trip like this is possible, and it’s even better in a Suzuki Jimny. With the way I work I’m lucky enough to be able to leave for a shoot at short notice, and thanks to that freelance life I was able to join Suzuki SA and African Expeditions on a few days’ notice, destination Namibia, subject Sandhof lilies in bloom. The Suzuki Safari Jimnys get around to all parts of Africa, and they happened get the heads-up about the lilies and so made their way to Namibia to check the status of the flowering. With a quick decision, a passport collection and a short flight, I landed in Windhoek where I met up with Justin du Toit and his Superior White Jimny that was fully stocked for a road trip. To get to the pan there’s a short 350 km or so drive. We headed straight there on one of the longest, straightest tar roads I’ve even seen, and that soon changed into the longest, straightest gravel road I’ve ever seen. Luckily for the Jimny it ain’t no thang. Before seeing the lilies, we stopped off at our accommodation for a couple of days which was the Maltahöhe Hotel that’s oddly located in the town of... Maltahöhe. It’s a great place with amazing staff, a very well-stocked bar and some top-class food. The accommodation is great, and even though it feels like the town is in the middle of nowhere, the location means it’s a popular stopover for travellers heading to see the Sossusvlei dunes, the iconic Duwisib Castle and a bunch of other historic and natural landmarks. It makes for a brilliant base to travel out for day trips from. Here we met up with Johan and Karen du Toit in Safari San, the African Expeditions Suzuki Safari mascot. Once settled in, we headed to Farm Sandhof about 30 minutes or so further along some of the most amazing gravel roads I’ve ever seen. I actually didn’t know they could be so clean and smooth. After a short drive from the gate where we paid a ridiculously low R20.00 entry fee, we spotted the lilies, and the sight is pretty hard to describe. How would you describe an 800 hectare pan of around 18 000 000 naturally-occurring lilies? At first I thought the shining white flowers was reflection of the sun off a large dam, but as we got closer you could see that it was lilies pretty much as far as you can see. I now know that the term ‘breath-taking’ is used way too often. JJ (Johan) is hooked up, and it wasn’t long before we met Oliver Morgan who’s family has overseen the lily pan for five generations, to say he’s a local is an understatement. Really nice guy with typically Namibian friendliness, one of those guys that after a five minute chat you’d swear you’ve known him for years. With VIP status achieved, we were lead to an area that the regular folk didn’t have access to for a different view of the pan, that’s how Suzuki Safari rolls. We soaked it all in for a while before following Oliver up to a higher view point for a sundowner view while making plans to return first thing in the morning. And I mean first thing, we arrived back at Farm Sandhof before 06:00 to see the lilies in the soft morning sunrise. The gates are usually only opened up at 08:00, but our VIP access allowed for a pre-dawn arrival. #BecauseJimny. Thanks Oliver, you rock! A decent photo session with a pair of Suzuki Jimnys in between the lilies was had, the light was just insane. You’ll see in the pics the sky has pink in it, and that’s exactly what you see, the colours are just amazing. Oh, and before anyone complains that we had the Jimnys parked in the lilies, there’s no environmental damage done. The flowers were about a day away from their death cycle but that doesn’t mean they just fall off and the plants die down, the flowers actually get decimated. When the petals fall, cows are let in and they have themselves a jolly old feast flattening millions and millions of Sandhof lilies. Incidentally, it’s only cows that can eat and digest the flowers for some reason, probably that four stomachs story. Other animals apparently don’t feel so great if they eat them. So while it is a delicate ecosystem of sorts, a couple of Jimnys with special access aren’t going to do any damage. There was damage done a bit later though, to the monster omelette back at Maltahöhe Hotel. After breakfast and with the lily shots sorted, we hit the road again to go and see Duwisib Castle, about 70 km from Maltahöhe. It’s a historic Namibian landmark that was built in 1909 by Baron Captain Hansheinrich von Wolf, a German officer and avid horse breeder, and he built it as a gift for his American wife, Jayta Humphreys. In 1914 the couple was travelling to Europe when WW1 broke out, and after re-enlisting in the army the Baron was killed at the Battle of Somme. Some say his wife never returned to Namibia, being too heartbroken, but the locals will tell you she did return to the castle, but she only stayed for two years before the heartbreak kicked into overdrive and she returned to America. Not