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RIDENDRIVE Seychelles Magazine

Mahe, Seychelles.

Email: ridendrivesey@gmail.com

Editorial

Editor in Chief Jean—Francois Robert Barallon

(editor, article writer, magazine designer, photographer)

Contributors

The general public, world wide web, Facebook, Google im-

ages and other doo-das.

Founder

Owner Jean—Francois Robert Barallon

Distribution

Distributed worldwide on Facebook

Join us online…

Disclaimer

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval

system or be transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or

mechanical, included photocopying and/or recording, without prior

permission from RIDENDRIVE Seychelles. The opinions expressed in

RIDENDRIVE Seychelles are not considered those of the publishers, who

accept no liability of any nature arising out of or in connection with the

contents of this magazine. While every effort is made in compiling

RIDENDRIVE Seychelles, the publishers cannot be held responsible for

loss, damage or inconvenience that may arise therefrom RIDENDRIVE

Seychelles does not take any responsibility for any services rendered or

products offered by any of the advertisers contained in this publication.

E&OE on all advertisements, services and contents (text) in

RIDENDRIVE Seychelles.

Copyright 2013 ©RIDENDRIVE Seychelles, All rights reserved

It has been a long, difficult and without a doubt

complex journey. Eight months ago when I took this

challenge I thought, how hard could it be? Famous

last words, I know. Really hard is the answer. Did I

give up? At one point yes. I was so dis-hearted that

people here could not embrace the idea of an

automotive magazine. “We’re too small”, “Not

enough to write about”, “too difficult to do”, were

some of the reasons against my idea.

Such limited fore-sight, for we just recently held our

very first ‘proper’ modified car show. I give credit to

the SMC (Seychelles Modified Cars) club for organ-

ising a truly kickass event. Finally a legal outlet for

true modifying enthusiast. And if you attended the

event, I am sure you agree that we definitely showed

them our skills!

Even my pals in Mauritius stood up and took notice.

They have been doing this for a while now. We could

learn a bit from them. They now have an official

Drag racing and rally events for the locals. The

government even backs them. As long as they follow

the rules of course. I hope we follow eventually.

That is why I did not give up. I knew the task ahead

was difficult, foolhardy and strewn with problems. I

had to do one at least. And finally, it is here.

And the best part is I have put it up to download for

free!

Now it is up to you Seychellois to support this new

idea, participate, join, sponsor and advertise. When

you stand together, good things really do happen…

Thanks to my family for supporting me...

I hope it was worth the effort.

OLY CRAP!

What the hell was that? For a

second there, I thought Batman had

just sped passed me on his Bat-cycle!

Black on black, floating rear license

plate, massive rear wheel and cool

LED brake lights. Except it could not

be Batman as he is fictional.

Instead I followed it until it stopped at

a parking area in town. The ponytailed

rider got off leaving me admiring the

crotch rocket he just got off. The bold

capital letters that shone on its tank

was DUCATI. Of course! now it

makes sense. If one motorcycle manu-

facturer could make something like

this, it would be the Italian giant.

Known for the exciting two wheeled

racers, DUCATI (still in capital) is

held high on the list of great motorcy-

cle builds by many enthusiast across

the world. I couldn’t get any closer to

reveal its model, so I quickly took a

picture and went home. On the net I

searched for the notorious bike until I

eventually found it.

The Diavel. In this case it was the Di-

avel Dark. I read the specs. V-twin

engine, 1198cc, a whopping 162 hp!!

What. No wonder the rear wheel was

that huge. Any thinner and it would

have absolutely no traction at all. It

also has a 6 speed trans and weighs

over 400 pounds. It is heavy. That en-

sures the bike is steady at speed but

must be a nightmare if you ever (god

forbid) lose control. Still, it looks

damn good. I especially liked the Car-

bon version which has Marzocchi

forks, Marchesini wheels and Carbon

bodywork. Wonder if the Marzocchi’s

here know that their family lineage

makes DUCATI parts?

I here that this one belongs to Paolo

seybuggy on Facebook and it is for

sale. A warning though, it costs rough-

ly the price of a new car! You must

really love DUCATIs, if you buy it...

Text: Jean-Francois Robert Barallon

Photo: www.autoevolution.com

QUICK SPECS:

Engine: dohc V-twin

CC: 1198cc

Induction: EFI

Trans: 6 speed Final drive: Chain

Front brake: Dual discs

Rear brake: Disc

Wheelbase: 62.6 in.

Seat height: 30.3 in.

Fuel capacity: 4.5 gal.

Models: Diavel, Carbon,

Dark, Strada

NO, NOT THE HOLLYWOOD FILM…

Although the modern version would definitely have this truck

in it. The new FORD Ranger is an astounding vehicle. Not

only is it bigger than its older version it also boasts lots of new tech and a eco-friendly 2.2 turbo engine which has the same

output as the 2.5 turbo. This has reduced the Ranger’s price to

an even more affordable level. It helps that it looks amazing as well. The platform is shared

with the MAZDA BT50, but it is the Ranger that looks the

more serious one, at least compared to the BT50’s wide eyed

look of surprise!

It now joins the legendary F150 behemoth from the USA in

the size department. Not exactly as large as its American cousin, the new Ranger is still quite big, and higher too. First

time I had to climb into a Ranger! This gives it a lot of road

presence. Now when you see one in the rear view mirror you feel like it will mow you down if you accidently slow down

too quickly.

This brings me to the modifying part of this amazing truck. I have literally spent hours browsing the amount of add-ons,

accessories and upgrades for this truck. There are a lot! I’ve seen one recently in all black, with a custom black grill and

rims which looks mean as heck.

