Archive for 2015
Let's Rock n Roll: BTCC Young Guns Lead the Charge at Rockingham
Photo Credit: BTCC.net
Whenever the British Touring Car Championship heads to Rockingham, you can guarantee a fascinating days’ racing. The title fight has been set ablaze with 5 drivers all within 30 points of each other, following a truly knightly Knockhill for hometown hero Shedden. As Motorbase man Mat Jackson plants his titanic Ford on pole during qualifying and BMR appear to be rediscovering their mojo, who will come out on top when the fat lady sings?
One of the biggest news stories to come from Saturday was the announcement that Shedden had been demoted from 3rd place down to 7th due to a pit infringement during the qualifying session. It was clear that Flash was somewhat annoyed yet understanding about his penalty; with John Cleland also racing at Rockingham, I wonder if tips on controlling the descent of the Scottish red mist were given:
“We’ve got to race to the rules, and it would appear that we’ve broken the rule and we’ve been punished – it is what it is and there’s nothing I can do to change it.”
From the second the lights were out, Gordon Shedden made clear his intentions for vengeance upon the rest of the field. As Mat Jackson powered off into a lead he would never lose, in typical Flash-ion, Shedden made light work of those in his way and was soon not only up to his original 3rd place, but charging up behind the Ford. Despite securing pole position for race two with a blistering time, Shedden was never able to catch the flying Ford of Jackson, who was able to manage both the gap and his tyres to an eventual 1.8 second lead as proceedings came to a close.
It was not the lead battle that captured the imagination of the fans; it was however the scrap for all the top 10 positions. After making an excellent start from the 6th row of the grid, Cook made his way up to 6th and was even fighting to get past the Honda of Neal. But the demands of the Rockingham circuit do take their toll on the soft tyre, meaning he would fall back to an eventual 13th. All eyes fell on the epic struggles between Moffat, Cook, Ingram, Jordan and Turkington.
All action in race 1 as drivers jostled for positions. Photo Credit: BTCC.net
The BMR Volkswagen did not have the same dominance I was expecting; after a collision and broken suspension, Plato would return to the track to qualify only 12th. While Smith achieved a well earned podium, he was struggling to keep pace with the haunting Honda. My hero of race one however had to be the Mercedes of Adam Morgan who fought back not only from 19th to 9th at the flag, but also secured 2nd on the grid for race two. It was very nearly an 8th for Morgan, following a catastrophic rubber failure (read: puncture) for Neal on the last lap who plummeted down the order. Credit also should go to Jeff Smith in the Eurotech Honda who placed his machine 5th for the second race.
As the field charged into the first corner for race 2, Shedden led Jackson from Morgan. What was happening behind was anyone’s guess. Star of race two fast became Josh Cook who Power Maxed back up to 4th position (couldn’t resist). In fact, Cook was lapping at the same place as Flash Gordon himself! While Jackson attempted to fend off Morgan, Josh approached from the rear. With two laps to go, Cook in the Chevrolet became the fastest driver on track, and set upon Adam Morgan. Unfortunately for Cook, Morgan is one of the hardest drivers to pass in the BTCC grid. As everyone thought it was over, Cook made his move into the final chicane, passing the Mercedes and getting the first ever podium for both himself and Power Maxed Racing! Josh Cook has made a solid entry for move of the season with that delectable beauty.
“The car has performed really well. It’s really special to get our first podium, and to do it in race two, on true pace, is fantastic.”
Cooking with Gas: Josh was on fire at Rockingham thriller. Photo Credit: BTCC.net
To paraphrase the hilarious musical wordsmith Tim Minchin, ‘only a ginger, can overtaking another ginger driver!’
In the meantime, while the soft tyres began to fade, Goff was spearheading a pain train consisting of Turkington, Tordoff and the recovering Plato. As the flag dropped, Shedden brought home another victory ahead of Jackson and the sensational Cook. Great result also for Rob Austin who brought Sherman home 6th ahead of Plato, Turkington and Goff.
The final race of the day is anything but boring or predictable; with Tingram gaining reverse grid pole from his 10th in race two, it moved the BMR boys of Turkington and Plato into a potentially race winning position. With the flying Cook starting in 8th for the final race, once again on the medium tyre, can he gain his first ever win while the carnage ensues around him? Will the battle of the gingers rage once more? There was only one way to find out!
