Entertainment, celebrities and of course, the sun. After-all this is the province were the sun rises! We Joburgers are yearning for that!
This year, the Total Economy Run which enters its 36th edition will be held at the majestic province in the country Mpumalanga at White River from July 26 to 28.
The province is synonymous with international tourists owing to its iconic gems such as the Kruger Park, Three Rondavels, etc…
So, the decision to host it this year in the province by the organisers and sponsors Total SA should sway in Dollars and Yens!
True, it will provide a welcome boost for the Mpumalanga town of White River and other adjacent areas.
Ok, the purpose of this year’s economy run will measure consumption in litres per 100km and will be calculated to five decimal places. The winner of each class will be the team with the lowest rate of fuel consumption over the two exhaustive days of driving.
The kind of fuel to be used in the make and models of cars competing against each other over the same route, distance and under the same set of regulations would be nerve-wracking!
Eligible vehicles –of which the number has increased according to the organisers- for the event, need to have been manufactured from 2008 onwards and each vehicle needs to comprise a driver, navigator and observer.
Various manufacturers have entered vehicles in the different categories and have experienced drivers and navigators to ‘play-around’ with those vehicles.
There are ten petrol passenger vehicle classes from A to J, ranging from up to 1100cc to hybrids over 2001cc and above. There are five diesel passenger vehicle classes from K to O, ranging from 1400cc to 2500cc and higher. There is also a class for petrol SUVs and double cabs and a class for diesel SUVs and double cabs.
Fred Berrangé and Chris Pearce from the Leopard Conservation Project will be
competing as a team, driving a Citroën. For every litre of fuel they use, a cash donation will be made towards the establishment of the rehabilitation centre, with the donation being doubled by Total South Africa.
“Our aim is to link a meaningful CSI activity to the staging of the Total Economy Run. We are a sponsor of the Leopard Conservation Project and believe that helping them to build a rehabilitation centre for these beautiful, but increasingly threatened animals, is a very worthy cause for Total South Africa to be involved in,” says Nadia Vosloo, Total South Africa’s Brand and Dealer Communications Manager.
“The Total Economy Run has developed a very strong reputation over almost four decades and we are confident that this year’s exercise will be another great success in the interests of promoting fuel efficiency.”
The overall winner of last year’s petrol category was the Team Total members Robbie Coetzee and Craig Trott driving a Toyota Aygo. Their fuel economy was measured at 5.191 litres/100km.
The overall winner of the diesel category was the team of Eddie Bielfeld and Brian Page driving a VW Golf Tdi Blue Motion. Their fuel economy was measured at 4.396 litres/100km.
Who will be this year’s winners, be at race to see how economical it is?
Meanwhile, the likes of television-and radio presenter, Maurice Carpede, Top Billing presenter, Simba Mhere, as well as two Miss Earth representatives, Tamerin Jardine and Aurelia Nxumalo, will show their worth in this challenge.