before she released all the Baron’s horses into the desert which is where the feral, wild Namib Desert horses are believed to have originated. The castle has had many owners since the early 1900s, and since 1979 has been owned by the Namibian government. At a time, not too long ago, you could stay at the castle - there was a restaurant and all sorts. These days you can visit Duwisib Castle for a basic guided tour but you can’t stay there anymore. Apparently plans are in place to revamp things so this could potentially happen again. If you’re in the area, it’s well worth a visit. While a lot of the fittings and furniture aren’t as they used to be, there’s still loads of amazing old stuff around. The cupboards and some chairs were bespoke pieces and likely priceless. A pair of chairs with Habsburgian double eagles flank a doorway to the courtyard and they were said have belonged to King Philip of Spain in 1581. One bedroom cupboard is marked as being built in 1735 - and the craftsmanship is brilliant. After a few more photos in front of the castle, we headed back to Maltahöhe with a lunch stop at Betta Camp. Another place you have to see, there’s accommodation, a curio shop and a restaurant that knows what its doing. While the place is surrounded by sand, it’s amazingly clean. 100 km later, it was dinner and beer time at Maltahöhe Hotel, and then bed. The following day saw another early start to get back to the main airport in Namibia and then head back to Jo’burg. As far as shoots in 2023 went, this one was one for the books. Thanks to Suzuki SA and the African Expeditions crew for this absolutely amazing experience and the chance to take in something most city boys will never have the opportunity to see. Y’all are awesome!
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I drove my first Suzuki Jimny back in November of 2005, it was a metallic blue soft top in the U.K. It belonged to my sister, who is still a Jimny fan to this day. After that drive, the diminutive 4x4 went straight to the top of my Cool Cars list. At that time, the 3rd generation Jimny wasn’t available in SA, but I still bragged about it to everyone who would listen. It did confuse people a bit because at the time my job revolved around fast street cars with big turbos and scraping subframes, and the Jimny was the complete opposite. Then at some point in 2008, they went on sale in SA and the first one I saw up close was when fellow journo Mark Jones popped by the office with one. He let me drive it on a lap of the office park, and I was once again smitten. Everything about it was cool, the small size, the ride height, the revvy motor and the fact that it could go almost literally anywhere. When I went freelance, I eventually got behind the wheel of one for a week, and it ticked all the right boxes and went from the Cool Cars list to the Must Have list, although that sadly never happened. In 2012 or 2013 a facelift was released that had a few cool changes, including the addition of an automatic transmission, and that made off road driving even easier. I dove one a few times over the years at various events and activations, and it remained in the Must Have list. In 2017 news leaked of an all-new 4th-generation Jimny, and from the initial reactions online, it looked like the compact 4x4 was going to be quite the sought-after thing. When it arrived in 2018, it was everything it promised to be, and more. The retro styling, a new engine, a revised 4x4 system and all the creature comforts you need were part of the package, and best of all it was affordable. So many people wanted one that dealerships had to set up waiting lists, and that even resulted in some potential buyers selling their spots on the list to impatient buyers who didn’t want to wait. To add a little more to the madness, many initial buyers sold their Jimnys for profit before even taking delivery, something usually seen in the world of sportscars and supercars. Jumping to 2023, the 4th-gen Jimny is still sought-after, and the sales figures are proof. As of the end of October, the 4th-generation Jimny had already racked up 11,090 sales which is 55 % of total Jimny sales in SA to date. To put that into perspective, the 4th-gen has been on sale since 2018, and in that 5-year timeframe there was also a worldwide pandemic that adversely affected car sales (and everything else). The 3rd-generation Jimny racked up 9,232 sales from 2008 to 2018, or 45 % of total Jimny sales. I’ve been lucky enough to drive the 4th-gen Jimny on many memorable occasions, and in all that time the only complaint I’ve ever heard about it is a lack of space. Ok, some want more power, but those people are idiots and don’t get the point of a Jimny. In November of 2018 I covered a few hundred kilometers in one across Mpumalanga through some epic trails and forests during the local launch. The Jimny was every bit as good as it promised