These Brands Are Redefining Partnerships.

handshake

The world of Branding is one of many layers, from building and preserving your brand to collaborations. Over the past few months we have seen a lot of big brands collaborating with South African found brands. You may be asking yourself what cross industry collaborations are.

Cross Industry collaborations are those partnerships or agreements between two brands from different industries. This kind of collaboration is rare but there has been a change in the past month. Here are some brands that signed off on interesting cross industry deals:

Huawei x Bathu

Bathu Sneaker
Image: Bathu website

On the 26th of August, Hauwei launched their latest nova series (nova 8 and nova Y60). The features of the new series had Huawei fans excited, but no one saw the big announcement coming. Above the cool features, Huawei fans were excited by the brands collab with well-known sneaker brand, Bathu. It is always good to see big international brands seeing value in proudly South African brands as a way to appeal to South Africans.

BMW x Drip

Drip sneaker
Image: Township News

Drip is one brand that has been making moves this year. This brand dates back to 2003, their resilience is the reason they are making the right noises today. In July, Drip announced a partnership with Hip Hop artist turned to self proclaimed King of Ama Piano, Cassper Nyovest. The collab was through a new sneaker called Roots of Fame.

Fashion meets motoring with Drip’s lastest announcement of a store in the BMW Midrand dealership. This move dropped a lot of jaws as no one expected the luxury car brand to open its doors to a proudly South African sneaker brand. Talk about steps into the fast lane.

Facebook x Ray-bans

Ray Ban and Facebook
Image: Screen Rant

Sunglasses and social media, who would have thought that one product would come out of that…well Mark Zuckerberg and his team have done it again. Ray-Ban and Facebook have partnered to bring us Ray-Ban Stories, Facebook’s first smart glasses. The glasses come in Ray-Bans stylish design, built in with two 5MP cameras and a LED light that turns on when you are recording. These glasses have brought a whole new lens to the social media landscape, one can only wonder what’s next.

The Future of Collaborations

It seems like cross industry collaborations are becoming a norm, with brands from totally different spaces coming together to give us great products and innovation. Could this be because brands are trying to appeal to a wider audience and obtain a larger share of voice? whatever the reason may be, I am here for more cross industry collaborations.

#DriveWithPat BMW 218i Gran Coupe M Sport

BMW 218i M sport gran coupe

Once upon a time in Mzansi, “driving” a 2 series meant that you didn’t have a car and you were a “journey walker”. Today, driving a 2 series means that you could be driving one of the finest cars in the market – the BMW 218i M Sport Gran Coupe.

But first, let’s talk about how 218i Gran Coupe looks

From the outside, the first thing that catches your attention immediately when you look at the BMW 218i Gran Coupe is the Misano Blue metallic. The colour is so unique and distinct. It is impossible not to notice the car.

  • BMW 218i M Sport Gran Coupe Front
  • Rear view the BMW 218i Gran Coupe

From the front, the M Sport model puts its command for attention on another level. The day-time running LED headlights and fog lights just tells you that this is a modern-day car. The aerodynamics package with front apron, side skirts coupled with the BMW kidney grille gives the car a sportier look. It is fitted with 18″ M light double-spoke bicolour wheels.

The dynamic frameless doors complete the sporty profile.

In terms of the rear of the 218i Gran Coupe borrowed some of its looks from the 8 series. The long tail lights as they extend to the centre. In my view, the rear does not look as sexy as the front. It doesn’t have that thing.

BMW 218i Gran Coupe Rear view

Let’s get inside the BMW 218i Gran Coupe…

When you step inside the car, it’s like you are entering a whole new world, it looks like a mini spaceship, with a technologically advanced cockpit. You are also greeted by the large screen infotainment system and digital speedometer. The interior is exquitely designed, it has sport seats for driver and front passenger in cloth ‘Trigon’ Sensatec. At night, it’s got ambient lighting on the doors.

BMW 218i M Sport Gran Coupe interior

One of my favorite features in the car in the Harman Kardon sound system. It one of the best sound systems I have experienced in a car. Whether you are jamming to Amapiano or hip hop it delivers quality sound.

Over your head, you’ve got a panoramic sunroof that stretches all the way to the back. It is however optional.

The tech

If there is one word to describe the technology in the car, that word is impressive. The 218i Gran Coupe really boasts some cool technology features including the parking assistant, which is helpful for drivers who find parallel and perperndicular parking challenging. It also has a reverse assistant feature which stores the steering movements for any section the car has just driven forward along at no more than 36 km/h. The system is then able to steer the vehicle in reverse – for distances of up to 50 metres at a maximum 9 km/h – along exactly the same line it took when moving forward.

BMW 218i M Sport park assistant
BMW 218i Gran Coupe park assistant

I also found the voice command, which is triggered by uttering the words “Hey BMW” very easy to use. It also has AppleCar Play, which automatically connects without a cable.

Check out my instagram reels on these cool features.

So how does the 218i Gran Coupe drive?

BMW has really delivered on its promise of Sheer Driving Pleasure with the 218 Gran Coupe. It is an absolute joy being behind the wheel of the 218i Gran Coupe. It equipped with a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine (103kW/ 220Nm), mated to a six-speed dual-clutch auto gearbox.

Acceleration = 8.7 seconds 0-100km/h.

Most die-hard BMW fans will be a bit disappointed to find out that the 218i is a front wheeler, however, if you have deeper pockets you may opt for the 235i or the 220d which are all-wheel drives. Nonetheless, it is a fun car to drive.

Is it spacious?

If you seating in the front seats there is enough leg-room. I found the rear seats not having sufficient space and I am not the tallest person. The sloping coupe roofline compromises headroom when the rear seats are occupied. 

