Archive for May, 2015
Road Surfaces Over The Millennia
If I were a better artist, I’d love to create a wordless book tracing the development of a road across from a single game trail to a modern superhighway. History is pretty fascinating, so let’s take a look at how road surfaces have changed over the millennia. I’ll just stick to road surfaces, as including the wheres and whys of roading would make this article far too long to read in one sitting.
If you’ve ever seen a house where they park on the grass during winter, you soon see why. All that pressure and squelching soon becomes deep, thick mud, where wheels get bogged. Shortly after the wheel was invented (around 5000 BC), road surfacing followed shortly afterwards.
Roman road still in use in Jebel, Syria.
The earliest form of road surfacing was just plain brick, and examples can still be seen today in the Indus Valley. However, paving stones proved to be superior – they could just be cut out of rock and dropped into place, rather than baked like bricks. What’s more, rain and grit didn’t wear stone away like it did brick.
The Romans were the first ones to do more than just chuck stones down on top of the surface of a dirt track. They figured out that if you put down a good base layer, all the rain would drain away more easily, so you didn’t get problems with rutting and potholing as often. The Romans invented basecourse and subbase, and these techniques are still in use today.
At the bottom of a Roman road, the earth was levelled off at a fair depth down and rammed. After this, a layer of large stones the size of a hand was put down. Next came a layer of concrete (yes, the Romans invented concrete). After that, a layer of very fine gravel. On the very top came flagstones, and they were laid so the middle of the road was higher than the sides, rather like the shell of a tortoise, for better drainage. Not all roads in Roman times got the full treatment, but the most important ones did – the key ones for trade and military manoeuvres. Other rather familiar things found on a proper Roman road were milestones and pavements (sidewalks).
The Romans also introduced the idea of roading standards – they had a set of measurements that had to be stuck to for all roads, as least as much as possible, complete with different measurements for straight bits and for curved bits.
Legionaries building a Roman Road. “Metopa Columna lui Traian Constructie drum”. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons –
Tar did get used to seal roads during Classical times. This mostly happened in the oil-rich Middle East. Back then, tar was the only thing an oil well was good for. But the idea of combining the Roman method of construction with the waterproofing of tar didn’t come for nearly 2000 years later. From 500 BC to about 1800 AD, it was cobblestones all the way. It wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution that a new method was discovered… ironically, it was about the same time that better suspension systems in the form of leaf springs put in an appearance.
The breakthrough was invented by the Scotsman John MacAdam, although some credit does have to go to a couple of other civil engineers of the time, Pierre-Marie-Jérôme Trésaguet and Thomas Telford. These three engineers had the goal of making good roads cheaply. Needless to say, it was hard work making cobblestones that fitted nicely into roads to give it a good smooth finish. Cobblestones, after all, had to be cut by hand by a skilled bloke with a hammer and chisel.
Macadam did two things. Firstly, he did away with the club sandwich of layers that the Romans used, although a plain sandwich of basecourse and subbase still gets used today. Secondly, he found out that a good layer of gravel pushed into the right shape allowed for good drainage and was a lot smoother than cobblestones – and could be bashed into shape by a machine or by a road gang (possibly of convicts) in large quantities. Your typical back-country gravel road is what a Macadam road looked like.
Macadam’s roads had one problem, even though they drained pretty well and gave a comfier ride. They kicked up heaps and heaps of dust, especially once motorized transport became really popular thanks to the manufacturing efforts of Ford and others. A solution was found pretty quickly: tar, which had the added advantage of being waterproof. This was known as “tarred Macadam”. This method involved two coats of tar or bitumen: one on the subgrade before the macadam gravel, then a top layer to seal it all in. You can still see this method used on a lot of country roads.
Then came Edgar Hooley, who had the bright idea of mixing the aggregate (the finely crushed gravel) with the tar before putting it on the road. This was then flattened into place by a steamroller (which really did run on steam) and was super smooth as well as waterproof. He patented his method under the name “tarmac” (short for “tarred Macadam”, although we also call it after the form of tar mixed with the aggregate: bitumen or asphalt.
