http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=933
KwaZulu-Natal economic development and tourism MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu received an average of R100 000 a month for using his private car for government work, The Mercury newspaper reported on Friday.
The paper reported that Mabuyakhulu submitted a bill of R383 618.07 in four months from May to August this year for using his Range Rover.
The bill has caused an outcry from opposition parties, which called for the provincial government to review accommodation arrangements for MECs not living in Pietermaritzburg.
Mabuyakhulu lives in Empangeni and it costs government a fortune to subsidise his daily trips, the paper reported.
Mabuyakhulu’s spokesperson Mathatheni Mabaso said the issue was blown out of proportion.
'Nothing wrong'
“The MEC has done nothing wrong. He claims for genuine kilometres that he travels. The law allows him to use his private car for work if he wishes to do so.”
He said he did not understand why opposition parties complained that Mabuyakhulu used his own car for work purposes, saying that opposition parties also complained when ministers used state money to buy cars.
"Here we have an MEC who used his own money to buy a car. He also uses his own petrol and he forks out his own cash to maintain the car. The state reimburses him for the money he uses on his car."
He said Mabuyakhulu had bought a big car because of KwaZulu-Natal’s topography which had many rural areas that the MEC had to visit.
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ENCO Gladiator 700 GT Biturbo
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=934
ENCO Exklusive is not as famous as a number of other German tuners but their work speaks volumes. The latest project to come from the city of Chemnitz is this ENCO Gladiator 700 GT Biturbo that's based on the Porsche Cayenne Turbo.
The Gladiator is preceded by the ENCO 550 GT Biturbo with 405kW. Thanks to larger turbos, sport catalytic convertors, an ENCO-designed sport exhaust system with manifolds and other modifications, power gains were made.
A maximum of 515kW has been released to accompany the 850Nm of torque sent to all four wheels. Zero to 100km/h is achieved in 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 290km/h is possible. All that from a 2.5-tonne SUV. Stopping power comes from 410mmx36mm brake disks and 12-piston callipers up front and 380mmx32mm disks with 4-piston callipers at the rear. Black and red ENCO Jura alloy rims sized 11" x 23" are fitted inside 315/25R23 Dunlop Sport Maxx GT tyres.
Exterior kit includes daytime running lights, a front apron, a carbon fibre bonnet, a roof spoiler with air flow openings and side skirts. Inside there are four carbon fiber race seats (from the 911 GT3) covered in leather/Alcantara and a roll cage. The black and red theme is carried through the interior carbon fibre fittings on the centre console, door lining and steering wheel among others.
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Chinese take bite out of GM
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=935
Tengzhong, a little-known Chinese machinery maker that has agreed to buy GM's Hummer brand, said on Monday it has begun to seek regulatory approval for the deal, aiming to close the purchase by early 2010.
Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery, which first announced its intent to buy Hummer in June, has been in touch with the Chinese government after signing a landmark deal to acquire the brand last week, a company spokeswoman said.
"We have started communicating with the relevant regulatory bodies and will continue to support the application process in accordance with the requirements," she said, adding that Tengzhong hoped to close the deal late this year or early 2010.
She did not specify which government bodies Tengzhong had contacted. China's Ministry of Commerce has authority over the deal while the National Development and Reform Commission would have to approve any new major investment in the country, such as building a new manufacturing base.
She said Tengzhong would also explore opportunities to set up a Hummer manufacturing base in China targeting the Chinese market.
The deal must also be approved by US regulators.
Sentiment switch
Initial sentiment toward the sale was negative in China, with many questioning why a Chinese firm with no experience running a major Western brand would want to buy a struggling name known for its large gas-guzzling vehicles.
But the mood has turned more neutral since then, with regulators saying such purchases should be allowed when they make commercial sense.
Tengzhong aims to gain a globally known brand, intellectual property, a trademark and manufacturing expertise from the deal.
The purchase agreement with General Motors Co, signed on Friday, underscores the fast rise and global ambitions of the Chinese auto industry, populated by a wide range of fast-growing, aggressive car makers such as Geely Automobile, SAIC Motor Corp and BYD.
It marks the first time that Chinese investors have stepped in as major buyers into the distressed US auto industry, and comes after China surpassed the United States to become the world's largest auto market.
A source close to Tengzhong previously told Reuters that the Hummer business would be sold for about $150 million, far less than GM's earlier estimate that the brand could fetch more than $500 million.
Under the deal, Lumena Resources Corp Chairman Suolang Duoji would hold 20% of the investment vehicle buying Hummer. Tengzhong would hold the remaining 80%.
Hummer has its origins in a multipurpose vehicle known as the Humvee that was used by the US military. GM bought the brand in 1999 and its sales peaked in 2006, but they have been hit hard since then by a slumping US economy and higher gas prices.
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