Last week I was lucky enough to be invited by the Ford Team to the launch of the all new Ford Focus in Knysna. The journey started with a very short flight from Cape Town to George on a very small SA Express plane!
Once we´d all arrived safely in George, all the journo´s convened, got some do´s and don´ts about our driving techniques and then were told to buddy up for the drive from George to Knysna. My driving partner for the next 2 days was Dylan from GQ. En route we were meant to switch drivers, but just as well we forgot as thanks to Dylan´s light foot on the accelerator, we came out tops in the fuel efficiency challenge!
We stayed at the superb Turbine Hotel on Thesen Island in Knysna. If you ever get the chance, and can afford it, this is a must stay. This boutique hotel used to be an old power station and they have done it up beautifully, whilst retaining it´s industrial feel. My room was exquisite and I was very sad to leave after just one night, without even getting a chance to experience the in house spa.
The view from my bedroom window
The room
The turbine doing its bit for the environment
The pool area at The Turbine
After an hour´s R&R it was time for a quick briefing on the new Focus and then the games began! Each journalist was required to complete a few tasks among them we had to ski on Wii (to get an idea of how well the new Focus handles the road) and my favourite one – off road racing simulation (which I won by the way, beating all the boys – who then had a second go after dinner to try and better my time!). After the tasks were completed we were treated to an amazing meal at the hotel´s, Island Cafe. After dinner we enjoyed a few birthday drinks for one of the Ford team member´s 21st birthday and then it was time for bed.
The WINNER!
Breakfast the next morning was a real treat, eggs benedict was definitely the way to go. With tummies full, it was time to hit the road. To start the journey we got to drive the 2.0 GDi sedan. All of the cars really impressed me in terns of “green design” and aerodynamics. The halogen headlights organically wrap around the car’s body, while the fins on the tail lights morph into the car’s flowing lines. Thereby improving fuel efficiency in the Focus.
The chic interior
Team Ford´s Lloyd giving it horns!
First stop Red Berry farm, a strawberry farm en route to Oudtshoorn where we swopped cars and set off again, this time in the 1.6 five-door hatch. I must say, I definitely found the hatch to be a bit sluggish compared with the sedan. But both boast slick, luxurious interiors with all the bells and whistles – automatic windows, lots of boot space (especially in the sedan), and brilliant sounds systems which include USB ports for your ipod – a necessity 😉
Our final stop was lunch at Chandelier ostrich farm. Here I got to sit on an ostrich, spit ostrich dung and enjoy the most delicious ostrich pie I have ever tasted. For the final leg of the ride and drive, I got to drive the 5-door 2.0 GDi Sport, aside from the colour (mustard-yellow!) this is a pretty cool car. Fabulous Sony sound system and automatic EVERYTHING – from voice controls to push-start buttons to automatic seat adjusters, this little hatch has it all. The best feature being the heated seats, something I wish I had in my own car on these cold winter mornings. The GDi Sport was probably my favourite car out of all three we got to drive, not because of its power (because to me the sedan definitely exudes more of an umph, but because of the extra features this car includes. It´s a car for lazy people as you do not actually have to lift a finger once in the driver´s seat, you can use voice commands for just about everything, except changing gears! Along the Outeniqua pass towards the airport we really got to experience the Focus´s Torque Vectoring Control which constantly balances the power between the front wheels so you can enjoy similar levels of road-hugging ability and control of a luxury car.
Sitting on “James”
A demo on the flexibility of James´s neck
Spitting James´s poop
The Pro Rider
Highlights:
USB ports, a must-have on roadtrips
Fuel efficiency
The turbine hotel
Beating the boys in the time trial
The portable solar charger gift in the media packs
Chandelier
Meeting some awesome peeps
Lowlights
Having to stick to the speed limits, especially on the Outeniqua pass (I really wanted to experience everything my sexy little hatch had to offer)
All in all a great little car that defini
tely boasts some note-worthy green credentials. Now if I could only afford one…
Thanks again to team Ford, we had a blast!
Nics xx