The 430-litre boot capacity is expandable, courtesy of 40:20:40 split flat-fold rear seats. There are a number of storage compartments for things like your phone, cup holders and side. I must say the storage is not that generous. Everything is just compact.

So how much does it costs?

The starting price for the BMW 218i Gran Coupe M Sport is R589 500. Book a test drive here.

Does it get a Pat or a Slap?

I thoroughly enjoyed testing the BMW 218i M Sport Gran Coupe and it gets Pat from. What do you think? Leave a comment down below.

Please check out my previous car reviews

Top 5 “Vrr Pha” Brands

Golf R

The trending phrase during the 2015 festive season was “Ziright iGirls” meaning “are the girls okay?”. This phrase was used to make fun of the people who worked too hard to impress girls in social spaces e.g. clubs, social markets and chesa nyamas by buying them expensive drinks. However, this year the wheels have turned and you will hardly hear people using that phrase, because “Vrrr Pha” has taken over this December’s festivities.

For those who do not know what Vrr Pha means, it is a phrase that is used to describe the sound that an engine of modern sports cars make when changing gears. Vrr Pha is often associated with hot hatchbacks that have a direct-shift gearbox (DSG) and dual-clutch automatic transmission. And of course it is not every car that can make the Vrr Pha sound, it takes a certain car brand to produce such a sound. In this post PAT ON BRANDS explores the top 5 car manufacturers that are associated with the Vrr Pha trend.

1. Volkswagen Golf 7 R

Source: VW Website
Source: VW Website

The VW Golf 7 R is a stunner, and commonly perceived as a “panty dropper”. It is also probably the car brand that made the “Vrr Pha” trend popular. If you are looking for “street cred” this is a perfect brand for you. With a starting price point of R583 800, this Vrr Pha will have you turning heads with its sporty looks. It is also without any doubt that the Golf 7 R has the credentials of a hot-hatch. Powered with a 2.0 Litre Turbo charged, 4 cylinder engine peaking at 292 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. This four-wheel drive will get you from 0 to 100KM/h within 5.2 seconds making it the fastest Golf ever made. The fuel consumption on this Vrr Pha is 7.1 litres for every 100KM.

2. BMW M140i

m140i
Source: BMW Website

In 2016, BMW changed the name of the BMW M135i to M140i. According to Auto Express, the M140i is the fastest and most powerful 1 series money can buy. It is the only Vrr Pha on the list that has a 3 litre 6 cylinder, turbocharged engine and a rear-wheel drive. The rear-wheel drive makes the M140i one of the finest handling hatchbacks in the market. Although, it has 3 litres engine it is still not faster than the Mercedes Benz A45 as it takes 4.6 seconds to get to 100km/h. The BMW M140i has an 8-speed Steptronic transmission that consumes only 7.1 litres of fuel per 100 km. The engine produces 250kw and 500Nm. To drive this Vrr Pha out of the dealership will cost you about R607 000.

3. Mercedes A45 AMG

a45

According to cars.co.za this Vrr Pha is the ultimate hot hatchback. The Mercedes Benz A45 features the most powerful 2 litre turbocharged, four cylinder engine in the world. The 7-speed dual clutch transmission produces 280KW and 475NM torque giving it the ability to reach 100km/h in 4.2 seconds. This makes the A45 AMG the fastest Vrr Pha on the list. However, with that accolade comes higher fuel consumption, with only 7.3 litres giving you 100km. In order to get this hot hatch, unfortunately you will have to go deeper in your pockets as it will set you back R737 314.

4. Audi RS3 Sportback

s3

According to Quattro World the Audi RS3 is more of a “ballistic hatch”. According to Top Gear the Audi RS3 is innocuously-looking, which basically means it lacks the ability to cause any harm. However, the price is quite harmful as it is the most expensive Vrr Pha on the listwhen compared to the Golf R for example. The basic price of the Audi RS3 is a whopping R775 500, which gets you what I call a unique blend of beauty and performance. This Vrr Pha will take you 4.3 seconds to get from 0 to 100km/h with its 2.5 litre turbocharged, 5 cylinder engine. The torque on this beaut is a massive 465Nm and has a horsepower of 270 kW which gives you a top speed of 250KM/h. When it comes to fuels, this Vrr Pha guzzles, 8.1 litres of fuel gives you about 100KM to drive.

5. Ford Focus RS

st

In order level the playing field, we  couldn’t pull out the Ford Focus ST to compare it with the A45s and RS3s of this world. We had to call out its big brother, the Focus RS. Again, the Ford Focus ST is probably one of the hatchbacks that seem to have lost its streets-cred as a Vrr Pha. It doesn’t make that impressive Vrr Pha sound when compared to its counterparts, however according to Cars.co.za it is still a strong contender in the hot hatchback segment. Featuring a 2.3 Ecoboost litre four cylinder turbo engine. The Ford RS produces 257kW and 440Nm which makes the fourth fastest Vrr Pha on the listthe slowest Vrr Pha on the list, with the ability to reach 100 KM/h in 4.7 seconds. The basic price of the Ford Focus RS is R699 900, which is more expensive than the Golf R. The fuel consumption on the Ford Focus RS is 8.1 litres per 100KM which is the same as the Audi RS3.

Conclusion

Each one of the Vrr Pha brands have something unique to offer, from being the fastest, prettiest or most fuel efficient. The choice is completely yours. In terms of price and fuel efficiency the Golf R is a winner which we I believe has to do with why you and the rest of the world has spotted soI see many of them on the road. The Mercedes Benz definitely takes the title of being the fastest. Please let us know what your thoughts are on the Vrr Phas and which one stole your heart by leaving a comment below. Also do remember to share and to get in touch with @PatOnBrands on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and SnapChat.