This would be an awesome tuning project to show-off at the next Modified car show. Now I want one…

Article: Jean—Francois Robert Barallon

Photo: www.google.com/images

SPECS:

ENG: 2.2 INLINE 4 TURBO

DIESEL

POWER: 150PS@3700RPM

TORQUE: 330NM@2500RPM

I t’s the first thing we change on our car or bike. It is simple and

cost effective. It sounds great when revved and you definitely feel the improved en-gine response. There’s a but. Do not worry, it is more of a warning than a bad thing. The thing is, changing to an after-market filter can be both good and in some cases a little detrimental to one’s engine. I said a “little”. So stop worrying. It really depends on your setup. Ask yourself a question. “What do I want to achieve?” Is it just a freely revving engine with that growling induction noise? Then by all means buy any open pod aftermarket air filter and install it. You must realise though, that some engines, lower than 1300cc can and will lose power. Many times I have seen little Kia Picantos going past with really nice induction noise and hardly moving despite the massive acceleration I hear...true story. Only after the racket does it really start gaining speed and probably in third gear… Anyway. Back to the main point. If you are tuning an engine and squeezing as much power from it, aftermarket air filters makes perfect sense. Why? Because NOW you really need that freely revving en-gine to get that speed up faster! So… what types are there?

Let’s start with the most popular one. The open pod filter, or conical filter as it is called sometimes. It resembles a pod or cone and is usually open to the air it is sucking in. This setup most times requires the use of an extension arm from the intake manifold to lo-cate the filter in a position better suited to its use. Luckily, these extensions are available for most makes and models or can be easily made as well. Newer engines only require the correct holes for sensors to guarantee it works perfectly. The other type you can get is the OEM replacement one that offers as much as the same performance without having to change anything in your engine bay. These are closed box filters. Er… called that as they are usually closed...in a…box. Right. You get the drift. These are simpler to install and can easily give the same effect. The downside will be the lack of an induc tion roar that the open pod filter gives. But you’ll be running a tuned engine setup with a loud exhausts probably, so you won’t even notice. Now, there is a third reason why we change this filter in the engine bay. Espe-cially to the open pod version. Looks of course! Many enthusiast will tell you that a good engine bay is a good looking engine bay as well. And this seems

to be catching on here. From what we saw at our island’s first ever modified car show, good looking engine bays are high on the list. And the air filter is one of the first mods you will no-tice. So, it all depends on what you want

to achieve. Yes the air filter might be one in many mods, but it can be very important or just a show-off item you wanted to add. And you can find them everywhere. I mean literally everywhere! Check the air filter on the Glanza barbe-cue below… not what I had in mind when I told the guy to replace his engine with something better…

Article: JEAN—FRANCOIS ROBERT BARALLON

THE DUBAI AUTODROME, is an experience I truly

recommend. I had the chance, not too long ago to achieve one of

my dreams, driving a race car on a race track. And to be

completely honest, IT WAS AWESOME!!

Dubai Autodrome is situated in Motorcity, where Sheikh

Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (formerly known as Emirates Road) meets Umm Suquiem Road at the Arabian Ranches

roundabout – 20 minutes from Dubai city centre, or 45 minutes

from Dubai International airport. Once there, you have a choice of the Dubai Autodrome, home to the country’s best races and

events or the Kartdrome next door for all out karting fun.

You have to book in advance for either the race track or Karting experiences as they have a tight schedule. Visit the website on

http://www.dubaiautodrome.com for all the information,

booking procedures and introduction to motorsport racing in

Dubai. The prices are very reasonable, as you can see above,

a 350 Bhp Subaru Impreza experience is about SCR2900

(AED875) and the 518Bhp Audi R8 experience at SCR4300 (AED1295) depending on the exchange rate of course.

If you meet all the above displayed requirements and after paying a insurance waiver fee (which incidentally can also be

paid together with the experience up front when you book it),

you will attend a driver briefing which the Head instructor will introduce you to the rules, the event, the instructors (its one on

one) and the most important aspect to the whole experience,

ENJOY and HAVE FUN. After all, it isn’t a serious race or

anything.

Following the briefing, the instructors will introduce you to

the car you’ll be driving, familiarising you with its specs and assisting in putting on your balaclava, helmet and then

strapping you into the seat’s four-point harnesses.

Once you are snug in place, it’s time to start the engine, and set

off for your laps. I won’t spoil the fun by telling you how that

was. You will just have to make that next trip to Dubai the one

where you attend and find out for yourself. I promise it will be

worth it.

After this experience you might appreciate daily driving in a

wholly different perspective. You’ll enjoy every corner, focus on the road more, know your stopping distances better and

realise that road surface does affect stability.

If you are only out for fun, next door you’ll find the Kartdrome. All out karting experience in a fun and fast paced track.

Motorcity is a growing place, full of interesting shops and

things to do which I am sure will make you want to come back for more.

Below are the contact details for both places, remember you have to book in advance!

Dubai Autodrome

• P.O.Box 57331 , Dubai, UAE

• Tel: +971 04 367 8700

• Fax: +971 04 367 8750

• info@dubaiautodrome.com

Kartdrome • +971 (0)4 367 8744

• karting@dubaiautodrome.com

(If you rent a car and drive, google it to get directions)

Next issue I’ll disclose another track experience that will tantalise

your senses before and after you try it, that’s right, Abu Dhabi’s

Yas Marina’s circuit for, wait for it, DRIFTING! (Note: Above information and photos courtesy of

http://www.dubaiautodrome.com website.)

Article: Jean—Francois Robert Barallon

THE DUBAI AUTODROME, is an experience I truly

recommend. I had the chance, not too long ago to achieve one of

my dreams, driving a race car on a race track. And to be

completely honest, IT WAS AWESOME!!

Dubai Autodrome is situated in Motorcity, where Sheikh

Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (formerly known as Emirates Road) meets Umm Suquiem Road at the Arabian Ranches

roundabout – 20 minutes from Dubai city centre, or 45 minutes

from Dubai International airport. Once there, you have a choice of the Dubai Autodrome, home to the country’s best races and

events or the Kartdrome next door for all out karting fun.

You have to book in advance for either the race track or Karting experiences as they have a tight schedule. Visit the website on

http://www.dubaiautodrome.com for all the information,

booking procedures and introduction to motorsport racing in

Dubai. The prices are very reasonable, as you can see above,

a 350 Bhp Subaru Impreza experience is about SCR2900

(AED875) and the 518Bhp Audi R8 experience at SCR4300 (AED1295) depending on the exchange rate of course.

If you meet all the above displayed requirements and after paying a insurance waiver fee (which incidentally can also be

paid together with the experience up front when you book it),

you will attend a driver briefing which the Head instructor will introduce you to the rules, the event, the instructors (its one on

one) and the most important aspect to the whole experience,

ENJOY and HAVE FUN. After all, it isn’t a serious race or

anything.

