Imataniswa nomshayeli osemgangathweni 
i-Alfa Romeo Junior

Ihamba ngogesi kuphela, kanti ubuso bayo obusanxantathu buyigqamisa isekude...

Ishaye Izule: noZandile Tembe

ISIKHUMBUZA ukuthi nakuba ungeke walugwema ushintsho akusho ukuthi alunazingqinamba, i-Alfa Romeo. I-Alfa Romeo Junior Electric Veloce yethulwe ngokusemthethweni eNingizimu Afrika ngonyaka, odlule mhla ka-29 Okthoba.

Abakhiqizi balolu hlobo lwemoto olusemgangathweni, olumataniswa nomshayeli othanda izinto ezicokeme, noyazisayo imoto ehlukile nenamandla emgwaqweni, bethuse abaningi ngokunquma ukukhipha uhlobo lwemoto ehamba ngogesi kuphela.

Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi nakuba icacele wonke umuntu eyomgqigqo wezimoto ezihamba ngogesi, kunohlobo lwezimoto ebezingakalindeleki ukuba zilwenze ngokuphelele lolu shintsho, ikakhulukazi lezi ezaziwa njengezinamandla, nejubane.

Izimoto zakwa-Alfa Romeo ezikhiqizwa e-Italy, ziwundabuzekwayo ngobunyoninco besakhiwo sazo nejubane lazo emgwaqweni, nokwenza abaningi babemanqika ngokukhishwa kwemoto ehamba ngogesi ngenxa yenkolelo ethi izimoto zikagesi azimuniki umshayeli umuzwa awuthola lapho eshayela.

Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi izimoto zikagesi azinamsindo we- “vrrrrrr phaaaa,” okitaza abathandi bejubane. ILANGA Langesonto linikwe ithuba lokuzizwela lo mshini, ukunikeza umfundi umbiko ngangakulindela kuwo.

Iqiniso lithi nakuba izimoto zalolu hlobo zidume ngesivinini, okungithathe kakhulu yindlela iVeloce ebukeka ngayo. Ubuncane bayo obuhambisana nemixhantela esezingeni eliphezulu nokuhlanganiswa kwayo, kwenza ungalisusi iso lakho kuyo, nokucacayo ukuthi abakwa-Alfa Romeo bebengazibekile phansi ekuheheni umshayeli. Ikhala layo ngaphambili (grill) likuthatha useza, kanti lakhiwe ngobunyoninco, linophawu lwe-Alfa Romeo.

Ibheji le-Alfa elihlanganiswe nengaphambili, liyenza ibukeke njengemoto yesimanjemanje, amalambu angaphambili mancane kodwa akhanyisa bha, kanti nakhona kusetshenziswe obukhulu ubuhlakani. Ubuso bayo obusanxantathu buyigqamisa iza okuyenza igqame emgwaqweni, abantu bebephenduka nayo impela.

Amasondo ayo awu-20-inch, aveza umbala obomvu lapha ezikhaleni (calipers), okuyenza ihluke kwencintisana nazo. Ngemuva badidiyele isitayela sabo sakudala nesesimanjemanje, okuyenze yahluka lapha ebhuthini. Yakhiwe ngobukhulu ubuciko, okwenza lobu buncanyana bayo buthandeke.

Bakwazile ukukhombisa ukuthi uyakwazi ukuhlanganisa isitayela sakudala nesisha, kuphume into eseqophelweni eliphezulu, okwenza ingakulahli futhi ukuba yi-sport, kwayo.

Ingaphakathi layo liyilokhu ongakulindela ohlotsheni lwemoto yomjaho, izihlalo zayo ezibambanayo (bucket seats), zakhiwe ngesikhumba se-Alcantara, ongasifanisa ne-suede. Lendwangu ikhiqizwa isipesheli, kanti ithungwe yatishwa ngokubomvu.

 I-dashboard yakhona nobuchweshephe bakhona buyazisho ukuthi obe-Alfa Romeo, konke okuthintayo kunophawu lwakwa-Alfa Romeo. Uthola konke okudingayo, kanti ihambisana nawo wonke-ama-smart phone, Apple Play ne-Android.

Uwezwa zisuka amandla ayo lapho uyinyathela, kayinabo ubuhixihixi nakuba ithe ukwehla emfuthweni uma iqhathaniswa nekaphethiloli. Izinzile emgwaqeni nasemajikeni.

Nakhu okuzomele ukulungiselele nokungaba yizingqinamba; uma usuyishajile ngokugcwele ungahamba ibanga elilinganiselwa emakhilomitheni awu-300 kuya kwawu-350.
 
Ungawathathi amashansi uhambe ngayo ibanga elingenazo izindawo zokushaja imoto kagesi. Khumbula ukuthi iyawudla ugesi, ngakho kumele uluhlelele uhambo lwakho. Ngebhadi asikakabi nazo izindawo eziningi zokushaja izimoto zikagesi, ikakhulukazi ezingama-EV kuphela.

Kumele uzinike isikhathi esingangehora ukushaja, okuzokunika okungenani u-60% kagesi. Inani layo lisuka ku-R799 999, kuya ku-R999 999, kanti ishayela ngamasondo angaphambili kuphela (front wheel drive). Ayinaso isikhala esivulekile, ikakhulukazi ngemuva, kanti ayiwulungele umndeni.

Wuhlobo lwemoto engathengwa wumuntu ophila ngayedwa noma ngababili ngenxa yokungavuleleki kwayo. Ivuna iphakathe nohlobo lwempilo oluphezulu.