Latest news with #SetshabaMashigo
The Citizen
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
JAC T9 bakkie sets new SA 24-hour endurance record
Chinese automaker JAC Motors has become the latest to set a South African record. This comes after its T9 2l CTi bakkie lapped the Gerotek testing facility for 24 hours, covering 4 084km. The previous record was set by Isuzu in 2010, but JAC Motors reported that this was a far less co-ordinated effort, using just one vehicle and a small support grew. Looking for a new or used JAC? Find it here with CARmag! Behind the wheel were four experienced racing drivers – Michele Habig, Setshaba Mashigo, Phillip Kekana and Daniel Barbosa – all of who are also driving instructors. Despite not having a dedicated pit team or advanced refuelling systems, the team pushed through with minimal delays, relying on the T9's consistency and strength. Related: JAC T9 Plug-in Hybrid Bakkie SA Launch Date Confirmed Isuzu's record, also set at Gerotek, stood at 4 063km, with an average speed of 169.3km/h using its KB300 TDi. Before that, Toyota held the record with its Hilux, reaching 3 818km at an average of 159.1km/h in 2003. JAC's T9 has now outpaced both in 2025, with the Chinese automaker stating that the T9's 2l turbo-diesel engine operated superlatively. The bakkie maintained high speeds for over 1 350 laps of the circuit, with an average fuel consumption of 16.5l/100 km. It ran on Continental CrossContact ATR tyres and used Engen's 10W40 CK-4 full synthetic oil, which has recently been rolled out across JAC's vehicle line-up to improve thermal stability and reduce engine wear. JAC Motors South Africa CEO Karl-Heinz Göbel says the record is more than just a bragging point — it's a real-world demonstration of the brand's reliability. Since arriving in South Africa in 2017, JAC has built a network of over 70 dealers across Southern Africa and now supports its T9 with a five-year/200 000km warranty and a five-year/100 000km service plan. Looking for a new or used vehicle? Find it here with CARmag! The post JAC T9 Bakkie Runs Non-Stop for 4 084 km to Set New SA 24-Hour Endurance Record appeared first on CAR Magazine. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.
The Citizen
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Surprise: GWM debuts new PHEV V8 alongside hardcore Tank 300
New V8 won't be exclusive to China and reportedly, not to left-hand-drive-only markets either. GWM's new 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 will be limited to certain Tank brand models initially, and have at least one electric motor and battery pack for a plug-in hybrid configuration. Image: GWM In one of the biggest surprises of the Shanghai International Motor Show, Great Wall Motors (GWM) showcased its first-ever V8 engine destined for certain Tank models only. New engine not just for China Unveiled alongside an ultra hardcore off-road version of the Tank 300, called the Hooke Trail after a well-known off-road track in the western region of the People's Republic, the twin-turbo bent-eight displaces 4.0-litres, and will be augmented by an electric motor and battery pack for a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) configuration. ALSO READ: WATCH: Battle-hardened GWM Tank 300 shows its softer side While no further details were divulged, the powertrain has been mentioned as possibly making its way into export markets regardless of where the respective Tank model is steered from. This, according to GWM executive James Yang, who told Australia's on the sidelines of the engines' unveiling, 'this [V8] is something that is definitely under consideration, and for right-hand-drive markets, it's definitely something we are still considering'. V8 vs Hi4-T and Hi4-Z Once in production, the V8 will complete GWM's augmenting of electric hardware with various cylinder count combustion engines currently consisting of four and six under the Hi4-T and Hi4-Z plug-in hybrid banners. At present, the former consists of two units; the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol combined with a 37.1-kWh battery pack for a total system out if 300kW/750Nm in the Tank 400, and the V6, which pairs a 3.0-litre turbo-petrol with the same size battery pack for a total of 385kW/800Nm in the Tank 700. GWM/Haval 4.0l Twin-turbo V8 – details to follow😭 — Setshaba Mashigo (@SetshabaMashigo) April 23, 2025 Introduced towards the end of last year in the Chinese-market Tank 500, the Hi4-Z, which has been confirmed for South Africa, uses a dual electric motor setup in combination with the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol and a 59-kWh battery pack for a final output of 654kW/1 195Nm. As it stands, speculation has alleged that while the V8 will produce more power and torque than any of the Hi4-T units, its stacking up against the Hi4-Z could yield even more grunt depending on the number of electric motors used. Tank 300 Hooke Trail Equally shrouded in mystery, the exhibited Tank 300 Hooke Trail, which reportedly sported the engine despite no confirmation by GWM, featured a longer bonnet and a series of chassis changes the Baoding-based brand also didn't elaborate on. Tank 300 Hooke Trail will go on-sale later this year in China as the reported first GWM brand product to offer the new plug-in hybrid V8 powertrain. Image: GWM Noticeable though is the live front axle in place of the standard model's independent setup, chunkier alloy wheels wrapped in Cooper all-terrain tyres, different wheel arch extensions, redesigned front and rear bumpers, and reportedly, a significantly strengthened chassis. Set to go on-sale in China within the coming months, expect more details about the Hooke Trail to be known, as well as of the new engine. Additional information from and NOW READ: Petrol GWM Tank 300 even heavier on the juice than hybrid sibling