to be, and more. When I had the Jimny on test for a week, I loved every minute of it, and it was the first press car I had that I used more than a tank of fuel in – I used 3 tanks, and it’s not because it’s heavy on fuel, it’s because I drove it day and night to every place I could think of. It’s a 4x4 that just makes you want to drive even without a destination. In 2021 I was part of the media contingent that took a convoy of Jimnys through the Northern Cape up to the Skeleton Coast on the inaugural #SuzukiSafari where the car not only proved itself yet again, but was also responsible for some epic lifelong memories. I also tagged along on the 2nd #SuzukiSafari that took us to and through Botswana on another absolutely epic journey that saw us camp in the picturesque Chobe National Park where even more amazing memories were created. Earlier this year I was commissioned to travel to Namibia where I covered over 700 km by Jimny to photograph the naturally occurring Sandhof lilies in bloom. It’s an awe-inspiring natural phenomenon that was made even more memorable thanks to a Jimny. I’ll be posting about that trip in the coming weeks. It amazes me that I've had more seat time and have more interesting Jimny stories than many people who actually own one. I do count myself extremely lucky. That brings us up to date, and the launch of the all-new 5-door Suzuki Jimny. To properly put the 5-door Jimny through its paces, the crew from Suzuki SA took us to on a 700 km+ road trip starting off at the stunning 5-star Fusion Boutique hotel in Polokwane, across the Botswana border into the Tuli Wilderness where we camped alongside the Limpopo River, and back. This scenic route took us across long gravel roads, through dry riverbeds and across some terrain that would scare a 4x4 bakkie into submission. As expected, the 5-door Jimny is every bit as capable as its 3-door counterpart, and it some cases, even better. If you told me a Jimny could get better, I’d have called you a liar. With the extra doors comes extra space. "This is the first time in the 50-year history of the Suzuki Jimny that we offer a five-door model. We did this to meet the unprecedented demand for this hardy off-roader from customers who, owing to family size or overlanding requirements, asked for a larger Jimny model," says Brendon Carpenter, Brand Marketing Manager of Suzuki Auto South Africa. This long road trip was more than enough time to see how the 5-door Jimny drives, and it’s every bit as good as the 3-door, possibly even better. It felt like the roadholding was more stable, likely from the increased wheelbase, but other than that the two available Jimnys are undifferentiated. The new, longer Jimny is available in GL and GLX spec, and even the lower spec GL doesn’t really need anything more. The higher spec version has a few more creature comforts and slightly better tech but we’re sure buyers will take whichever they can get, I know I would take the first spec available. Both retain the bulletproof 75 kW / 130 Nm 1.5-litre K15B petrol engine, in the GL it’s paired with a 5-speed manual and in the GLX it can be had with a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed auto transmission. Both have a transfer gearbox with 2H, 4H and 4 Low Range modes that utilise Suzuki’s brilliant AllGrip 4x4 system that’s been tweaked over the 3-door version and is now called AllGrip Pro. All models also feature Hill Descent Control, Hill Assist and Brake Assistance as standard. To create more space, the wheelbase was extended to 2 590 mm, and the overall length has therefore increased by 340 mm to 3 820 mm. Ground clearance remains an impressive 210 mm, while the approach, breakover and departure angles are measured at an impressive 36 degrees, 24 degrees and a very handy 47 degrees respectively. The 5-door is just over 100 kg heavier than the 3-door, which is not much at all and you'd never know it when driving it. The only visual change on the 5-door version is the profile thanks to the extra doors, extended wheelbase, and longer body. Another obvious difference is the small rectangular side window between the rear doors and the rear pillar that was added to keep the same visual signature as on the 3-door model, while also allowing more light into the cabin. A few things in the underpinnings have been changed, like the propshaft is beefier and the front brakes now feature ventilated discs to make sure they can stay cool with the extra weight on board. Besides extra space, the 5-door is the same as the 3-door inside. The GLX adds leather cladding to the steering wheel and has Bluetooth hands-free phone, audio controls and additional buttons for cruise control. It also gets a 9-inch infotainment screen, 2 inches larger than in the GL. Both have wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that display in full colour, the infotainment screen also shows images from the reverse