It’s only when I see a fleet of Chevrolet cars lined up military style in the parkade of Port Elizabeth’s main airport that I’m reminded that GM is among a few manufacturers with a very wide portfolio of models it sells to the local market. All the Chevy cars are here. There’s a pair of Luminas, a Captiva, Aveo sedan, plenty Cruze and the new Spark. Mind you, all these are in various trim. Yet this illustrious gathering is missing a few family members in the Aveo hatchback and the Spark Lite (and nothing at all from Opel - Ed).
We are here at the supposed sunshine coast - at the call of GM to re-inject our memory of its cars. I’d like to think that this trip is a parting shot for the year 2010 as there’s nothing more the company will be introducing until the new year or, it could be that this market is experiencing a boom in car sales again and the cheerful GM PR and the marketing crew have devised a plan to get some content in the middle of all the new car launch hype we are besieged with. Either way, it’s a move that’s appreciated in that I get to spend a night in the bush, away from the rat race and onto the lap of luxury dished up by Labelani Game Reserve, situated about 30 odd kilometres from Grahamstown. So take this piece as your personal reminder of the cars GM trades in and they will take it as job well done in exchange of an impromptu holiday.
I’m starting with this brute as it’s the car I climbed in first, naturally, as it hadn’t been occupied, instead of a Spark that was also vacant. I recall this car to be a quirky alternative to the usual performance car. It has a 6-litre V8 engine pegged in front and a load bed at the rear. If you’ve been searching for the proverbial Corvette-in-Donkey’s Clothing, this is your car.
There’s already a variety of its meat locally and the owner looking at finding a neatly styled, affordable and sizeably booted diesel sedan is likely to be staggered by the Cruze. It is a fine looking automobile with impressive features, space and if in LT form, a proper sounding entertainment system. The engine is a big bonus as it’s both fairly refined and punchy.
Lumina SS sedan
Ahh, the appropriate Lumina in my world. Full, lithe, powerful and snaky rear mannerisms are the order of day in here. For the latter joy, a 6-speed manual gearbox derivative is the choice. Otherwise if driving mostly sideways isn’t you strong point, then an automated SS is your pick. Sadly, the PR team had swapped them around and the sedan was inadequately inserted with a lazy box while the UTE, unarguably grippier got the manual. Eish.
Isuzu Double Cab
These we drove the following morning on a fairly entertaining off-road track. I say entertaining as the competent range of Isuzu bakkies, all in 300 LX 4X4 D-TEQ form, simply romped over whatever the Lalibela rangers three at it, including a down-slope inappropriately named ‘white-knuckles’. I’ve seen steeper home driveways in my neighbourhood.
Spark and Aveo
I didn’t bother with these two because (a) the Aveo arrived later at night and (b) the girls who were also in attendance, just loved the hot new Spark. I didn’t have the heart to wrench it away from their firm grasp.
A fine trip, fine fleet and fine way to jog the memory before a slew of new cars, Christmas pudding and one too many that’s about to hit Mzansi.
STORY BY PHUTI MPYANE OF KMR MEDIA
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