Following the briefing, the instructors will introduce you to

the car you’ll be driving, familiarising you with its specs and assisting in putting on your balaclava, helmet and then

strapping you into the seat’s four-point harnesses.

Once you are snug in place, it’s time to start the engine, and set

off for your laps. I won’t spoil the fun by telling you how that

was. You will just have to make that next trip to Dubai the one

where you attend and find out for yourself. I promise it will be

worth it.

After this experience you might appreciate daily driving in a

wholly different perspective. You’ll enjoy every corner, focus on the road more, know your stopping distances better and

realise that road surface does affect stability.

If you are only out for fun, next door you’ll find the Kartdrome. All out karting experience in a fun and fast paced track.

Motorcity is a growing place, full of interesting shops and

things to do which I am sure will make you want to come back for more.

Below are the contact details for both places, remember you have to book in advance!

Dubai Autodrome

• P.O.Box 57331 , Dubai, UAE

• Tel: +971 04 367 8700

• Fax: +971 04 367 8750

• info@dubaiautodrome.com

Kartdrome • +971 (0)4 367 8744

• karting@dubaiautodrome.com

(If you rent a car and drive, google it to get directions)

Next issue I’ll disclose another track experience that will tantalise

your senses before and after you try it, that’s right, Abu Dhabi’s

Yas Marina’s circuit for, wait for it, DRIFTING! (Note: Above information and photos courtesy of

http://www.dubaiautodrome.com website.)

Article: Jean—Francois Robert Barallon

CAR OR BIKE?

DECISIONS, DECISIONS…

ER...BOTH PLEASE!

E are easily distracted. I mean, why wouldn’t

we be? We’re always looking for some kind of

entertainment, or new thing to quite literally

distract us. Which is why we turn to things like

sport, movies, clubbing and of course tinkering

with cars and bikes.

Which brings us to our little escapade here. A last

minute phone call brought us to Eden Island’s infa-

mous underground parking lot. We were to meet

with two distinctive distractions. No not two russian

girls…

My good friend Hudson Matthieu in his ’90’s Sub-

aru Impreza STi and my cousin Jean-Philip Delpech

on his Regal Raptor cruiser motorcycle. We are here

to observe why these two distractions keep us happy

and...er...distracted.

It was a Saturday morning and I was enjoying the

coolness of the parking lot when in the distance I

heard the familiar rumbling of an Impreza.

The iconic Subaru started

life as the run of the mill

family saloon. Subaru

Technica international

(STi) saw that the chassis

had potential so started

work on a race version to

compete in the world rally

events. Subaru itself first

introduced it in a road

version called the WRX.

The WRX became a huge success

after its rallying counterpart, the STi

started achieving world success in

competitions. Soon a road version

STi was rolled out. Minus the rally

spec roll cage, and empty interior of

course. Anyways, it was a huge suc-

cess again. It hard more power and

better handling than the WRX. Soon

though, there were a plethora of

aftermarket tuning options availa-

ble, meaning no matter which car

you owned, it could be turned into a

mean growling machine for the

street, track or occasional rally

blast. The flat opposite twin engine

known as the boxer has one of the

largest list of tuning parts in exist-

ence! It rivals Toyota’s 1JZ and 2JZ

Supra engines for popularity and

use in tuning scenes.

The other ace in the deck is Sub-

aru’s own equally distributed four

wheel drive system thanks to the

engine’s unique layout. Apart from

expensive Porches that share the

same engine design, no other four

door saloon with space and manners

to carry a family and their belong-

ings offer the same type of special

attention that the Imprezas do. It is

the car that made Mitsubishi stand

up and say “Hey! We want some of

that!” and promptly introduced the

four wheel drive Evolution sports

saloon that has competed directly

for generations with the Impreza.

And the Impreza has improved over

each generation. Agreed it has had

some bizarre twists, like when it

became a hatchback for a while, but

I fancy that was merely a brief flir-

tation as now it is back in full sa-

loon sports mode as seen in another

part of this magazine.

It even competes with the

Mitsubishi Evolution X in the mean

looks department.

I am glad I got Hudson and his Im-

preza here. His model is the grand

daddy of the rest. The one that

taught the world what Subaru could

do, with a family car...and this one

is modified within the best of its

limits.

If anyone asks, why I chose this one over all the rests, I would have to admit, it was

one of the few that attracted me. If I were to chose between the new one and the old

I would take the old one any day. Why? It’s everything old school is about. It started

it all. It is the best distraction invented, albeit with the most adrenaline inducing pow-

ers. I drove a 350bhp 2005 STi in Dubai, kicking over 150kmph in a 60 degree cor-

ner at one point, with the instructor screaming “accelerate, accelerate!” and I was

thinking, “accelerate? You mean there’s MORE?!” You can’t do that in just any car

mate, you just can’t…

Following the Impreza is the motor-

cycle. The way the sun shines off the

motorcycle’s chromed parts, the

drumming of the exhaust note, the

classic easy rider style of its body-

work, harking back to what made

them so hugely popular in the 50’s

straight through to the present day

still makes me all gooey inside.

Of course that is only one type of

motorcycle. We have your basic A to

B daily commuters, like Scooters and

small displacement motorcycles, to

weekend racer like the various

650cc+ crotch rockets and their heavy

duty easy rider cruiser opposites.

They all have one thing in common

and that’s the riding pleasure. Ask

any biker why and their choice of

words usually will be, “Freedom, af-

fordability and economy.”

Oh and it’s a ton of fun too…

I have fond memories on my big

cruiser, going around the island on a

beautiful day, stopping at key loca-

tions to relax and soak up the atmos-

phere, there’s really nothing like it.

Hell, biking has been around for so

long it probably makes the car history

look rather short.

I rode this bike a while back when

it was on sale by the owner of

BRAVO restaurant here on Eden

Island, so it is only normal for it to

be back here, in its original location

for its debut in this magazine. I realise that although I chose an easy

rider for this article, it didn’t really

matter. It could have been some guy on a scooter for all I care. What I felt

was for any two wheeled machine and

the choice it represents. For many

youngsters today, it is their first real vehicle before owning a car. Its sim-

plicity to maintain, its fuel economy an

advantage and it takes barely any more parking/kerb space than your average

bicycle, it is cheap motoring at its fin-

est!

