Embracing technology at Auto Africa

Intent on making its presence felt at the biennial Auto Africa exhibition, which opens to the public at the Expo Centre (Nasrec), Johannesburg, on Saturday, 28 October 2006, Popular Mechanics is showcasing a weird and wonderful assortment of cars and machines - including a jet-powered dragster on loan from Tarlton International Raceway.

Says editor and publisher Alan Duggan, "We knew that we'd be competing for the public's attention against a formidable line-up of new models and concept cars, so we decided to concentrate on offbeat exhibits, with a healthy measure of new technology thrown into the mix."

The dragster, for example, is powered by a Westinghouse jet engine that used to propel a US Navy Banshee fighter during the Korean War. Piloted by Nico van Rensburg, it demolishes the standing quarter-mile in about the same time that it took you to read this sentence.

Also on show is a solar-powered car built by students from the University of Pretoria, a Gecko 8-wheel drive military all-terrain vehicle, a beautiful custom motorcycle known as the Redneck Rocket, a drag quad, the new Segway personal transporter, and a "naked" Yamaha MT-01 muscle bike (worth R110 000) that Popular Mechanics is offering as a prize in a subscription competition.

Adds Duggan, "Arguably one of our coolest exhibits is also the smallest - a tiny fuel cell car that runs on hydrogen generated from ordinary water. It's perfect for us, because our magazine is all about demystifying science and technology."