Modern asphalt/bitument/tarmac.
Naturally, the development of road surfaces is still going on today. Slipping, cracking and rutting still happen. Who knows what they’ll think of next?
Safe and happy driving, whether your wheels are on gravel, cobbles or tarmac,
Megan
Private Fleet Car Review: 2016 Subaru Outback Diesel.
A Wheel Thing greatly appreciates the support that Subaru Australia has offered since mid 2012. As an independent reviewer, A Wheel Thing survives on that support, so when a company offers up two new examples of their much respected Outback, to do a back to back review, that support is deeply appreciated.
As the vehicles are almost identical, this review will focus on the main difference (the engine) and the minor accompanying differences. For the overview, please click: http://blog.privatefleet.com.au/buy-new-car/private-fleet-car-review-2016-subaru-outback-3-6l/
The diesel tested was the entry level, non Premium version.
Powersource.
It’s Subaru’s 2.0L diesel and a noisy one at that, connected to their Lineartronic CVT. Power is 110 kW at 3600 revs, torque is the same as the 3.6L petrol, at 350 Nm. Delivery of that torque, however, is between 1600 and 2800 rpm. There is a manual available; Subaru quotes 9.7 seconds to reach 100 km/h with that and just 0.2 seconds slower for the CVT.
Subaru quotes 5.7L per 100 kilometres covered on a combined cycle, from the 60 litre tank, with highway and urban as 5.0L/100 km and 6.9L/100 km. A Wheel Thing finished with 6.4L per 100 km, with an expected range of 340 km after covering 602 km. Theoretically, once could make it from Sydney to Melbourne, via the Hume, on a full tank with a little to spare.
The consumption is aided by the diesel’s seven ratio CVT (preprogrammed shift points), with a final drive ratio of 4.111 to 1. The CVT is, in A Wheel Thing’s opinion, its sole flaw, in a driving sense.
On The Inside.
The interior in the diesel is virtually identical to the 3.6L tested. Of note is the lack of the award winning Eyesight radar system and the tabs for Subaru’s iDrive system are missing from the steering wheel. Yes, you do get a sunroof.
The Suit.
The exterior is almost identical, except for a minor trim change for the polycarbonate on the flanks, being all black and not highlighted with a chrome flashing. Otherwise, the diesel is indistinguishable for non “trainspotters”, the only other difference being 17 inch alloys and 65 profile tyres (from Yokohama, not Bridgestone), instead of 60’s on 18’s. Wheel design is identical.
The design strong point of the Liberty sedan and Outback wagon is the wide opening doors, to almost 90 degrees to the bodywork. This makes for exceptionally easy entry and exit, plus loading into the back seat as well.
On The Road.
Ride quality is seats of the pants different to the 3.6L with its 18 inch wheels and 60 profile rubber. There’s a hint more….liveability, in that the ride itself feels just that little more compliant without losing the tautness in the suspension.
Taken on a good Mother’s Day drive to a well known spot in the far north west of Sydney, Wiseman’s Ferry, with the composite of urban, rural driving on a varying mix of road surfaces, along with straights, corners, off camber curves and tightening radius turns, there was never any sensation of feeling undeterred or unsettled.
Again, however, the brake pedal felt “long” constantly, with, for A Wheel Thing’s peace of mind, too much free travel at the top before the brakes felt as if they “bit”. With some blind turns needing some good braking due to traffic ahead doing the same thing, the brakes were the part that lacked confidence.
The steering never felt as if it wasn’t communicating with the driver; the 3.6L talked a lot but the diesel Outback seemed, oddly enough, more an extension of the driver’s arms, with point and shoot directionally becoming virtually instinctive. Although a slightly bigger turning circle than the newly released 2016 Outlander, it never gave anything other than an impression of being tied down.