Even now, I am in my 30’s I am still

wondering what my next bike will be.

Maybe this time a sport, or a monster road bike? Who knows, when I find it

I will know. I am typically an easy

rider type of person, but I can adapt.

JACKET?? Yeeeeees.

The day finally comes to an end

with both driver and rider needing

to carry on with their journey for

the day. I relinquish my grasp on

them, savouring the bikes looks as

it leaves and the Impeza’s rumble

as it too exits Eden Island’s vehi-

cle playground (to me at least).

I feel the need to ride or drive

something. Maybe that is how I

originally got the title for this

mag. A need that I wanted satis-

fied so badly I had to share it with

everyone…

I enjoy and am an enthusiast for

both bikes and cars, there are no

rules except the ones you make for

yourself. It is all good fun, so re-

member to enjoy yourself.

After all, that is the point of riding

and driving, it supposed to be fun,

right?

Article: Jean—Francois Robert Barallon

Poser? Model? No, Biker...

DIRT

BIKES

SCOOTERS

SPORT

BIKES

DAILY

COMMUTERS

CRUISERS

S unday 11th May 2014 finally saw our first Modified Car show, hosted by the SMC (Seychelles Modified Cars) club. And what an amazing turnout! The place was

absolutely packed! There were all types of cars on display from Honda’s civics, Toyota Starlets and Glanzas to seri-ous machines like Mitsubishi Evos, Subaru Imprezas, Toyota Mr2s and Honda Preludes. Special attractions like the Nissan 370z, a Peugeot GTi, the time attack Lancer, a Vauxhall Corsa VXR and a Crysler 300c were some of the limelights. The sounds stage was excellent as was the gen-eral atmosphere. People of all ages attended, pictures were being taken es-pecially with the three classic cars on display at one corner. There was music, laughter and everyone seemed to have a good time. Heck even the media was there having a ball! The event stretched into the night where towards the end it gave way to some wicked donut competitions. SMC point-ed out that by that time the show was officially over so they had no control over the donut display. After all, they would-n’t want to ruin all their hard work, would they? ARTICLE: JEAN-FRANCOIS ROBERT BARALLON

Nobody touches my

stuff…

SMC models were out in full force...

A wide range of vehicles showed up...

Bikers making their presence felt

Beautiful engine bays...

Bikers making their presence felt

Local 370z, speechless I am..

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

SMC Crew, the KIA, HYUNDAI, NISSAN

and HONDA dealerships, the sponsors and

participants, local authorities for the venue

and permissive event, the media for coverage

and the general public, fans and enthusiasts

that made this event a huge success!

THANK YOU!

RND STAFF.

The classics never die...

R U Feeling gangsta??

RnD Mechanic and assistant horsing around as usual...

RnD Editor and assistant in full nuts mode...

ot family saloons used to be rare, but now you have your pick of the bunch. Bmw’s, Mercs, Audis, Nissans, Mitsubishis and of course Subarus. There are other makes too but the latter stands out in todays competition for

hottest four door saloon. And nothing says hot saloon like a mental turbo charged beast pushing through the best

all wheel drive system available.

The new Impreza is a statement to Subarus unwaivered approach to building cars. The boxer engine remains alt-hough polished with better performance, the symmetrical all wheel drive is more refined and now incorporates dif-

ferent settings to adjust traction on different surfaces with a mode select switch in the cabin. And the cabin is miles

ahead of the model it replaces. And in the metal, it has never looked so good. Forget the Mitsubishi Evo, the Impreza is the new mean kid on the block. Street fighter front end, bulging bad boy arches, massive rear wing all create an

attack stance usually found on most fighter jets. See this angry thing in your rear view mirror, wooshing, banging

and popping on the over-run will cause you to sway manically out of its way. It really looks like it will literally take a chunk out of the rear of your car. And did I mention it is an affordable four door family saloon? With a boot, seat

belts and good mileage, what’s not to like, or want? Go for it.

Article: JEAN-FRANCOIS ROBERT BARALLON

THE REMOTE

CONTROLLED VERSION OF

TUNING AND RACING…

IS JUST AS ADDICTIVE!

f you have never tried an R/C car or truck you don’t know what you are missing. These mini versions of their larger counterparts are a

lot of fun to use. Highly detailed bodies of your favourite vehicles can

be purchased and installed over RTR (ready to race) chassis. Engines,

suspensions, wheel and tyres can be changed or upgraded. It can be changed from rear to all wheel drive. Damaged components can be re-

placed. Then there’s the racing. Track, drifting, off-road rallying and

drag racing can all be done competition style. Teams and competitions can be organised with real prizes. What’s not to like?

Get started in R/C racing now!

As an addition to our Glanza special at the end of this issue, we have included here some of

the best tuning parts available from ID-Workz in the UK. Check all their performance parts

out on

www.id-workz.co.uk

Cool your intake charge with Blitz intercooler set

up for your 4efte. All necessary connections, elbows

and fittings are included for easy installs.

Allow better airflow from your engine bay

with this hood from Cruise. Combine it

with their front bumper and fenders for

maximum airflow and looks...

Upgrade your engine rebuild with these ARP head studs from ID-

Workz. ARP’s head studs will withstand whatever you throw at it

and allow your 4efte engine to throw power without any worries...

Lighten your flywheel action with this Competition

lightweight flywheel for your 4efte. Feel the new in-

creased revs of your engine.

Unique style helmets for those riders who like to be

noticed when they ride. Available on ebay.

Also on ebay are these special rider hardpacks.

With hard padded sections to provide that extra

safety if falling off your bike on your back. Plenty

of room for those necessary items too.

Pioneer’s AVH-P4100DVD in dash entertain-

ment unit covers all the bases. Music, video,

radio, pictures, internet and GPS navigation

are all fully integrated into this beautiful look-

ing screen

A range of tuning parts to change your Peugeot 206 into a uniquely modified

machine. Visit http://peugeot-tuning-parts.co.uk

“I’ll just do a quick burnout and leave the photo dude…” “er...sorry mr photo dude can you like move a little??…”

beast by any other explanation is something that scares you. And the truck you see here scared the hell out of me! I’m getting ahead of myself.

