Road tests
Potential People’s Car
Ten years ago industry doyen
Brand Pretorius said that for
South Africa to have a people’s
car, it would have to be priced at
around R50 000. At the time it was
a pipedream, but guess what?
A
dd inflation at about 5% per annum,
and you get R80 000 in today’s
currency. The Datsun GO entry
model’s price is R89 500, so with some
government assistance, we have a people’s
car, and a lot of South Africans will be
introduced to mobility that was previously
unavailable. And we are not talking about
a Nano type vehicle, the Datsun GO is
spacious and funky, with a 1200 cc engine,
and with our road test we can say with
conviction that on the road at its price
level its performance is totally acceptable.
It must be noted that the Chery QQ3 is also
in the ballpark, but with a smaller engine.
But enough of the technicalities, let’s get
down to the big issue being drummed up
by the oh so precious safety conscious
motoring journalists. Horror of horrors, it
does not have airbags, and it failed the
NCAP safety tests. What do you want for
R89 500, guys - seven airbags and a Volvo
chassis? It’s all about mobility, and I would
rather be driving the GO than putting my life
in the hands of a demented taxi driver.
And even if you are driving a Sherman
tank on the roads of South Africa, you are
not safe. And don’t get me onto personal
safety in your very own home. So leave
the sermons at the door, take a defensive
driving course, and GO for it – your
odds aren’t as bad as what the nanny
journalists say.
The high price of individuality
The brand new Citroën C1