The CVT, when mated to the right engine, can be a great way of taking engine power and torque and transferring that to the road. The CVT with the diesel gave a very strong impression, under acceleration, both light and not so, of a slipping clutch for a manual gearbox. It rarely felt as if all of those torques were being sent to the ground yet seemed to rarely trouble ONCE the Outback was under way. It simply lacked that sensation of the lonnnnnnnnnng seamless wave of acceleration diesels and autos should have.
The revs for speed, when under way, were a good match for the torque delivery, with freeway speed seeing the tacho sitting just under where maximum torque was delivered, meaning overtaking and mid range acceleration were safe enough. Oddly, however, was the occasional transmission of torque steer, with those moments quickly passing as either the engine came off boost or the electronics intervened.
Off boost, the engine is, like most diesels, unwilling to do much in the name of performance and with the CVT there were times when a more rapid response was not just needed but badly needed. There’s still also a delay between Reverse to Drive, not a good thing when reversing onto a road and a speeding driver suddenly appears.
The Wrap.
Subaru have done a sensational job with the Outback range, it would seem, especially with the sales numbers so far. The diesel is, certainly, a much more economic proposition to drive and, again, a seats of the pants feel says a touch better ride overall. 
There’s a great level of trim available, although the lack of the Eyesight system could be seen as a retrograde step. However, that then should involve the driver to drive, not be a passenger…
Subaru’s pricing calculator says the driveaway price will be around the $39K to $40K mark, depending on suburb. That puts the diesel Outback well into the reach of most people. A Wheel Thing would like to sample the manual (A Wheel Thing’s preferred gearbox!) to see if the drag of the CVT, the flat spot of the driving, disappears or if it’s a characteristic of the engine in regards to the feeling of running through mud at low revs but accelerating.
For specific information on the Outback range, go here: http://www.subaru.com.au/outback/specs
BTCC 2015: Ascendancy and Tainted Supremacy at Thruxton
Almost a year ago now while writing my review of the 2014 BTCC round at Thruxton, I chose to go with the headline, “Honda Dominates at Thruxton Thriller”. Going into the weekend, my biggest concern was that I would have to run the same line. The Honda domination may have been apparent at Thruxton for the last four years, alas in 2015 their supremacy was not set to continue. But in this weekend filled with drama of the highest order, a new power is rising. Are we witnessing the rise of a new champion?
The British Touring Car Championship is in itself daunting enough for any brave soul to undertake, let alone when it includes the fastest circuit in the UK. A tweet posted by WSR driver Sam Tordoff perfectly encapsulates the experience of Thruxton for a driver:
“Back at @thruxtonracing for @DunlopBTCC today where skill is swapped for balls”
I could very easily dedicate an entire post to the circuit itself, with its potent mix of high speed corners and tricky chicanes. All the tracks on the BTCC calendar are not for the faint hearted, but it is at Thruxton that the brave come forward from the herd. To conquer Thruxton is to conquer your own consciousness; your logical mind would tell you to lift, but those who lift are those who lose. You must separate yourself from your conscious self, tap into the primal animalism and unleash the beast within you.
As the race weekend arrived, Honda were a sure fire bet for top honours across the board. But as qualifying rolled around everyone was in for a shock when Irishman Aron Smith grabbed a sensational pole in a time of 1:16.785, beating the Shedden Honda by 0.02 seconds. After qualifying, Smith admitted his delight at scoring his first pole,
“I am certainly over the moon with that. Saturday is always the hardest day of the weekend so to come out on top is brilliant”
Smith did not have the best luck – while Neal has attracted some negativity with his driving style
Sadly, Smith would not see his brilliant lap translate into a win in the first race. After being bogged down on the start, he slipped behind the two Hondas and into the grips of a certain Adam Morgan who was capitalising on his immense effort on the Saturday. The deciding moment came on lap 8 when Smith suffered a puncture at one of the fastest parts of the track, causing a buttock clenching spin. To his credit, Smith saved the car and limped back to an eventual 21st. At the top end of the field, the spoils went to the Honda duo, headed by Flash himself, followed closely by the Mercedes of Morgan. Further down the field, there were some great battles between Josh Cook, Sam Tordoff, Tom Ingram and Rob Collard scrapping for position all race long.