camera. The GLX has climate control while the GL has a regular aircon setup, and both models feature ESP and ABS brakes. The GL has two airbags while the GLX now features six airbags, both have central locking, a digital immobiliser and rear parking sensors. The rear seats can fold individually or together, increasing the rear load space from 211-litres to 332-litres, and the cabin has 1,113-litres of space in total. Just like the 3-door, the 5-door has a unique design feature that allows the front seats to fold completely flat and integrate with the rear seats to offer two lay-flat beds. I can do this in the 3-door and fit just right, but I’m not a lengthy chap and don’t take up much space. I just love the simplicity of a new-generation Jimny cabin, it’s comfortable for long tar roads and off-road exploits, has all the right buttons in all the right places, and thanks to the upright design it also has excellent visibility. The latter is a must for going off road so you can see your surroundings and choose the correct wheel placement over technical obstacles. As you would have no doubt surmised by now, I’m a die-hard Jimny fan, and that can make me blind to any shortcomings it may have, but there really aren’t any. Space used to be the only issue, and that’s been taken care of. Having only 75 kW of power might not be enough for some, but more power really isn’t needed. It will be great for the daily commute and you can easily get over 120 km/h on the highway. Thanks to the high and low range availability, the 130 Nm of torque is more than enough to get the compact 4x4 up and over just about any obstacle that an off-road trail can throw at it. Of course, if you must have more power, there are local companies that offer turbocharger conversions to bump the power. This option will see your 5-year/200 000 km warranty relegated to the bin though. I’m not sure if the 3-door or the 5-door is higher up on my Must Have list, but I do know that if I ever get the opportunity to own either, I’ll jump at it. The new 5-door Suzuki Jimny can be had in two new colours; Celestial Blue Pearl Metallic and Granite Grey Metallic, along with the usual Arctic White Pearl, Silky Silver Metallic, Bluish Black Pearl, and Jungle Green shaded. The two-tone colour options are Chiffon Ivory Metallic, Kinetic Yellow and the new Sizzling Red Metallic, all with a Pearlescent Bluish-Black roof. Sizzling Red Metallic is the one for me… Pricing is as follows, and I’m sure you’ll agree it’s pretty damn good: Jimny 5-door 1.5 GL 5MT R429,900 Jimny 5-door 1.5 GLX 5MT R457,900 Jimny 1.5 GLX 4AT R479,900 I have to end off by sending a massive thanks to the entire Suzuki SA team. The experiences and memories that I have thanks to the Suzuki SA team have been and continue to be amazing, I count myself blessed to know you all. Much love 💙 Oh, and you can catch a full album pf photos over on the CWMedia Facebook page. A few months back I got to shoot some very special dogs at the South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind for the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists - SAGMJ who have helped the amazing charity for ages now. I had a tour of the facilities and got to see how the dogs are trained, and got to walk blindfolded with a trained dog. These dogs are next-level clever. Part of the tour is to wear different goggles that mimic different kinds of blindness to give you an idea of how important a guide dog is in making lives much easier
The shots were for the promo of the raffle where you could win a Suzuki SA Swift. Suzuki SA has also been an avid supporter of the organisation, which makes sense because they rock! Here's some pics from the experience, mainly of the dogs and not the people, just coz. If you need a charity to support, follow their page, there's often really cool initiatives to raise money to run the organisation. VIEW FULL ARTICLE #CWMedia #CWM #CWMShoots #ChrisWallMedia #Photography #Photoshoot #CanonSA #SigmaSA #CameraTek #FotoRental #Dogs #GuideDogs #SAGuideDogs #SAGMJ #SuzukiSA #SuzukiSwift #Charity The Talaria Sting MX37/9/2023 This weekend I shot a round of the Vilaca Racing Series at Zwartkops Raceway which is usually something that ends up registering 12 000 steps or more on my watch thanks to the massive size of the venue. If you’re taking pics on the pit straight and you decide to get some shots up at the table-top, it’s a mission of a walk, and mostly uphill. This takes some time and a lot of effort, and so if there’s a way to make it easier to do, I’m all for it. Plenty have seen me kicking around the larger venues on a BMX or jump bike, and while that does make things easier, there’s still effort involved and sometimes later in the day I’d rather have an ice cold Coke in the pits than mission across the venue to get a pic. There’s a solution though, and it’s a freaking game-changer for me. The Talaria Sting MX3.