Race three would not last long for Goff who was spun out at the first corner, while Ingram shot off into an early lead, pursued by the daunting BMR twins of Plato and Turkington. A great defense by Tom Ingram held off Plato despite his best efforts early on, which meant that Tom could back Plato up into the grips of Turkington and the ever approaching Neal. In a flashback to Donington, a great battle between Cook and Smith ensued, luckily without any collision this time.
The eternal gods of the BTCC struck once again when a collision between Abbott and Bushell brought out the safety car. In the final race of the day, all the cars are bunched up. Let the pressure build up once again, a little more than those of Lewis Hamilton’s tyres in Monza! As the safety car pulls in, Plato appeared to return to old form by knocking Ingram around the first part of the track. Alas his efforts were not successful as Tom presents a stout defense. Even when Plato finds his way past, Tingram gives him a taste of his own medicine and muscles his way back into the lead.
Inevitable race three contact between Morgan, Moffat, Tordoff and Cook helped shoot Morgan further down the order; a shame after his great effort in race one and two. To add to his woes, Morgan would discover the joys of playing in the sand pit himself, ruining what was a great race weekend for him until that point.
Despite his epic defensive drive, Plato would eventually find a way past at the first hairpin, but due to Welch retiring on track the safety car once again came forth. The BTCC scriptwriters clearly made their decision that one more caution period would be enough for one final bout of action. Indeed, Plato’s restart was not enough to pull him away from the ever present Tingram who was on his case once more.
As the cars hit the final lap, as Plato takes the chequered flag Moffat and Abbott have a huge coming together into the first corner. An astonishing drive and an astonishing result for Tom Ingram, who brought his Avensis home in 2nd ahead of reigning champion Colin Turkington. Many people seemed to give Jack Goff the ‘next big thing’ tag, but after that performance, I am willing to strip him of said title and give it to Ingram. It takes significant level of bravery to take on Plato and come out alive. And Tingram managed it.
“I was crying all the way around my in lap! I’m absolutely speechless, I’m such a small cog in a very big machine. I tried all I could to hold onto the win, when I managed to get back alongside Jason I couldn’t believe what I was doing! It was the best race of my career without a doubt, this is what it’s all about.”
No one could deny how much that podium meant to Tingram. Photo Credit: BTCC.net
BTCC Series Standings after Rockingham:
1. Gordon Shedden – 286
2. Jason Plato – 280
3. Matt Neal – 259
4. Colin Turkington – 253
5. Andrew Jordan – 240
As we look forward to the final two race weekends of the year, it really is anybody’s race. The top 5 have utterly dominated the championship over the last 6 years, and are now covered only by 46 points. Based on the season so far, literally anything could happen over the next 6 rounds. Could Andrew Jordan become the first driver to win a title having not actually won a race throughout the year? Will the Plato v Shedden battle be their ultimate downfall?
What is clear, is that the younger generation have shown their hand, and what a hand it is. Adam Morgan, Josh Cook and especially Tom Ingram have shown that the titans may soon be toppled. As the series moves onto Silverstone, the only way to find out what will happen is to be there.
I’ll see you there!
Don’t forget to follow my usual antics on Twitter @lewisglynn69
Keep Driving People!
Peace and Love!
The End Begins: The Final Aussie Commodore Unveiled.
Holden today took the covers off the final Australian made Commodore. The nameplate goes back to 1978 and, with Holden due to cease local manufacturing in 2017, will see the name fall a year short of forty years in the Australian motoring landscape. With thanks to Holden and their hard working PR team, here’s how the Commodore shapes up:
- Holden reveals most powerful Commodore ever built – 37 years in the making
- Commodore VFII V8 models boast new, more powerful 6.2-litre LS3 engine
- Bi-modal exhaust and mechanical sound enhancer standard on all V8 sports models
- Front and rear Brembo brakes standard for top of the range SS V Redline
- Commodore VFII developed and engineered for Australian conditions in numerous locations including Phillip Island, Alpine Ranges and the Surf Coast
Today, Holden has taken the covers off the quickest, most powerful, most advanced Commodore ever built, the Commodore VFII.
VFII introduces a new 6.2-litre LS3 engine to all V8 models, along with numerous upgrades including bi-modal exhaust, mechanical sound enhancer and all-new styling cues.