Let’s start at the beginning. I’m sitting in my car waiting for him

to arrive. One or two other guys waiting for him are also hanging

around. An Impreza, a starlet and a large Isuzu truck. Suddenly there’s the sound of thun-

der behind me, a million thundering hooves galloping towards us. I lean out the window to see the source of the racket. And jumped right back as a black object speeds inches past my face. Whoa! It screeches to a halt a few metres ahead and the owner steps out. Audrey Monthy, otherwise known locally as Paspartou (roughly translated; “go everywhere”…) named after an incident involving a car and a gate… He is beaming as usual. Nothing un-sual for someone who runs a success-ful breakdown service, a car hire, a garage and owns an Evo, an Mr2 and this truck, the Holden Maloo Ute. An insanely powerful utility truck from down under. Australia’s own motor monster. A thing of beauty when you see it in the metal. In black with large 20” black rims with polished lips. I am really jealous. Lucky though to be able to be this close, to take a ride and wit-ness automotive perfection in action.

He tells me it is up for sale. I feel a tang when I realise I could never pull over 600k to pay for it.

“er...sorry mr photo dude can you like move a little??…” “OH CRAP!!”

PHOTOGRAPHERS

SLIPPER BEING

RUN OVER...

GRRRRRR...

Obviously I had to pop the hood on this monster. The V8 cover emblazoned with the code that made Chevy Cor-vettes and Camaro’s the Amer-ican classics they are today, the LS. As if not already power-ful enough, it was breathed on by WALKINSHAW perfor-mance, whom saw fit to boost it with over 500whp on tap! To prove how mental that is, Audrey launches into a mental burnout. I coax him into a small spin, which almost backfired when I almost get run over by the wildly spinning truck. Never mind, the pictures are

worth being run over. I collect my slipper, right where I had been standing before the Ma-loo attacked me. Told you it was a Beast. And shit did it scare me! I thought for good I was going home in an ambu-lance. But having perfected last minute escape moves from es-caping beatings as a child, I narrowly missed handicap by millimetres. After the escapade, I grab a quick shot of it coming back with the mountains in the back-ground, the local buildings sur-rounding the truck. It is beautiful to watch. The Ma-

loo Ute is at home in its new tropical habitat. This was the best job in the world. Some people are right now either at home watching telly, or entertaining family, and I’m here doing what I love. I couldn’t own it, or afford to run it, but I could definitely afford to enjoy its insanity, the growling V8, the lack of traction and the beauty of its Dark sculpted bodywork. A beast was unleashed. The beast scared me and almost killed me. But in the end, this beast left me in awe and want. Some people are just so lucky. By the time you read this, some other lucky person will have bought it. Good for him! Text and photos: Jean-Francois Robert Barallon

The BEAST eyes up its prey...

I spy American

muscle tuned by no

other than

WALKINSHAW

performance… just

don’t ask about the

fuel bills.

He term ‘Bakkie’

was coined in South

Africa. It is in its sim-

plest form in Afrikaans;

a bowl (‘bak’). In Aus-

tralia they are known as

UTE’s (Utility).

Made popular in the past

by Ford, Datsun (Nissan)

and Toyota, these little

pick-ups were all the

storm. People loved their

simplicity, their robust

yet small and economic

engines, and their ability

to carry a multitude of

things. Then canopies

were designed and the

bakkies shape changed

into a versatile and use-

ful carry-all vehicle, now

also protected from the

weather.

This brings us to our test

-bed. The Nissan NP200.

Available through the

local dealership Sun

Motors located in provi-

dence on Mahe, this little

bakkie has won many

fans within the local

businesses. You could

stand by the road right

now and easily spot

more than twenty of

these little nippers run-

ning here and there for

different companies or

individuals.

The NP200 is a Nissan/Renault joint

venture. By using the Dacia Logan

front end and mating it to a bakkie rear

end they created this little workhorse.

Slap on a couple of NISSAN badges

and voila.

Stepping inside reveals a cabin with

hard plastics and everything seems to

be in the right place. The instrument

cluster is simple and informative and

has a warm orange glow with the back-

lights on. The steering wheel is meaty

and has a nice feel to it. Moving to the

centre console which houses an after-

market head-unit for music (a Pioneer

on ours) and the climate controls

which all feel quite solidly put togeth-

er. Below and in front of the neat little

gearstick you have two drink holders

fashioned into the gear surround. The

gear itself is a standard affair if a little

loose. The passenger side hosts a long

storage bin above the acceptable glove

compartment.

Hints of sporty inheritance resides in

the circular air vents reminiscent of the

350z and 370z. Sadly for a 270,000/-

plus vehicle, the lack of electric door

mirrors or windows is questionable.

These are optional as is the rear sliding

window and extra body armour. Espe-

cially when many cheaper vehicles

have some of these items as standard.

Must be the badge.

Unlike the Fiat Strada which it una-

shamedly competes with, it does not

have the nifty rear bench behind the

driver and passenger seats, which is

a no-no. If Fiat could do it, you

could too Nissan. The reason is ap-

parent when surveying the large and

deep rear load bay which does win

it points. The bay comes rubberised

as standard and has fix points on the

bay floor. Handy for tying down

loose cargo. The rear bay door is

typically Nissan heavy and resem-

bles the larger Navara truck’s door.

As this is partly a Renault, there is

only one reversing light on the pas-

senger side. Luckily they all come

with heavy duty tyres to withstand

that 800kg load rating. Back in front

is a Renault sourced 1.6 litre engine

in either 8 or 12 valve options. The

gearbox is strong and allows it to

pull cleanly in third.

Dashboard is simple and informative

There you have it then. The NP200 is

a proper tool. A workhorse for the

masses. A capable load lugger.

Apart from a few issues, a loose ac-

celerator pedal and some dash panel

gaps the NP200 is a sturdy little bak-

kie. I know it has Renault written all

over it, but don’t forget that they gave

us the awesome Clio V6, the versatile

Kangoo van and recently the cheapest

crossover, the Duster. Well at least in

its Dacia form.

Never mind, the NP200 is still a

cracking little performer. Maybe the

next instalment will be even better.