As you can see from the pics, it’s a bike, but there are no pedals. There’s also no engine, well not a conventional one anyway. This thing is electric. Now if you know anything about electric bikes it’s that they’re usually silly money, I see electric-assist setups in mountain bikes being sold for over R200k, even rising above R300k. That’s a lot of K for something you still need to pedal. While this Talaria Sting isn’t chain-store cheap, it’s also not a bank-breaker. I’ll get to that later… So the technical speak is that the Sting has a lightweight CAD-designed frame that houses a 60v 38Ah lithium-ion battery that makes use of automotive-grade LG 21700 cells. Even with the worst Eskom schedules, there’s more than enough time to charge the bike up, you’re looking at 4 hours of charge time and that will give you between 75 and 100 km of range. The former would be when using the bike in Sport Mode and the latter in Eco Mode, and of course a bunch of factors will influence the distance covered between charges, as with any electric-powered device. The Sting’s electric motor is powerful, rated to produce a healthy 6kW of power and 31.8 Nm of torque. The specs say the bike can do 75 km/h on top, but my 78 kg frame on this 63 kg bike saw it hit 80 km/h. It's easy to ride, you turn the key and go. Which is also a problem, because when most get on a bike with a twist throttle they like to give it a twist or two. Do that on an electric bike things will go pear-shaped fast and you’re likely to end up in a fail video. The Sting is light and easy to manoeuvre, I’m used to a BMX, and the bike feels much like that except there’s no pedals to flip back and shatter your shins. It comes with off road tyres, which makes sense because the bike was designed for dirt, but it’s competent on smooth tar. I wouldn’t hoof it on tar with the knoblies, but if you’re a better rider than me you won’t have any issues. The gearbox used is like a CVT in a scooter, so there’s no cog-swapping involved, and also no whine like there’s a slipping clutch. When I say it’s easy to ride I mean it. I like modifying things, and there’s a lot that can be done to the Talaria Sting to make it faster, but at my skill level it’s already as good as I’d want it. I’d play with other things, which is quite easy because the front section is much like a mountain bike. The forks, brakes, stem and handle bars can be upgraded and swapped with whatever brands and components you like from any reputable bike shop. The Sting has a small box on the left side that has an OLED display that shows all the info an electric bike needs like top/average speed, range, battery data, ride mode, error codes, regen level and more. It can also be tweaked to work properly when changing sprocket sizes and wheel sizes. Using the Sting at Zwartkops was absolutely brilliant, I managed to get to places I‘ve never shot from before, and it was as easy as pointing the bike where I wanted to go. The bike got me to the top of the hill on the opposite side of Turn 2 for some interesting new angles I haven’t had before. It drew a heck of a lot of interest too, every single time I stopped riding, someone would ask all about it, which is a good sign for the product. One thing I did learn is that with an electric bike is that when you stop, you turn it off. It seems that everyone who comes to chat has an urge to twist the throttle, which will instantly throw you off the bike. Over 30 Nm of instant power is more than you’d imagine. There are fail safes though, if the kick stand is down, power to the throttle is disconnected. The same goes for if you have your finger pulling either of the brake levers, no power when you twist the throttle. This is also something that Sting owners change pretty quickly. The way the braking works it does some regen charging, and it also stops you from locking the front brake and spinning the rear wheel and makes wheelieing a bit harder to do. There’s a wire running into the brakes that makes this happen, but it can be disconnected so there’s no riding restrictions. If using the Sting to get around events, I’d rather leave it connected. I did have a bit of an oopsie in this regard when the bike was handed to me while switched on and in Sport Mode. With camera in left hand and right hand grabbing the handlebar to catch the bike it gave 1 mm of throttle and that was enough to launch the bike into the air and flip. A bit of a kak one on tar, but hey, this is how we learn… to order replacement parts for a new bike. If you’re needing something to help with mobility at events, on holiday, at the farm – then this is something you must consider, for real. They currently retail for R89 500, and while that does sound like a fair bit, it’s really not bad. The amount of fun is endless, I mean you can buy a fun little 80 – 100 cc 2-stroke, but ripping that around in your garden or in the small veld across the road will have all the neighbourhood Karens stalking you with their smartphones in no time. You could have 20 of these over at