Making its debut at a special, custom-built Commodore Gallery at the brand’s headquarters in Port Melbourne, Holden today celebrated 37 years of Commodore by bringing together more than 30 Commodores, from one of the very first 1978 VB Commodores, to concepts, exports and motorsport heroes, illustrating the history and evolution of Australia’s favourite car.
The 2016 Commodore VFII is equipped with the powerful LS3 6.2-litre V8 engine and delivers 304kW of power and an exhilarating 570Nm of torque, ensuring that this is the quickest Commodore ever, posting a 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.9 seconds.
An engine of this caliber deserves a pure V8 soundtrack, so Holden engineers developed a distinct and fitting engine sound; the result of endless hours of local testing and courtesy of a newly introduced bi-modal exhaust with unique Holden designed “Baillie Tip” and mechanical sound enhancer.
Building on the performance of the LS3 V8 engine, Holden’s track focused, top of the range, SSV Redline sees the introduction of Brembo brakes on all four wheels, providing exceptional braking performance under all conditions and specifically designed to perform under closed circuit and track day conditions.
Holden’s Chairman and Managing Director, Mark Bernhard, described the Commodore VFII as the culmination of nearly four decades of design, engineering and manufacturing expertise, combined with unrivalled Australian experience.
“We made a commitment to keep this iconic car exciting and relevant for Australian motorists, and that is exactly what we have done. This is the vehicle that our Commodore customers have been asking for,” said Mr. Bernhard.
“Commodore VFII is powerful and refined, it will evoke emotion in its driver and exhibits all of the hallmarks Commodore has become renowned for over the years.
“Commodore represents 37-years of innovation, performance and technological advancements and has earned its place as Holden’s longest-standing and most successful nameplate.
“Holden’s design, engineering and manufacturing teams have produced the best Commodore ever – a vehicle that truly lives up to its reputation and one that the entire company is incredibly proud of.
“This is the reason Holden is committed to ensuring we will continue to have engineering and design input into Commodore, and every other Holden vehicle in our range, for generations to come.”
In addition to being the most powerful Commodore ever, VFII also boasts the exceptional refinement and handling that Holden has become famous for. Tuned at Holden’s Lang Lang proving ground and tested across Australia, VFII’s revised FE3 rear sports suspension increases ride comfort whilst retaining its sharp handling.
Holden’s Lead Development Engineer, Amelinda Watt, said the extensive development work combined with Holden’s Australian expertise ensured the new engine, sound and handling was unique and thrilling.
“The new 6.2-litre LS3 engine and its distinctive sound character is the result of years of hard work, testing, developing and evaluating this vehicle and I’m so proud of the end result,” said Ms. Watt.
“This is absolutely the best car we have ever engineered and we are confident we are giving all our customers a compelling reason to put the latest Commodore in their driveway. We know that they will enjoy driving VFII as much as we enjoyed creating it.”
The introduction of functional hood vents and fascia ducts were developed by Holden engineers with support from Melbourne’s Monash University wind tunnel, improving aerodynamics around the front corners of the vehicle.
Hood vents, a stunning new front fascia as well as the introduction of clear lens tail lamps on sedan models and new LED tail lamps on all Sportwagon models gives VFII a more aggressive exterior to match the LS3 V8 under the bonnet.
Commodore VFII goes on sale in October with demand for the unbridled V8 variant expected to be extremely strong. Customers wishing to register their interests can do so at their local Holden dealer or via the Holden website.