Gordon Shedden was delighted with not only his victory, but the performance of the Civic Type R,
“To get another win and one-two with the new Civic Type R is a fantastic feeling. I got a great start so straight away I was in some clear air, which made the all-important job of looking after the tyres quite a bit easier. By the time I was at the Complex for the first time I’d broken the tow, and from then on I could manage the pace – the car was perfect.”
The Honda domination was set to evaporate in the second race, which saw a race long battle royale between the front row men of Jason Plato and Rob Collard; Collard got the jump on Plato off the line, not that Plato let him get away with it easily. Unlike years gone by, the racing was thrilling yet clean. For the rest of the field however, the race was not so clean cut. A coming together off the line between Morgan and Priaulx saw the rest of the field scatter in avoidance. For Jeff Smith and Josh Cook especially, they found themselves acting as dynamic Dunlop advertising having collected the boards at the edge of the track. To avoid overheating, this did force them both into the pits. The Honda of Neal was not to fare too well, colliding pretty forcefully with the Team BMR machine of Smith, forcing Neal into an early retirement. The race win would eventually fall to Plato, achieving a monumental 90th career win,
“I’m getting closer to 100 wins! I don’t think I’ll be able to get them all this year, the championship is too competitive, but it’s getting closer.”
Relentless action up and down the field all weekend
As the grid formed up for the final race, Adam Morgan found himself on pole alongside the determined Andy Jordan, keen to get his first win in 2015. But Morgan was untouchable; even after a safety car period following an incident with Warren Scott, Adam was set to win comfortably in his Mercedes. Further down the field, Matt Neal found himself up to his old tricks, ramming into the back of Josh Cook’s Chevrolet on the entrance to the Club chicane. But the star of the show was always going to be Morgan, who cruised home to an impressive victory ahead of Andrew Jordan and Sam Tordoff,
“It’s an incredible feeling – it was great to win at Brands but doing it on the road is another level. I’ve wanted to get a lights-to-flag victory for so long, and to do it around Thruxton is amazing”
As the lights go down on another thrilling weekend at Thruxton, Shedden leads the drivers’ standings ahead of Turkington, Neal, Plato and Jordan. However, the top six are separated by a mere 16 points, proof of the strength and success of the BTCC, thanks in no small part to the NGTC regulations. Of the big names in the title chase, it is Turkington who has in many ways impressed me the most. Throughout the year so far, Turkington has managed to remain outside the limelight, yet scores consistent finishes that has left him 2nd in the standings. This is most probably the best approach to have; consistency is the name of the game after all. There is no better way to achieve regular results than to avoid trouble.
The rise of a new challenger
I believe that the race weekend at Thruxton was not just another round of the championship, but a snapshot of the moment when people will say that the championship underwent an evolution. For years, it has well been known that Thruxton has been a track dominated by Honda. And yet, in 2015 Honda was only able to secure one victory across the weekend. Add to that a superior victory by Adam Morgan in the Mercedes and a picture starts to materialise of a shift in the balance of power in the series.
If we look back at the races so far, much of the focus has shifted onto the newer faces in the championship such as Moffat, Cook and Morgan. Since the start of 2015, Morgan has laid the foundations of what may well be a challenge for the championship. He lies 6th in the standings, a mere 16 points behind series leader Shedden. After four years in the championship, Morgan has become a highly competitive and quick driver and has provided a more consistent drive already this year than many of the titans of the touring cars. On top of that, Aron Smith has made his intentions clear; his drive in the final race at Donington has most definitely become one of the drives of the last few years in a single race. The standings may be challenged by the usual suspects, but I am beginning to ponder whether the tides are changing and their power is slipping.