your house for some private races and the most noise would be coming from friends laughing and cheering. This thing is amazing, and I must have one because it makes the job I love doing a bit easier, and adds in a fat helping of fun. Plans are in the works though, along with a transporter from XRAMP that makes getting the Sting around rather hassle-free… For a little more on the Talaria Sting MX3, head on over to the Pinned website (https://pinned.co.za/product/talaria-sting-off-road/). Like Tag Share Massive shoutout to Grant from Pinned for the raddest experience! #Talaria #TalariaSting #Pinned #Electric #Bike #eBike #CoolAF #CWMedia #CWM #CWMShoots #ChrisWallMedia #Photography #Photoshoot #CanonSA #SigmaSA #Cameratek #Fotorental #EventPhotography #ShootingCars #AutomotivePhotography #Automotive Suzuki SA has just released another all-new model to the local market, and in true Suzuki tradition it’s a feature-filled, affordable car that’s light and fuel – and it looks damn good too. This new model, the Suzuki Fronx, fills a gap in the compact SUV market for the brand and it takes the fight to the competition seriously. So the name is the first thing anyone comments on because it doesn’t roll off the tongue, but that makes it memorable and that’s a good thing. What exactly is a Fronx? How did the name come about? Easy really, Fronx is a portmanteau of Frontier neXt. Also, in this case, the X is also to denote the crossover class the car falls into. It looks really good, and unlike most new compact SUVs, this one features a unique slanting rear like a coupé and that alone makes it the compact SUV I’d opt for if I was in the market for a new car. Round back the Fronx has a rather nice bum, up front there’s some great design cues that stick to Suzuki’s latest Crafted Futurism design architecture, but it’s the profile that I really like, especially if you’re looking at the model with the optional two-tone styling.
“With our new Fronx, we want to show South Africans that they do not have to compromise on style, performance and safety when buying in the compact SUV segment. The coupé SUV body style, with its bold front grille and sloping roofline, offers a fresh choice in this market segment, and the K15B 1.5 litre petrol engine promises great performance and low fuel consumption. And to sweeten the deal, we have added all the must-have styling options, such as roof rails, daytime running lights and alloy wheels to all models, regardless of their specification level or price.” says Brendon Carpenter, Brand Marketing Manager of Suzuki Auto South Africa. At the recent launch in a rain-soaked Cape Town, we were introduced to four trim levels - the Fronx GL that can be has with a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed auto, and the higher-spec Fronx GLX that has the same transmissions. These four options all share the same powerplant, Suzuki’s proven and bulletproof 1.5-litre K15B engine. The little 4-pot may only offer up 77 kW of power with 138 Nm of torque, but with the compact SUV only tipping the scales at 1 010 kg it feels like it has much more punch than the numbers imply. Suzuki also has found the perfect gear ratios to compliment the power output and so when you give it beans, it feels quite nippy and can easily get you a nicely composed picture in the mail from Metro. When you drive like a normal person, the manual Fronx offers up a fuel consumption of just 5.5l/100 km, and auto is claimed at 5.71/100 km – and Suzuki is one of the few automakers that deliver on fuel efficiency promises. It handles great too, better than it should really. I drove the Fronx over the recently revamped Bainskloof Pass in absolutely pouring rain and had zero issues besides kakking myself when looking down some of the sheer drops off the mountain. Of course on that route I was behaving myself, but I did get to chuck the car around like a red-headed stepchild at a fun gymkhana session at the Cape Winelands Airport. The previously mentioned gear ratios, that lightweight body and sharp steering all combined to make it properly fun, and the compact SUV ate up the course with near perfection. This session was timed, and I cocked up just a bit so I didn’t place in the top times, but if I had one more chance… I bet everyone was thinking the same thing. This was also the only opportunity to get some of my own pics, and thanks to the rain, way less than I usually get, so that part of the experience was a disappointment, and only for me I’m sure. Oh, and you probably haven’t heard of the Cape Winelands Airport, but you will soon. It’s going to be another local flight destination sort of like Lanseria is in Jo’burg, and it will also feature sections that can be used to test and evaluate cars, as well as host motorsport events. The Suzuki Fronx has a brilliant list of features, which I’ll dive into when I do a full review, but you can rest assured that the compact SUV wants for nothing. From an array of safety features to things like a 360-deg