Bay Driver 18 December 2015

Friday 18 December 2015 Friday 18 December 2015Friday 18 December 2015

A work of artAudi Q7 See page 4

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The Weekend Sun Bay Driver Friday 18 December 2015 Friday 18 December 2015Friday 18 December 2015

Weekend Wheels

2016 – Elite MotorSport Academy Applications for the 2016 Elite MotorSport Academy are now open and close on

March 18, 2016. The successful applicants will attend the Elite Academy camp in Dunedin, scheduled for July 3-10, 2016. The event will provide a one-week intensive “in-camp programme of physical and educational training assistance package to up to nine MotorSport NZ recognised race or rally competitors who’ve already demonstrated the ability to excel in their chosen motorsport discipline”. For more information, see www.motorsport.org.nz

January 30 – ENZED 2016 UIM Jetsprint World Championship FinalAfter captivating near-sellout crowds for the past two years, the jetsprint boats are set to power their way into Mt Maunganui’s Baypark Stadium again this January, bringing a whole new level of hi-octane, international motor racing action. Up to 60 high-powered boats, top teams and drivers from the USA, Canada, Australia and NZ will battle it out for world titles across three classes: Suzuki Unlimited Superboats, Altherm Group A, Biolytix Group B (400s). The event is on January 30 from 4pm-10pm. To purchase tickets, phone 0800 BUY TIX (289 849).

February 13 – Baypark Family Speedway Burger King Super Saloon Series The Burger King Super Saloon Car series visits Baypark Family Speedway again this

season. New Zealand’s best Super Saloon Car drivers travel the North Island to win this series. Also featuring after several years’ absence is the street stocks. Spectator gates open 5pm with racing to begin 6.30pm. For more information, see www.bayparkspeedway.co.nz

February 27 and 28 – Teng Tools NZ International Rallycross NZ’s fi rst arena International Rallycross at Baypark Speedway combining rallycars,

offroader, Honda cup cars and 2KCup cars on a combination of surfaces from clay to concrete and ashphalt including several high fl ying jumps over the 1.5km track. Ral-lycross is revolutionary, exciting and action-packed family entertainment. The event is on February 27-28 at Baypark Stadium from 4pm-10pm. To purchase tickets, call 0800 BUY TIX (289 849).

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SPECS

German cars always have that reputation of being so superior – rolling of the eyes here – when it comes to design and refi nement.

And it would be a shock if a brand new Audi Q7 wasn’t amazing on many levels. But even with that bar so high in my own mind, even before I got in the car, I was even more delighted when this model deliv-ered way – and I mean, waaaaay – more

than I was expecting.I felt like I was driving a piece of fi ne

artwork. Seriously, this car has been the culmination of work of many uber-talented teams, artisans, creative thinkers and some of the auto technology industry’s fi nest minds.

The marketing brochure sure does look all class and super rich with information – but upon reading it, well, that actually is easy to read and understand.

Maybe because they’ve used the golden rule of the written format – one idea, one

sentence. It works.

Holistic engineeringWith a handover from the very

approachable salesman complete, I was off; alone with this beauti-ful thing. One aspect I did notice immediately was it seemed to be a lot freer than other SUVs I’d driven.

Maybe that had something to do with the fact that it’s 325kg lighter than its predeces-sors. Audi has gone all out to lighten wherever possible, by using better holistic engineer-ing and the latest innovations in materials.

Maybe it also had some-thing to do with the permanent distribution of the drive force to all four wheels, and the rear axle is

variably controlled via a self-locking centre differential. This delivers the stability and agility I came to really appreciate with this Q7.

Refi ned displayThe concept of the dashboard has been

totally re-created – as if from a blank page. The driver’s seat area now has the very real look and feel of being in an airline cockpit. And it does feel so good.

This is optional of course; you can have a more traditional screen display if you want. The fully digital instrument cluster with high-resolution full display allows a host of information the driver needs clearly in sight. The imagery contrast is sharp, brilliant and rich. The theme is “fewer buttons, more functions”.

There’s also a touch pad on the console, which operates a number of functions. I’m sure that once you learn to use these easy and intuitive options at your fi ngertips, it would be hard to return to a lesser grade system. Oh by the way, there’s a few buttons on the steering wheel – just to make it even easier to control things while you’re driving along.

Inside, it is quite literally, a work of art. The front dash has been streamlined, so the passenger’s side is rather demure – in an elegant way. The seats have a memory system, and it felt good when you got in and the seat adjusted itself to you – it was like a ‘welcome home’ hug.

Driving around town, even though I was in a big vehicle, I felt a good connec-tion with the road and what was going on around me. Again, the vehicle manoeuvred with excellence, and I was in my happy place. The inbuilt technology was doing virtually all the thinking for me.

The sensors don’t like you going to near to walls or other confi ned spaces – it certainly lets you know both audibly and visually on the display.