As the series heads off to the rolling hills of Oulton Park, the championship is moving into a new era where I highly doubt we will again see one team or driver run away with the title like in previous years. We may only be three race weekends in, but I can see the battle remaining as close fought as it currently is. If Thruxton proved anything it is that the superpowers of the past may not have retained the supremacy they once reveled in; new powers have risen to challenge the once unattainable dominance. The critics of the past have fallen silent; this is touring car racing at its very best.
This is the British Touring Car Championship.
Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @lewisglynn69!
Keep Driving People!
Peace and Love!
All Images Credited To: BTCC.net
Private Fleet Car Review: 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander XLS.
Mitsubishi’s medium sized SUV has grown considerably since it was released back in the mid noughties. Now looking nothing like the original donor car, the Lancer, it’s gone from a smallish, angular, almost “runt of the litter” look, (with a paltry four speed auto underneath), to a rounded off, handsome, male oriented look with its most recent update.
A Wheel Thing was bookmarked for the top of the range Exceed diesel, however a minor scheduling hiccup (ok, Mitsubishi needed it more than I did), saw a transfer into the mid range seven seater, the XLS, complete with 2.4L four cylinder petrol engine.
Normally we’d look at the engine first, however the most notable changes have been to the exterior so:
The Suit.
The changes are not insubstantial but are limited to the nose cone and tail light clusters. At the rear, the lights now spread across into the (non power operated) tail gate whilst the design has been modified slightly from before, sporting a “neon light” effect, plus a new chrome strip joins the two assemblies. 
The rear bumper has also been refined, with exhaust tips now integrated into the fairing for the top model, with the XLS retaining a single right hand exhaust underneath the redesigned bumper.
At the front, the bulbous and blobby look has been replaced; there’s chromework aplenty (a Japanese style change as Mitsubishi’s competitors have also gone the bright work look) contrasting with a blackout treatment between the now sharper edged headlights. The XLS sports LED driving lights around the reduced area and more angular cluster.
The bumper itself now has a sharper delineation horizontally, with two thickish chrome strips (rsembling a C on the left and mirror imaged on the driver’s side) bracketing a two bar grille and a centre aligned blackout. The outer edges have been reprofiled, holding onto the globelit driving lights there.
It’s more edgy and male oriented, it seems, tying in with the advertising.
In profile, there’s not much else to set the 2016 model apart from its immediate predecessor, apart, perhaps, from some too subtle to be noticed sheetmetal changes, however there’s a alloy look strip added to the lower extremities of the doors. Down below, there’s some attractive alloys, 18 inch diameter with 225/55 tyres, with a full sized spare available.
Powersource.
It’s Mitsubishi’s well proven 2.4L petrol four cylinder, with 124 kW and 220 metres of Mr Newton’s torque, at a high-ish 4200 revs. That rev point is crucial, as we’ll discuss later. Gearbox wise, it’s a CVT, with the now almost mandatory six program points. Power is put down through all four wheels and the car has a lockable centre differential should you choose to do a bit of off roading.
There’s a 60 litre tank for the donk to drink from and it’ll take almost any unleaded you can throw at it. Economy is rated by Mitsubishi as 7.2L per 100 kilometres on a combined cycle.
On The Inside.
Anyone having the 2013/14/15 model will immediately feel at home on the inside. A Mitsubishi strength has been ergonomics and there’s little to not like here. There’s the normal, chunky but not too chunky, steering wheel, the same design layout for the buttons for audio and Bluetooth, the dash with its full colour screen in between the dials and a piano black surround for the navitainment screen.
That sits atop the wonderfully simple layout for the aircon controls, a long standing highlight for the Outlander. Comprised of two round rocker switches for the driver and passenger’s zone for temperature, one for the fan speed and separate buttons for the rest, it’s a delight in its simplicity and utterly useful.
Mitsubishi’s website claims the XLS (and Exceed) have DAB (digital radio), I don’t recall seeing that on the screen. Navigation usage is simple, and best done when a vehicle is stationary, as certain required fields can’t be accessed with a vehicle in motion.