camera, wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, a great heads-up display, a 9-inch infotainment display and more. As usual, the Suzuki Fronx comes with a 5-year/200 000 km promotional mechanical warranty and a 4-year/60 000 km service plan as well as a comprehensive 5-year roadside assistance plan and a 6-year unlimited kilometre anti-corrosion warranty. As for pricing, it’s also typically-Suzuki with the Fronx 1.5 GL Manual coming in at R279 900 and the GL Auto at R299 900, while the higher-spec Fronx 1.5 GLX Manual lists at R315 900 and the GLX Auto at R335 900. That’s little money for a lot of car, especially when you compare to other compact SUVs in the same segment. When you crack an invite to an event at the flagship Mercedes-Benz showroom in Sandton, you must just accept, because you know there’s going to be something special going on. It turns out that the most recent event would be one of the most memorable, and downright awesome. The event was called Sandton Street Race, and it was exactly that. The powers that be at Mercedes-Benz SA managed to have the streets around the showroom cordoned off to create a makeshift street-racetrack of a little over a kilometer long. The plan was to have some of the latest AMG models show off their incredible speed and handling around the block at speeds that Metro normally arrest you for, but with zero consequences. That’s pretty damn cool, but after arriving and signing-in, I realised that it would be way better than expected. With my invite, I wasn’t just going to experience the circuit in the passenger seat, I was given the change to drive it myself. Mercedes-Benz even extended the invite to my wife, so it ended up being one of those rare occasions that she could tag along. I can’t think of a better way to spend a Sunday morning in Sandton. Before the fun started, Co-CEO & Executive Director for MBSA, Mark Raine, and the Vice President Sales & Marketing MBSA, Alex Boavida welcomed invitees to the event and gave us a breakdown of the AMG range and the reason behind the event – basically to show off what the automaker is capable of and to create some great memories. Having Finnish ex-Formula One driver Mika Salo there as a guest driver gave even more credibility to the event, it was set to be a great day. After the presentation, I wondered around snapping some action pics, caught up with some fellow journos and photographers and killed a few cappuccinos with my wife while waiting for my turn to drive. When we got to the queue, we saw that the laps were timed and that I was leading the field. That’s just how I roll, standing in the queue I was already fastest overall. It seems someone jumped the queue, even though specific slots and cars were assigned, but hey, I was happy with my name at the top of the board for a while. I ended up piloting the 225 kW, all-wheel drive Mercedes-AMG A35, and my wife was able to join as a rear passenger. Hoofing an AMG through Sandton was absolutely epic, and I was decently quick, and could have been a lot quicker but I listened to my AMG driving instructor’s input because that’s the right thing to do. You can’t expect a stranger to trust that you know what you’re doing, and many claim to be able to be capable behind the wheel when they’re more reckless than anything else. I loved every minute of it, as did me missus. After everyone had their turn at the wheels, two of the top instructors faced off against Mika Salo and that meant egos and reputations were on the line. It was The Westons, Clint and Natalie, versus the Finn and if you know just one thing about either of the Westons, it’s that they can outdrive most people. After the little 3-way shootout, Clint finished in 3rd, Mika in 2nd and Natalie clinching top spot. That’s mad impressive! When the shootout was over, the A45 AMG Owners Club was allowed to do a few parade laps of the circuit before the event was opened up to the public. There were quite a few cars on track, and the slow parade laps started getting faster and faster, but no one was complaining and that made for some great sights and sounds. Most of the A45s that were on circuit were modified, visually and performance-wise, and some of them made very nice go-fast noises. I hung around to snap a few shots before heading home. Probably the most epic Sunday morning I’ve had in Sandton! A huge thanks goes to the entire Mercedes-Benz SA crew for including myself and my wife in this amazing event, and also a huge congrats for pulling the whole thing off. That was one properly successful event. There was such an amazing vibe that it confused my wife, she’s always associated the brand with stuffy old businessmen, but that perception has flipped 180… TAP TO SEE FULL ALBUMConnect with Chris:
AuthorChris "Krutch" Wall from CW Media is a freelancer in the lifestyle experience. He is a unique story teller, bringing you imagery and tales of his journey into what humans are passionate about remembering through the ages... Archives
January 2024
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