Solid tonneau cover op-

tion now available from

many after market mak-

ers.

Deep load bay gives it a

high volume capacity.

Soft top cover.

Canopy installed gives it

increased security and

protection from weather,

also increases capacity

volume.

Words: Jean-Francois Robert Barallon

Photos: www.google.com

MODEL: NISSAN NP200

ENG: 1600cc/4 CYL/ 8 VALVE

GEAR: 5 SPEED FRONT DRIVE

POWER: 86HP/5500RPM

TORQUE: 123Nm/3000RPM

MAX PAYLOAD: 800KG

MAX TOW LOAD: 650KG

LOAD BAY:

1808mm LENGTH

1374mm WIDTH

535mm HEIGHT

RUBBERISED

SUSPENSION: McPherson STRUT WITH WISHBONE

(FRONT)

H-SHAPED AXLE WITHCOIL SPRING

AND ANTI ROLL BAR (REAR)

BRAKES: VENTILATED DISCS (FRONT)

DRUM (REAR)

SAFETY: PASSENGER AIRBAG

ABS AND EBD ANTI-THEFT ELECTRONIC SYSTEM

NISSAN DATADOT (ANTI-THEFT)

WHEELS: 15” STEEL WITH NISSAN HUBCAPS

TYRE SIZE: 185/65 x R15

www.nissan.co.za

Have the need for speed? How about a bit of Rivalry? How

about online? No problem. Then you need EA’s new flashy

racing series NEED FOR SPEED RIVALRY. This upcoming

title brings back ‘Most Wanted’s’ cop vs racer (with both play-

able), expect plenty of luxurious metal including the return of

Ferrari and vehicle customisation. Set in gorgeous scenery this

looks to be a real blast. XBOX360/XBOXOne/PS3/PS4/PC

Juice up your phone or tablet with Merlin’s

new Power Bank. This portable battery charger

stores enough power to fully charge two units

at once or one unit up to 3 times! Comes with a

variety of connection bits.

Meet the new Dragon from MSI. This

powertop (powerful laptop) looks as good

as it sounds. And it has the specs to match

it; the latest Haswell 2.4Ghz cpu, 4Gb of

super fast ram, Geforce GTX 870M graphics, for the latest games, solid state

and raid hard drives and much more. Update

your life with the Dragon!

www.msi.com

The world’s best and fun driving simulator is making its

sixth outing soon. Exclusively released for the new PS4

console it features more cars, tracks, graphics and

challenges. Expect the usual amazing experience, then

multiply it by 4.

A curved screen!? Only at

Samsung folks can you get a

phone with a curved screen.

Enter the Galaxy Round. A

huge 5.7” curved screen run-ning Android 4.3. Expect all

the power of the Galaxy S4

within its curvy shell.

Apple isn’t slowing down.

Hot on the heels of the new

Ipad 2 is the Ipad Air. Run-

ning IOS7 on its silky

smooth display and backed by Apple’s A7 cpu power.

This unit was designed for

connectivity on the go.

Expect lots of fuss after its

initial release.

THE BEST GADGETS AND ITEMS THAT KEEPS US SANE...!!

AND THE BATTLE RAGES ON!!

The all new PS4 and Xbox One are head

to head again with their releases causing

quite a stir. Although slightly boxy

looking, the new consoles represent the latest in hardware, graphics and entertain-

ment available this side of the universe.

Expect tons of A+ titles and heated com-

petition for the top spot.

Or if you have more money then sense,

buy both and enjoy everything.

WHAT KEPT US ENTERTAINED DURING THOSE REALLY BORING DAYS...

With their huge big screen success, it’s no

wonder that it’s a big hit in the music

industry as well. With top artists like T.I.,

Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne, deadmau5 and

others compiling some of the very best tunes to accompany the stunning cars and action in

the Hollywood blockbuster.

A definite must buy for any fan. Do it for

Paul.

In keeping with its franchises, EA spurred a Hollywood blockbuster full of expensive fast

cars, cop chases, accidents and stunts. It is

reminiscent of the game ‘Need for Speed:

The Run’ with the storyline. A revenge plot for...well you’ll have to watch it if you haven’t

already, sorry no spoilers here. But be ready to

embrace the full on Need for Speed action, which funnily after watching made me want to

play the games… that could just be me

though. Directed by Scott Waugh.

Casts include Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper, Scot

Mescudi, Imogen Poots, Ramon Rodriguez and Mi-

chael Keaton.

www.3dtuning.com has a unique approach to online modifying. Choose a make, a model and

modify its appearance without ever owning the car! The tuning engine is fantastic and features

accurate models of all vehicles. The parts are all real parts that are available for those vehicles.

Lose some hours creating that perfect tuning project you always wanted...

Let’s not beat around the prickled horn bush here… Top Gear,

whether it’s the uk or American

series is officially the most

watched and best car show, on the planet. Period.

So what makes it such a huge hit? The cars? No doubt. The hosts?

Of course. The challenges? Abso

-bloody-lutely. Not a moment passes by that we don’t think of

what the next great adventure

they will face.

Will the UK boys be able to out-do their Hovervan? Will the

USA boys come up with another

way of decimating old cars? Whatever it is, we, the viewers,

fans, stalkers (they exist!!) will

be waiting and watching in abat-ed breath for what comes next.

Stig in his new favourite toy

The Stig make’s all of this worthwhile then, as he makes mincemeat out of tracks with the latest in automotive porn. It helps that he is silent, easy to pack and carry around and

downloads information from the web through his helmet, which, some say was a gift,

from an advance race of Pigmies. And that if you took it off (again) this time he will self

destruct into a shower of car shaped paper clips.

Catch Top Gear on BBC Entertainment and BBC

Knowledge on DSTV, courtesy of INTELVISION Seychelles.

Photos: www.topgear.com

IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY

HEARD, THESE GUYS ON THE

RIGHT, ARE A PRETTY BIG DEAL

RIGHT NOW.

Assuming you guys have an Intelvision connection for TV (what are you waiting

for?), you might just have stumbled

across this fantastic programme on the HISTORY channel called COUNTING

CARS.