In fact, there’s just such an amazing amount of technology packed into this car, this review can’t possibly cover all aspects – you’ll have to talk to the dealership people yourself.

Classy, sporty and luxuriousLast but not least, the overall design is of

the highest standard. It’s clear many count-less hours by many talented people have created the fi nished product. Is it sporty? Yes. Is it classy? Yes. Is it luxurious? Yes. And I feel confi dent to say that ‘yes’ would be the answer for so many testing questions asked of this vehicle.

At a starting price from $129,900 for the 200kW version, anyone would expect a great deal from this car, but I doubt they would fi nd anything to fault.

This Audi Q7 is a supreme culmination of art, design, technology and practicality. For those who enjoy the fi ner things in life, this would be a nice piece of wearable art.

Audi Q7

Engine: V6 diesel engine with common rail

injection system and turbo charging

Engine Capacity: 2967cc

Maximum Power: 200kW/3250-4250

Maximum Torque: 600Nm /1500-3000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed

Drive: Quattro permanent all-wheel drive

Price: From $111,990 (160kW) or

$129,900 (200kW).

Contact: Farmer Auto Village,

116 Hewletts Rd, Mt Maunganui.

Phone: 07 578 6017.Driver D

The Weekend Sun Bay DriverPage 4 Friday 18 December 2015

Enjoy the finer things in lifeEnjoy the finer things in lifeEnjoy the finer things in lifeDesigner driveEnjoy the finer things in lifeEnjoy the finer things in lifeEnjoy the finer things in lifeDesigner driveDesigner driveDesigner drive


Greater than ever, the all new Audi Q7.

The definitive luxury SUV is now here, the entirely new Q7 from Audi.

Smaller on the outside, yet roomier on the inside. Lighter for better

handling, agility and performance. And the most technologically

advanced with stunning features available such as the Audi

Virtual Cockpit, Adaptive Cruise Control and Matrix LED

Headlights. To see how far the new Q7 has come,

visit Farmer Audi today or go to audi.co.nz/Q7.

Farmer Audi116 Hewletts Road, Mount Maunganui

Phone: (07) 578 6017 www.farmermotorgroup.co.nz


AppraisedUsed Vehicles



The humble SUV, long thought of as the working man’s vehicle of choice, is now often the fi rst choice of the middle to upper

income earners as a must-have luxury item.

There have been some landmark models taking the SUV genre towards what we have today. Bay Driver takes a look at four of these models.

RAV4:The RAV4 of 1994 was really the

fi rst compact-SUV as we know it today. It looks like an off-roader with an upright body shape not shared with any other Toyota.

But underneath it had the construction and suspension of a regular family car and was not designed for the rough stuff, despite having four-wheel drive. It was otherwise known as a “soft-roader”.

Initially it was only a three-door, but once Honda picked up the compact-SUV concept with the CR-V wagon, Toyota responded with a fi ve-door RAV4. The rest is history.

Subaru Outback:The Outback or Legacy Outback, as it

was called in 1994, was arguably the fi rst cross-over. Subaru took the standard Legacy wagon, added chunky addenda and extra ride height and started a craze.

Today the Outback is so successful the reg-ular Legacy has been discontinued. Subaru also made a cross-over of its Imprezza, now called XV, before getting on with a RAV-rivalling compact-SUV called Forester launched in 1997.

Suzuki X90:What were they thinking? Even after all

these years, nobody is quite sure. Perhaps inspired by Toyota’s genre-bending efforts with the RAV4, Suzuki decided to turn the Vitara into a sports-come-convertible with the 1995 X90. It looked bizarre and because it was based on the platform of a proper off-road vehicle, it wasn’t great to drive either.

But without it, would car-makers like BMW and Mercedes-Benz have been brave enough to create today’s successful SUV-coupe such as the X6 and the GLE?

Mercedes-Benz ML-class:Mercedes-Benz didn’t quite go all the way

with the American-built ML-class of 1997, but it was arguably the fi rst premium Euro-pean SUV. The underpinnings were a bit truck-like but the car was designed primar-ily for on-road use and it certainly appealed to urban buyers fi rst and foremost.

BMW saw the potential and built its 1999 X5 on-road car platform, with excellent results. So Mercedes-Benz was fi rst but BMW were better. Additional reporting by Stuff.co.nz

SUV more than a working man’s ride

A 1994 RAV4 was one of the fi rst compact-SUV. Photo: YouTube.

A 1994 RAV4 was one of the fi rst compact-SUV. Photo: YouTube.

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ROAD AND SPORT HARLEY-DAVIDSON®

My fi rst car was bought on trust. More faith than trust really. No test run,

no receipts, no problems.It was a 1959 nipple pink VDub Beetle,

which in 1968 wasn’t a very blokey colour. But in the mind of a red blooded 17-year-old it didn’t have to appeal to blokes.

This car was a statement about style and sensitivity and my availability.

