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Many years ago our automotive landscape was slightly less crowded and infinitely less confusing. Big saloons were balanced with small hatchbacks and boxy Kombis stood alongside rustic 4×4’s. German, British and American cars were the order of the day and Japanese products were rudely pointed and laughed at.
Einde verlede jaar het die Isuzu KB-reeks ‘n ligte uiterlike opknapping gekry om by te bly by die bakkiemodes. Historici sê mos dat verandering ‘n historiese wet is; of die politici met hulle uitspraak dat as jy nie aanpas nie; sterf jy uit.
I’m assuming that some of you have just returned from a long, hot and tiresome holiday trip ready to trade in the spouse’s ageing wheels. In your absence, most dealerships have steam-cleaned the driveway, topped up the coffee machine and are waiting (some, anxiously) for your visit.
Dit is insiggewend dat die eerste Koreaanse Grand Prix (dit is nou in Suid-Korea – nie die kommunistiese noorde nie.) op Sondag, 24 Oktober plaasgevind het. Dit kan gesien word as ‘n teken van die groot vooruitgang wat die Koreaanse motorbedryf die afgelope paar jare gemaak het.
In a few minutes it will be 10h10 on the 10th of the 10th 2010. Or ’10, if you like. As I failed to arrange a wedding, birth, divorce or other memorable event for this significant date it will have to mark the creation of my Suzuki SX4 CVT review.
When the cat’s away, the mice will play. No sooner had our senior journalist boarded an Airbus bound for Germany and I took charge of the office. I rearranged all thumbtacks, drank all the coffee, put my feet on the desk and got myself invited to the launch of the new Volkswagen Amarok.
Shortly before composing this text I closed the curtains, made myself a cup of tea, killed all telephones and put on some Type 0 Negative. I want my peace and quiet. A week of driving the Chevrolet Lumina SS UTE has completely saturated my need for attention.
Good news and bad news. The good news is that I’ve just tested an automotive icon which most of my peers describe in an animated fashion; the bad news is that I haven’t got the foggiest idea how to review it.
Oor die jare heen het Isuzu bakkies ‘n reputasie opgebou vir enjins wat hou. Die eerste gewone dieselenjins wat jare lank hulle ding onder die enjinkgap gedoen het, sonder turbo-aanjaging, was onverwoesbaar. Daarna het die Isuzu bakkie vir ‘n tyd lank in die sewentigerjare as die Chevrolet LUV bekend gestaan; amper soos die Corsa wat ook nou die korporatiewe handelsnaam gekry het.
Korea was tot ‘n dekade of wat gelede ‘n land iewers in die Ooste waarvan Suid-Afrikaners min geweet het en selde besoek het. Maar by sommige van ons ouer lesers mag daar tog noue bande met Korea bestaan omdat hulle pa’s of oupa’s in 1950 lede van die “Vlieënde Cheetahs” was wat daar saam met die Amerikaanse Lugmag teen die Kommunistiese Noord-Korea geveg het.