KZN Top Business

KZN Top Business

Dylan Naidoo

Inside Toyota's Manufacturing Plant in Prospecton

Coveted as a major manufacturer and exporter of theirvehicles, Toyota South African Motors (TSAM) remains a core part of not onlyDurban’s infrastructure, but KZN as a whole. According to Ryan Bubear fromCars.co.za, TSAM regularly ranks as one of South Africa’s major vehicleexporters to Europe, with major export destinations such as Germany and theUnited Kingdom (UK), as well as Africa and Australia. But this success is notonly exclusive to overseas markets, as TSAM has consistently been ranked as oneof the best selling automakers in South Africa, thanks to successful modelssuch as the Hilux and Corolla Cross. Lets not forget, these successful vehicleswere manufactured at their plant in Prospecton, Durban, an opportunity we hadto tour.Me and Grant Adlam, CEO of KZN Top Business, had thevery exclusive opportunity to take a tour of Toyota’s manufacturing plant inProspecton. And after a rather quiet shuttle ride to the plant, wow was Iamazed at what I saw. Toyota’s were pretty much everywhere you looked, new andold. And getting ourselves comfortable at the auditorium, out came on stageTSAM’s CEO, Andrew Kirby, with a speech on the facility.The Prospecton plant started production in 1972, withthe goal to build vehicles that emphasise quality, durability, and match therigorous build standards of their Japanese facilities. Outside of Toyota’shomeland, Toyota’s Prospecton plant remains the oldest manufacturing plant inthe world, employing over 7500 people in the plant alone. The plant is largelywell known for building the Hilux, but has made many successful vehicles suchas the Fortuner, Hiace and Corolla Cross (And the now discontinued CorollaQuest). Especially in the case of the Hilux and Hiace, these vehiclesessentially form the backbone of both South Africa’s transport and businessindustry, with the Hilux heavily converted as South Africa’s favorite bakkie.But seeing this widely successful bakkie on the assembly line is a whole otherexperience on its own.Nigel Ward, Executive Vice President of TSAM, gave mea tour, whilst Kirby gave Grant Adlam a tour from his side.All of TSAM’s vehicles start at the press plant, whereall body panels are made using high pressure presses, such as doors, hoods andbumpers. The plant does this for the Hilux, Fortuner and Corolla Cross. Panelsare, according to TSAM, ensured to be of high quality, as quality remains amajor element for TSAMs production. Our tour specifically showed off how door’shoods, rear boots, side panels and bumpers are made, and the first thing Inoticed is just how automated everything is. I was expecting automation, but Iwas surprised to see just how many automation robots there were.After the press plant is the welding plant, whereparts are fitted to the frame of the vehicles. Parts from this process comefrom either the press plant or parts sourced directly from overseas. Now TSAMdoes mention that Japan is a major contributor to the Prospecton plant, so wecould say many parts also come from Toyota’s homeland. Body panels are alsometiculously checked here to ensure optimal quality (By hand as well, might Iadd). In this welding facility, there is a mix of both automated robots and peoplethat work there.Whilst we didn’t get much into the paint facility,what we did see was the roll out line, where we would see where the actualplace of that iconic photo of the very first 9th generation Hilux rolled offthe assembly line. And it is that entire process that ensures a Hilux rolls offthe assembly line every 90 seconds!So Toyota’s manufacturing plant in Prospection, amajor part of Durban. As we pride ourselves in uplifting the image of KZN, TSAMis undeniably a major part of our beautiful province and has contributedheavily to the automotive industry. From the creation of many jobs to theirrecent R10.4 billion investment, TSAM truly is a more than welcome part of KZN.

KZN Top Business

Dylan Naidoo

Jetour X70 Plus Review: The Bolder Twin?

“Am I daydreaming or did we just review this Jetour?”Surprisingly, this was my first reaction to the Jetour X70 Plus, a big 7-seaterSUV that shares a lot of similarities with our previously tested Dashing.However, whilst fundamentally these crossovers share most elements, distinctdifferences y allow for them to cater to completely different markets. Whilstthe Dashing is a small crossover, with bolder futuristic styling paired with amore coupe look, the X70 Plus is a more traditional looking, largerfamily-crossover SUV that includes 7-seats as opposed to the Dashing’s 5-seatconfiguration. The difference is minor, and yet, the target audience completelychanges. I see the Dashing appealing to young professionals, and the X70 Plusfor the families, so this review of the Jetour X70 Plus is focused on it as afamily car.Engineering & TechnologyLike the Dashing, the X70 Plus features a 1.5lturbocharged 4-cylinder capable of 115kW of power and 230nm of torque.Interestingly, fuel range has remained unchanged compared to the Dashing, withthe X70 Plus also retaining a claimed 7.8L/100km fuel range. The significanceof this lies with the X70 Plus being a larger 7-seater family cruiser. In ourtesting, the power in this crossover SUV is more than sufficient, and enginenoise was minimal unless you really put your foot down. Power is fed through a6-speed dual clutch automatic transmission, and shifting was very smooth.Essentially, for a family cruiser, the Jetour ticks all the necessary boxes fora decently powered crossover with sufficient power should all seven seats befilled.The interior pretty much looks practically identicalto the Dashing, but if you have seen my Dashing review, you would know thisinterior is just one of my favourites. Like the Dashing, inside you will find alarge 10.25 inch infotainment system, supporting wireless Apple CarPlay andAndroid Auto. In our testing, the setup was quick and seamless. These arepaired with both physical air-conditioning controls and a volume knob,something that I feel is important. The speaker system in the X70 Plus is Sonybranded, and delivers impressive clarity, good bass and mids. But outside ofthe great legacy features, like many Chinese vehicles, this family crossover isfully equipped: Keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, manybraking and hill-assists and your lane assist features.Design & InteriorThdesign and interior is the major differentiatorbetween the Dashing and the X70 Plus. Whilst the Dashing offers a bolder, morecommanding look, the X70 Plus is more subdued, offering an SUV look most peopleare used to, and I appreciate this feature. Whilst similar vehicles, havingthese different looks is an attractive feature for buyers, as the less showy,more “low-key” look of the X70 Plus suits me better. The front grill is not toolarge but rather flows with the rest of the car, and overall the car’s looksare minimal. And let's not forget that sunroof!Once again, this is one of my favourite interiors in acrossover. The blend of minimalist styling whilst also retaining essentialbuttons, knobs and a normal gear shifter works very well in the design, and Ido wish Jetour continues this type of design language. Seats are wrapped inleather, as well as the steering wheel. The overall interior is great!SpaceThe Jetour X70 Plus has a rather decent sized boot,although I do believe there are areas for improvements. With all seven-seatsup, the X70 Plus has an 89L boot capacity, which is slightly underwhelming.However, with the third row seats put down, the capacity is 438L, which is acceptable.On a brighter note, both headroom and legroom were very good, and offered amplespace for even tall passengers.Price & Overall ThoughtsPricing of the Jetour X70 Plus starts atR444,900, with the Prime version starting at R494,500. Whilst I do see theappeal for the Jetour X70 Plus and I firmly believe this crossover SUV pushesabove its price tag, its younger Dashing brother just feels like the betterdeal. But seeing it as a family car, the X70 Plus is still a solid crossover atits price range.