At the recently concluded SA Bakkie of the Year competition, overseen by organisers Dirk Gallowitz and Ferdi de Vos, Nine bakkies had to prove their mettle in towing, off-roading and dynamic handling. For the first time, towing has been included in such a competition.
Drive & Camp was invited to join the panel that judged the towing and 4x4 sections, which were performed respectively by Leon Botha and Cyril Klopper. In the end, there were seven category winners and one overall victor.
Leon kicks off the towing discussion, followed by Cyril's 4x4 impressions on page 88.
Who participated?
The focus was on luxury automatic 4x4 double-cabs.
Manufacturers had to enter, and only Mahindra, Peugeot, GWM, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Isuzu, and Volkswagen (with two models) showed up at the starting line.
Unfortunately, Ford, Toyota, Mazda, and JAC did not participate. (What Leon didn't know at this point was that Toyota did send a Hilux, but it only arrived the next day when Cyril was assessing the bakkies' off-road capabilities. - Ed)
The specific models included Mahindra's Karoo 4x4 Storm, Peugeot's Landtrek Africa Edition, GWM P-Series Ltd, Mitsubishi Triton Xtreme, Nissan Navara Pro-4X, Isuzu D-Max V-cross, VW Amarok 2.0 BiTurbo, and the Amarok V6 Pan-Americana.
The judges convened at Klipbokkop Mountain Reserve near Villiersdorp, and the owner, Gerhard Groenewald, was the test director.
How did the towing contest work?
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October/November 2023 من Go! Drive & Camp.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October/November 2023 من Go! Drive & Camp.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
The pinch of the pump
In a time where every penny counts, you should be cautious about where to spend it, says Neels van Heerden.
Is the Jimny suitable for overlanding?
He has a theory on whether the Suzuki Jimny is suitable for overlanding, but he is also about to find out for himself, says Mic van Zyl.
Klein-Kariba chronicles
His family has camped so often at ATKV Klein-Kariba that they now consider this popular resort their holiday home, says Roelof van Eeden of Witbank.
So ugly it's cute
Longing for the good old days when vehicles took inspiration from aircraft? Citroën has the compact mobile home just for you.
WHO'S THE BAKKIE KING?
Eight brands, seven categories... and one overall winner. We find out which double-cab bakkie performs best when towing a caravan and off-roading.
Viva, Amarokoroko!
We take a spin through the Western Cape's Cederberg to See if the Ford-built Volkswagen Amarok retains its poshness.
Hook, line and tune
That exhilarating rush you feel when something tugs at your hook and races away with your line is what perpetually draws him back to the angler's paradise, says singer Bok van Blerk.
Discover Dinokeng: beyond the Big Five
The Dinokeng Big Five Reserve is a favourite for weekend getaways, but just past its borders lies an untapped haven waiting to be explored.
Life's a farm in Bonnievale!
Bonnievale presents a unique setting where kids, camping and church come together for a unique family holiday.
Into the heart of the Cederberg
From Duiwelsgat to Heuningvlei, from Wupperthal to the Biedouw Valley. Drive through a world where poet Boerneef's mountain goose sheds a feather and author Jan Rabie's dreamland begins.