Hosted by Count’s Kustoms, this series concentrates on either a client bringing

in a car, bike or truck or the team scout-

ing the area for one or sometimes, on one of their ambitious projects (Like the

SOAP BOX CAR).

WHO THE HECK ARE THEY????

Danny "The Count" Koker – Koker is the proprietor of "Count's

Kustoms", a shop devoted to the repair

and restoration of motor vehicles, auto-mobiles and motor-cycles in particular.

Danny, who grew up in Cleve-

land and Detroit, is a self-taught me-

chanic who comes from a family of Ford Motor Company employees.

Kevin – Danny's right-hand man and best friend for the past 20 years by the

series premiere. He and Danny enjoy

cruising around Vegas to look for vehicles to buy, and Danny tends to use

Kevin as "collateral" when he takes a

stranger’s car for a test drive. Horny Mike - An airbrush artist whose

nickname is derived from his practice of

putting 3-D horns on everything from vehicles to helmets to clothing.

Roli - Roli is the shop's detailer, responsible for cleaning and polishing of

all the vehicles that Count's Kustoms

works on. His thick Hungarian accent is

often the source of amusement at the shop.

Big Ryan - At 6 feet 7 inches and 350 pounds, Ryan is Danny's project scout,

parts expert and picker with over 15

years of experience.

Scott - Scott is the manager of Count's Kustoms, and Danny's bookkeeper, who

maintains an accounting of the money on

each project to make sure that they are profitable.

Shannon - Bike shop manager and lead

builder whom Danny lauds for his

fabrication and engineering skills,

referring to him as "My A-Number One in the bike shop".

Ryan - (not to be confused with Big

Ryan) works with Shannon in the bike

shop.

Grandpa -

Employee who does body work at the

shop. Though his nickname is derived from the fact that he is older than any of

the other staff, he says he can do twice

the work they do.

George - One of the mechanics who has worked at the shop for

years.

If the series isn’t enough, jump

online to their shop’s official website

http://

www.countskustoms.com/ and enjoy the world of custom

cars, bikes and other types of

transport. It is the biggest show since American

Chopper with the Teutels, and is only

rivalled by its counterpart the Pawn

Shop (who from time to time bring a

purchased deal to the garage to be

restored and sold later at a profit).

Catch Counting Cars on the History

channel on DSTV by Intelvision.

Call Intelvision for more details on

DSTV, internet and telephone packages

and prices. Tel:

Ur no.1 babe is Michelle Rodriguez!

Why? Because she’s in the Fast and the furious

films as hot and hard ass chick Letty Ortiz. She

blends super sexy chick with tomboy racer chick,

making the perfect girl for the majority of guys. Who

wouldn’t want a petrol head, mechanic savvy, brawler

bad-ass woman who looks

so damn good at the same

time? Ok, ok, put your

hands down guys.

Born Mayte Michelle Rodri-

guez, in Texas, USA from

her very first film she au-

ditioned for, Girlfight, Michelle was type casted

as a tomboyish, rough and

ready character. And she

has not wavered from that

since. Every movie she’s been in casts her as a hard as

nails tough cookie, whether shooting zombies in Resi-dent Evil, driving fast cars in the Fast and Furious,

or escaping alien threat in Battle: Los Angeles. Now we know she has many talents, but did you know

that she has been a DJ for major events since 2009?

She is a big fan of house music and DJ’s regularly.

But that is nothing compared to the legal issues she’s

had. Michelle has been in and out of prison (short

stay only) many times, mostly for drinking and driving,

speeding and once a fisticuff. I guess she’s just as a

handful in real life as she is in films. Speaking of

films, she’s returning for the

new release of Machete Kills, by

director Robert Rodriguez. Set

after the events of the first

Machete, the new title is set to

feature even more over the top

action, dialogue and jokes. She

stars alongside main actor Danny

Trejo, Jessica Alba and Tom

Savini. New to the film are Char-

lie Sheen, Mel Gibson, Cuba

Gooding Jr., Lady Gaga and An-

tonio Banderas. For now, while you wait for its re-

lease, enjoy these pics of Michelle in various guises.

Source: Wikipedia and IMBD Photos: www.google.com/images

Born: 12th July 1978, San Antonio, Texas, USA

Is of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent

Facts: -She beat out 350 other girls for the role of

Diana Guzman in Girlfight (2000) -Didn't have a driver's license before filming

The Fast and the Furious (2001) and had to

obtain one during her training for the car chase

sequences.

-Plays the piano.

-Is often seen singing karaoke alongside

Lindsay Lohan, Bo Barrett, Emile Hirsch,

and Nicole Richie at Beverly Hills hotspot

"Guys" .

-Has Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).

-Is a vegetarian...

lanza’s are probably Seychelles most recog-

nised car. A two door variant of the very popu-

lar EP91 Toyota Starlet, the Glanza was market-

ed as a small sports hatchback. Available with a

1300cc engine in either turbo charged or naturally

aspirated forms, this little car changed the way we

saw tuning here. Suddenly, there was a platform

that so many could afford, with many parts swap-

pable between models and a large list of tuning

parts to upgrade it into the ultimate street ma-

chine. Here, the original two door variant is rare.

So many buy the normal four door Starlet and up-

grade it with all the Glanza’s body parts and en-

gine. And there are a lot of them. One particular

meet saw at least eight of them lined up together.

The Glanza is also raced professionally overseas.

In Mauritius they hold special point to point rally

stages in the hills, with the Glanza usually a win-

ner. There is one in eastern Europe with a Supra

2JZ engine in it, imagine sitting in that at speed!

In the UK they are regarded as boy racers. Fast

and powerful little cars that can shame

bigger sport cars on the black dyno (the

tarmac for those who didn’t know…).

Starlet History

Produced from 1973 to

1999.

Started life as a small

Corolla.

The KP60 was the last

rear wheel drive Starlet.

The EP85 and EP95

were the only 4WD star-

lets.

Has seen engines tuned

to over 400bhp!

THE TOYOTA 4EFTE If one engine has seen more action, transplants,

modifications and success here, it would be the fa-

mous Toyota 4efte. This electronic fuel injected

turbo charged 1.3l engine is the main weapon of

choice amongst starlet fans. Sure you could drop in

fancier engines, like the 1.5 supercharged 4agze, or

going as far as a 3sgte if you are brave enough. But

for most, trying to achieve the maximum potential

of the original 4efte stock motor that came with the

starlet GT and Glanza was the true quest. There are

numerous tuning parts available and proven pro-

jects throwing almost 400whp around the world.

