Author:charleen-clarke
The boom in the compact SUV segment is showing no signs of abating, with almost every manufacturer offering at least one model. Opelβs is this, the Grandland X β one of the first new models to be launched following General Motorsβs offloading of the brand to the PSA Group (Peugeot/CitroΓ«n). This means that the Grandland X shares a platform with one of its rivals β the Peugeot 3008. Youβd expect much of the same, thenβ¦ But, a week spent with […]
Daimler has gone on a shopping spree, ordering battery cells to the value of a whopping β¬20 billion (about R324 billion). The orders will ensure that the company has a steady supply of battery cells until 2030. The battery cells will be used across its product range β in anything and everything from cars to buses and trucks. By 2022, the entire Mercedes-Benz car portfolio will be electrified, with various electrified alternatives available in every segment. In total, there will […]
Claes Nilsson, executive vice president of the Volvo Group and president of Volvo Trucks, has announced his retirement. Nilsson has visited South Africa many times over the years. I interviewed him for our regular Face to Face column in Issue 8/2018 (you will find the story on our website should you have missed it). He has worked at Volvo since 1982, so Nilsson is synonymous with the Volvo brand. Nilsson will be replaced by Roger Alm, who was president for […]
Lots of people really battle with motion sickness while in a vehicle. In fact, more than 30-million people in Europe suffer from this ailment! Quite frankly, itβs ghastly. Thanks to CitroΓ«n, it could now be a thing of the past! Thatβs because the company has created SeetroΓ«n, which it claims are the first glasses to eliminate motion sickness. The principle of the SeetroΓ«n glasses is simple β they contain a coloured liquid that recreates the horizon line to resolve conflict […]
Vehicle collectors the world over can rejoice! Classic Guard, a new ceramic coating, has been launched β and it is set to do wonders for the preservation of classic vehicles. The ceramic coating was recently tested on the gruelling Le Jog Rally, which has a reputation for being one of the toughest winter rallies in the world. The coating was applied to a 1965 Porsche 911 SWB β and the product passed the test with flying colours. The coating is […]
FOCUS readers associate MAN with vans, trucks and buses. However, the company is now also focusing on the Asian luxury yacht market. Specifically, it aims to sell engines to this emerging future market. Last year, the German engine manufacturer started delivering diesel engines to the Taiwan shipyards of Ocean Alexander and Horizon Yachts. Ocean Alexanderβs 90 Motoryacht and 100 Megayacht are now being powered exclusively by MAN engines.
I was at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas last month. What a cool event! There was a lot of amazing stuff on display. However, Hondaβs Autonomous Work Vehicle really caught my eye. A prototype off-road vehicle, this four-wheel drive quad bike can transport supplies, equipment and water to hard-to-reach locations β sans driver. The vehicle features GPS and sensor-based autonomy capable of guiding the unit in almost any environment, a rail accessory mount system for limitless accessories […]
Scania is supplying 15 trucks for trials on German e-highways this year. Trials will initially commence in Hessen along the A5 Autobahn, where the five-kilometre e-highway infrastructure (with electric power supplied from overhead lines in both directions) has been completed. Next will be an e-highway segment on the A1 Autobahn to the port of LΓΌbeck, with additional stationary charging capacity planned at the port. This highway section is expected to open during mid-2019. Finally, the third e-highway is expected be […]
Steve Wager is well known in South Africa. Thatβs because he worked here for many years in the capacity of MD of Scania South Africa. Two years ago, he moved to theΒ worldβsΒ largest commercial vehicle market, where he is now MD of Scania China. CHARLEEN CLARKE asked him about this fascinating market. Why did you decide to accept the position of MD of Scania China? Are you pleased that you decided to go to China? Asia is of extreme strategic importance […]
Manufacturers of engine oils are facing turbulent times, as the transport industry evolves faster than ever before. CHARLEEN CLARKE attended the Shell Rimula Ultimate Stopover in Dubai, where she discovered how this oil company is facing these challenges head on. Most of the major oil companies have been around for a while. Shell, for instance, was established over a century ago β back in 1907. It has faced some challenges in the last 112 years, but never like those it […]
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