It’s not that I liked Volkswagens – a mechanic told me they were iconic German engineering and never broke down. They were motorised cockroaches – you couldn’t kill them.

I couldn’t believe my luck when I rocked up to see my fi rst VDub. It was in the driveway of a manse no less. It was blessed, it belonged to a South Dunedin Presbyterian Minister.

I didn’t know anything about cars and now I didn’t need to know. It was in the hands of a much higher authority. A divine spirit oversaw the deal. If anything went wrong then one South Dunedin Minister would be accountable to his Maker.

I basically gave the Minister $700 which was a wad in those days, started it up and drove off.

Runs like a charmThere were some hiccups. I drove into a gas

station and asked the attendant to “fi ll ‘er up” and check the oil and water.

She went from the boot, which was in the bow, to the engine which was in the stern. Back and forward she went, back and forward, each time looking increasingly frustrated.

She was looking for

the radiator. How was I to know there was no radiator?Then I ran out of gas. How can you not run out of gas

when there’s no gas gauge to tell you you’re running out of gas?

It was a matter of a year or two before I learned the mystery lever near the clutch was the

reserve tank. Clever these Germans.

’Ello, what we got here then?Then there was the night, or was it early

morning, when Nipple Pink worked to its full marketing potential.

I had driven a young lovely up Mt Cargill in the moon-light to show her the delights of a consecrated 1959 VDub Beetle. We were in warm embrace. Perhaps warmer than warm. It was steamy.

Then in the dead of night, there was a sharp rap at a driver’s window dripping with condensation. Bodies were disengaged and clothing frantically re-adjusted, dignity restored.

I opened the window to the intruder. “Hi,” he said. “I hope I am not interrupting” when all the time he knew that was exactly what he was doing.

“My name is Rodney.” Had to be a Rodney. “And I am secretary of the Dunedin Volkswagen Fanciers Club. Would you like to come to a club meet?”

Two young people discovering each other and he’s solic-iting membership for the VDub Club.

We were doomed. The relationship was fried and the 1959 nipple

pink VDub was sold. Then I got a mustard 1963 VDub and in 1974 an

orange 1302S. I never had one breakdown with any of those cars. They were all blessed.

However I did have to get the AA out one morning to change a fl at.


By Hunter Wells

The New Zealand Transport Agency and Police are advising Bay of Plenty motorists to plan ahead before they start their Christmas journey and to be vigilant while you drive.

Start your journey online and plan ahead to avoid delays as road-works season ramps up, says the NZTA while Police warn that a distracted driver is a dangerous driver.

NZTA work crews will be out in force during the next fi ve months, making the most of the warmer, dryer weather during summer to make highways safer and to make progress on major projects.

Hence, drivers are likely to encounter speed restrictions and other traffi c management at roadwork sites, and they should get in the habit of allowing extra time for their journeys.

People can get information on roadworks and detours in the Bay of Plenty region at sunlive.co.nz or call NZTA on 0800 444 449 or check their Facebook page.

NZTA journey manager Nigel D’Ath says checking roads are clear before packing up the car can help people choose the best routes and times to travel.

“Picking up your mouse or your smartphone before you pick up your keys and planning your journey could save you a lot stress and unnecessary time on the road,” says Nigel.

Western Bay of Plenty Road Policing Manager Senior Sergeant Ian Campion says distractions really make drivers less likely to anticipate hazards – and puts people both directly and indirectly at risk of serious injury or death.

“Even though it may only be a second’s distraction. Not quite paying the right attention at intersections and that can translate, particularly in 100km/h areas or areas greater than 70km/h, to very serious injury or worse.”

The NZTA says it’s also important to be aware of driver fatigue this summer – as it can affect anyone and is believed to be a con-tributing factor in at least 12 per cent of motor vehicle crashes.

“When fatigued, a driver’s judgement and decision making become affected and they react more slowly than normally.”Tips to avoid driver fatigue:Stop every two hours. Get out of your car and go for a walk.Share the driving, whenever possible.If you think you need a nap, don’t wait. Find the fi rst safe place, pull over, move to a passenger seat and have a power nap for 20 minutes.Drink lots of water. Caffeine drinks may help but only in the short-term.Eat sensibly during the trip but avoid large meals.

Plan for summer road trips

By Greg Taipari

A deal made in heaven


Open: Monday-Friday 8.00am-5.30pm Saturday 9.00am-5.00pm

116 Hewletts Road, Mount Maunganui. Tel: 07 578 6017 www.farmerautovillage.co.nz

Open: Monday-Friday 8.00am-5.30pm Saturday 9.00am-5.00pm

116 Hewletts Road, Mount Maunganui. Tel: 07 578 6017 www.farmerautovillage.co.nz116 Hewletts Road, Mount Maunganui, Tauranga City Tel: 07 578 6017 www.farmerautovillage.co.nz Follow us on Facebook


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Bay Driver 18 December 2015

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Transcript of Bay Driver 18 December 2015