That’s testimony to Toyota’s engineering. I still

love ‘em.

BUYING A NEW CAR IS EASY. WALK INTO THE SHOWROOM, CHOOSE ONE YOU LIKE. DONE.

BUYING SECOND HAND? NOW THAT’S A DIFFERENT BALL GAME.

LET’S START WITH AN EASY ONE. THE TOYOTA STARLET.

What you need to know:

Make: TOYOTA

Model: STARLET

Body: HATCHBACK

Type: 3/5 DOOR

Engine: 1300cc 4EFE (N/A) @84-88HP

(year depending)

1300cc 4EFTE (TURBO) @133HP

Layout: FRONT WHEEL DRIVE

Year: 1989—1999

PRICE RANGE

SCR40,000—SCR120,000

THIS CAR IS OVER 16 YEARS OLD

FROM THE LAST RECENT PRO-

DUCTION AND THEREFORE

SHOULD BE A CHEAP PURCHASE

UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED.

BUYING A NEW CAR IS EASY. WALK INTO THE SHOWROOM, CHOOSE ONE YOU LIKE. DONE.

BUYING SECOND HAND? NOW THAT’S A DIFFERENT BALL GAME.

LET’S START WITH AN EASY ONE. THE TOYOTA STARLET.

CHECK THE FRONT END FOR SIGNS OF PAINT OR BODY DAMAGE BY CHIPPING FROM GRAVEL THROWN BY VEHICLES IN FRONT. CHECK THE HOOD LATCH WORKS PROPERLY,

THE LIGHTS AND INDICATORS ALL ILLUMINATE. MANY OF THESE CARS HAVE BEEN UP-GRADED TO A NEWER VERSION OF THEIR RESPECTIVE MODELS SO MAKE SURE ALL PARTS

HAVE BEEN FITTED CORRECTLY.

THE BASIC ENGINE SUPPLIED IS A 4EFE 1300CC UNIT FROM TOYOTA. MAIN THINGS TO

LOOK OUT FOR ARE OIL LEAKS AROUND THE CYLINDER HEAD, THE OIL SUMP BELOW AND AROUND THE OIL FILTER. ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO LEAKS FROM THE RADIA-

TOR AND ITS HOSES. THE ENGINE SHOULD START EASILY AND RUN SMOOTH. ANY KNOCKS OR PINGING SOUNDS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED.

CHECK ALL FOUR WHEELS FOR KERB DAMAGE AND TYRES FOR TREAD CONDITION. NEV-

ER RUN TYRES THAT HAVE LITTLE OR NO TREAD LEFT. CHECK IF ANY AIR VALVES ARE

LEAKING AND IF THERE ARE ANY PUNCTURES.

CHECK ALL FOUR DOORS FOR RUST AND DAMAGE. LOCKS SHOULD BE TESTED IF FULLY OPERATIONAL. IF DOOR MIRRORS ARE ELECTRIC CHECK THAT THEY STILL WORK. ELEC-

TRIC WINDOWS SHOULD OPEN AND CLOSE FULLY AT A CONSTANT SPEED. INSPECT DOOR RUBBER SEAL FOR DAMAGE OR WEAR. WATER IS A RUST FACTOR.

RUST ISSUES ARE VERY POSSIBLE ON THESE OLD CARS, UNDERCARRIAGE AND SKIRTING

SHOULD BE CHECKED FOR RUST DAMAGE. LIFT POINTS SHOULD BE CHECKED FOR DAM-AGE.

EXHAUST SHOULD NOT FUME BLACK OR BLUE SMOKE WHICH IS AN INDICATION OF EN-GINE TROUBLE. CHECK FOR RUST AND HOLES IN THE EXHAUST BOX AND PIPING.

REAR BOOT DOOR SHOULD OPEN AND CLOSE PROPERLY. CHECK GAS STRUTS FOR WEAR

AND RUBBER WATER STRIP FOR DAMAGE.

INSPECT REAR WINDSHIELD FOR CRACKS AND IF A WIPER IS INSTALLED SEE IF IT WORKS

CORRECTLY.

CHECK AROUND ALL THE ARCHES FOR RUST AND DAMAGE. WATER SPLASHED UP FROM THE ROAD ENTERS MOST CARS FROM THERE. INSPECT THE SHOCK ASSEMBLIES FOR

LEAKAGE OR DAMAGE. WHEEL GAPS SHOULD BE EVEN ON OPPOSITE SIDES. ALSO INSPECT THE FUEL FILLER CAP FOR RUST OR FUEL FUME LEAKS.

THE INTERIOR WILL TELL YOU A LOT ABOUT THE PERSON WHO OWNED THE CAR. MAKE SURE IT IS CLEAN, AND THAT MOSTLY IS FREE OF TORN OR DAMAGED FABRICS. DASH-

BOARD SHOULD HOUSE ALL WORKING INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS FOR CLIMATE AND AUXILLARY ITEMS IF AVAILABLE. STEERING WHEEL MOUNTED HORN SHOULD BE OPERA-

TIONAL.

INSPECT THE FRONT WINDSCREEN FOR CRACKS, MAKE SURE THE WIPERS INSTALLED

ARE IN GOOD CONDITION AND WORK PROPERLY. ALSO CHECK THAT THE VEHICLE HAD INSURANCE AND ITS ROAD LICENSE.

THE ABOVE ARE POINTS THAT PEOPLE CAN USE TO BARGAIN ON THE SELLERS ASKING

PRICE. NEVER ACCEPT A CAR YOU ARE NOT HAPPY WITH. ASK AS MANY QUESTIONS AS YOU CAN. FIND OUT THE HISTORY OF THE CAR. IT COULD MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LOW

OR HIGH REPAIR BILLS!

PRICE RANGE

SCR40,000—SCR120,000

THIS CAR IS OVER 16 YEARS OLD

FROM THE LAST RECENT PRO-

DUCTION AND THEREFORE

SHOULD BE A CHEAP PURCHASE

UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED.