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Cape Town - The Wheels24 team has been on a number of spectacular launches this year, with each one taking us on amazing roads and routes.
Without giving away too much, a couple of Wheels24 team members, Janine van der Post and Charlen Raymond, share some of the most memorable roads and driving spots they've experienced in 2016.
Hold on tight: this can get interesting...
Janine Van der Post: The last launch I attended for 2016 was the refreshed Lexus IS launch in Mpumalanga. We flew to Nelspruit at the Kruger National Airport and that's where our two-day journey began. I love driving in that area because everything is so lush with greenery thanks to the province's summer rains.
In fact, on the day of the launch earlier in December, there was hail and a thunderstorm. Our route took us through the smooth long roads to White River towards Dullstroom.
Albeit having to dodge a few potholes here and there, the long stretches meant we could put that glorious 2.0-litre and 3.5-litre turbo engines through its paces most of the time until the rainfall was too heavy and we had to crawl at a snail's pace to our overnight venue. The breathtaking Walkersons Hotel and Spa is just 10km outside of Dullstroom towards Lydenburg.
The route included the delightful Longtom Pass.
2. Next would have to be one of my most favourite routes in the Western Cape. It starts off with probably one of the best passes down here, the 14.9km Franschhoek Pass with a series of tight curves and sweeping hairpin bends.
At the end of the pass, turn left towards Villiersdorp and you'll reach the Theewaterskloof Pass which takes you towards Caledon and eventually towards Gansbaai where we stop off at the quaint 'Coffee on the Rocks' restaurant. With beautiful cars resting after being driven the heck out of them down below, and a view of the magnificent ocean while enjoying a scrumptious meal... yep, that's a bit of heaven on earth right there.
Porsche South Africa loves this route down in the Western Cape, and more than often its the regularly route for launches as with the new 718 Boxster and Cayman models. There's no better way to drive a sports car in the Overberg with kilometres of outstretched roads passing fields of Canola or mountainous glory.
3. Earlier in August, Ford launched a 2.2 auto version of its Ranger bakkie in the Eastern Cape. A great off-road route in the middle of nowhere between George and Mossel Bay which takes you towards Vleesbaai for some sand dune driving.
And even though my driving partner and I got horribly lost, it's still a fun road for off-roading to test any SUV or bakkie's capabilities. And what's a better way to end it all off than sand gliding flat on your tummy in the dunes at warp speed? And even though I'm not that adventurous, it sure was fun watching peers struggle back up the hell-ish incline there after.
What are the best roads or spots you experienced this year? Email us or reach us via Facebook and Twitter.
Charlen Raymond: At the beginning of July 2016 I attended the local launch of the Ford Focus RS. Bliksem, what a car!
Anyways, we flew out to OR Thambo, got in a van and drove to the Boekenhoutkloof Traffic College just outside Pretoria. Long story short, on the day I rode shotgun in a rally Ford Ranger with rally ace Lance Woolridge, got to drive the Ford Mustang, and drift the Focus RS on a skidpan. The skidpan was more slippery than freshly cleaned glass. The hot Ford went round and round and made little work of the 'pan. We also drove the car around the facility's race track. This place literally covers it all: rally, racing, and drifting!
REVIEW: Ford's Focus RS should come with gloves
It was glorious! And taking both the Focus RS and a Mustang on the open road was quite exhilarating, as well!
2. Mitsubishi Pajero Legend II - A week after the Focus RS launch I was back in Gauteng. Got off the plane and hopped into the long-wheelbase Pajero Legend II. We drove to Mitsubishi’s HQ and after the debrief got into the short-wheelbase version.
We headed out to an off-road facility called Rhino Park for the "Pajero Legend II SWB 4x4 Challenge". There we played in the sand, drove in and through dongas, scaled steep inclines in reverse, and ventured into a mud pit. Rhino Park is any off-roader's dream and offers a number of challenges that will really test your - and your 4x4's - metal.
REVIEW: The Mitsubishi Pajero Legend II is 'one heck of an off-roader'!
My co-driver and I could have been overall winners, but knocking over two unnecessary poles cost us dearly. Still, for two rookies we actually did very well. Nevertheless, you can’t win ‘em all… The track had me begging for more off-roading in the Legend II. So when the SUV came to us for testing, I just had to go and play in Cape Town. See below:
3. Toyota Hilux/Fortuner - My last launch for the year was also perhaps my best. In fact, my two most memorable launches were Toyota/Lexus events. But on this particular occasion I flew to George airport and stepped into a Fortuner with my driving buddy, Albert Bakkes from Die Son fame.
En route to Knysna, we drove through one of two rain forests in South Africa on a road called the Seven Passes. We experienced gravel, poorly maintained tar roads (given the location it is understandable), trees hanging inches of the ground, as well as an amazing torrential downpour!
DRIVEN: Toyota spruces up its Hilux bakkie, Fortuner SUV in SA
The road leads over mountains and through valleys, and at some points only one vehicle can make use of the road at any given moment. It was heaven on earth and for a nature-lover like myself it was the perfect way to end the year.