There’s seven seats, five for the main intended usage and two strap operated fold up/down seats in the rear, which doubles as a cargo area. With the rear seats up, there’s a mere 128 L; down, there’s 477 L. With the middle row folded flat, that jumps to 1608 L.
Plastics are of a somewhat more refined look and feel, with a general feeling of being a little higher class than before. The seats themselves have, in the XLS, a different cloth weave, however still feeling lacking is bolstering, side support, with lateral grip applied by the weave and not the cushions.
Ignition is key operated, in the XLS, with the Exceed getting keyless start and behind the tiller are paddle shifts.
On The Road.
Two very noticeable situations with the XLS in the week it was with A Wheel Thing. The torque the 2.4L generates may be fine with a hydraulic gearbox, offering reasonable if not scintillating, performance. That’s further dulled by the CVT, with overtaking on straights requiring a lot of prior planning and hoping another vehicle wouldn’t suddenly appear coming the other way. The other was the surprising amount of lack of front end grip on damp roads.
The XLS was showcased by taking it south of Sydney to the beautiful seaside town of Kiama for a weekend. There were two trips further south to Nowra, accessed by the Pacific Highway, with some stunning views and long sweeping curves. As, at the time of review, Sydney had been inundated with constant rain, the roads were wet, to say the least. In areas where the roads were signposted at a certain speed, there was unexpected understeer, to the point that velocities were reduced to levels under what would normally have been expected. This, from all four corners being driven and all three AWD modes being selected, just in case.
The actual steering ratio feels to be between 3.5 to 4 turns, lock to lock.
On dry roads, that understeer all but disappeared, leading to speculation that the tyres weren’t in harmony with the steering under the wet circumstances. The dry weight of the car is 1535 kg, towing capacity is 1600 kg; with four aboard plus fuel let’s call it two tonnes to haul around. Peak torque at over 4000 revs just doesn’t suit the CVT and the XLS’ intended usage, I certainly don’t believe any exuberant off road work would…well, work.
Ride quality was taut, without being jolting, with just the right balance of compliance before tightening up. It’s a flat ride, for the most part, minimal body roll with dive and rear end squat under acceleration invisible. Acceleration itself, with four aboard and not really a great deal of luggage, was spartan in its appeal. Full pedal movement had the Outlander under way with a leisurely stride, with no real hurry to see the needle move around the dial. Braking, on the other hand, started with one of the best balanced and modulated pedals around, with a bite, enough to give confidence, as soon as the pedal was pushed and stayed progressive through its travel.
The Wrap.
The Outlander range certainly has the appearance of having lost weight, visually, by reducing the roundness front and rear. The sharper edges to the headlights, to the front trim and the extension of the rear lights into the tailgate give a semblance of flattening the Outlander and providing a more assertive look.
The interior is still a delight in its ergonomic usefulness, it’s certainly corfortable enough (lack of side support, not withstanding) and on dry roads grips like a limpet. The wet drive performance in corners, well….and that lacklustre engine dull down the experience too much.
Pricing will vary depending on your location and insurer, according to Mitsubishi’s online price calculator but figure on around the $40K mark driveaway. It will be interesting to finally sample the diesel but from previous experience we don’t anticipate the dearth of life the 2.4L petrol has.
Go here: http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com.au/vehicles/outlander/specifications/outlander-2-4l for details on the 2.4L range.
The Car.
Engine: 2.4L, four cylinder.
Fuel: 90RON unleaded and above.
Power/Torque: 124 kW/220 Nm @ 6000/4200 rpm.
Transmission: Constant Variable Transmission, with six preprogrammed ratios.
Economy: 7.6L/100 km (no other figures available).
Seating: seven, two rear fold down, 60/40 split fold middle row.
Dimensions (L x W X H in mm): 4695 x 1810 x 1640.
Wheelbase/Ride Height: 2670 mm/ 190 mm (unladen).
Weight (dry): 1535 kg.
Cargo: 128L/477L/1608L depending on seating configuration.
Service/Warranty: refer to the Mitsubishi website for terms and conditions.
Level 2, 9 Help Street