New Features to Commodore VFII Range
SV6
- Passive entry / Passive start
- New front fascia and grille
- New 18 inch alloy wheels
- New LED tail lamp (Sportwagon only)
SS
- 6.2 litre LS3 V8 engine
- Bi-modal exhaust with mechanical sound enhancer
- Passive entry / Passive start
- New front fascia and grille
- New 18 inch alloy wheels
- New LED tail lamp (Sportwagon only)
- Performance brake option
SSV
- 6.2 litre LS3 V8 engine
- Bi-modal exhaust with mechanical sound enhancer
- New front fascia and grille
- Hood vents
- Colour Head Up Display
- New 19 inch alloy wheels
- Clear lens on tail lamps (sedan only)
- New LED tail lamp (Sportwagon only)
- Performance brake option
SSV Redline
- 6.2 litre LS3 V8 engine
- Bi-modal exhaust with mechanical sound enhancer
- Rear Brembo brakes
- New front fascia and grille
- Hood vents
- Clear lens on tail lamps (sedan only)
- New 20 inch forged wheel option
- New LED tail lamp (Sportwagon only)
Calais
- Heated front seats (with memory)
- 8 way power passenger seat
- New 18 inch alloy wheels
- Clear lens on tail lamps (sedan only)
- New decklid lettering
- New LED tail lamp (Sportwagon only)
Calais V
- Optional 6.2 litre LS3 V8 engine
- New 19 inch alloy wheels
- Clear lens on tail lamps (sedan only)
- New decklid lettering
- Limited Slip Diff (V8 models only)
- New LED tail lamp (Sportwagon only)
- Performance brake option (V8 models only)
Caprice V
- 6.2 litre LS3 V8 engine
- Lip spoiler
- New 19 inch alloy wheels
- Single exhaust tips
- Performance brake option
Colour Range
- Slipstream Blue* (NEW) – available on all models (except Caprice V)
- Empire Bronze* (NEW) – available on Evoke, Calais, Calais V and Caprice V only
- Phantom Black*
- Nitrate Silver*
- Prussian Steel Grey*
- Jungle Green* – available on sports models only
- Some Like It Hot Red*
- Heron White
- Red Hot
- Regal Peacock Green*
*premium paint – $550 option (except on Caprice V – no charge)
Pricing
Recommended retail price^ of the Commodore VFII range is as follows:
Commodore VFII Sedan
- Evoke, V6 Auto $35,490
- SV6, V6 Man / Auto $37,290 / $39,490
- SS, Man / Auto $44,490 / $46,690
- SSV, V8 Man / Auto $47,990 / $50,190
- SSV Redline, V8 Man / Auto $53,990 / $56,190
- Calais, V6 Auto $41,290
- Calais V, V6 Auto $47,990
- Calais V, V8 Auto $55,490
Commodore VFII Sportwagon
- Evoke, V6 Auto $37,490
- SV6, V6 Auto $41,490
- SS, V8 Auto $48,690
- SSV, V8 Auto $52,190
- SSV Redline, V8 Auto $58,190
- Calais, V6 Auto $43,290
- Calais V, V6 Auto $49,990
- Calais V, V8 Auto $57,490
VFII Ute
- Evoke, V6 Auto $33,490
- SV6, V6 Man / Auto $33,990 / $36,190
- SS, V6 Man / Auto $40,990 / $43,190
- SSV, V6 Man / Auto $44,490 / $46,690
- SSV Redline, V8 Man / Auto $50,490 / $52,690
Caprice Sedan
- Caprice V, V8 Auto $60,490
Optional performance brakes and 20 inch wheels
- Performance brakes (V8s only) $350
- 20 inch forged alloy wheels (redline only) $1,500
Holden’s Lifetime Capped Price Servicing, the largest of its kind in Australia, will also available on the Commodore VFII range rewarding customers with complete peace of mind.
^ Recommended retail price excluding dealer delivery, on roads costs and government charges
Private Fleet Car Review: 2015 Holden Cascada Convertible.
Convertibles and Australia should go together like ham and pineapple on a pizza. It’s been tried by many. Many have failed. Holden has another go in 2015, with the Opel sourced Cascada 1.6L turbo four. A Wheel Thing runs the optics over it and likes some of what is seen.
To kick it off, there’s immediately a problem. It’s a mix of lack of torque in a heavy car and a smallish fuel tank. Think 260 Nm, a 56L tank and a 1750 kg car. A six speed auto works well enough, but the ratios just don’t seem to offer enough to take advantage of the torque and when instant fuel economy of 40L per 100 kilometres is seen under acceleration that isn’t hard….economy is quoted as 7.5L per 100 km on a combined cycle.
From the pickup point to home is near as damnit to 75 kilometres. Using a quarter of a tank to do so, in 95% freeway driving says more about this car than anything. On handover there was a quarter tank left after around 430 km covered. It ended up looking better than it could have been but part of the return journey was at speeds of twenty to thirty klicks, on a freeway. It’s fair to say that around town the economy would be something to give thought to.
Acceleration is leisurely, rather than a sprint. There’s never a feeling of all of those torques hooking up from the six speed auto and being put down, with full effectiveness, to the road, with the weight taming any pretensions of speed the Cascada might aspire to. The mass also dulls rapid changes of direction, even with a low centre of gravity, plus the brake pedal needs adjusting for travel, with it feeling like an inch before any bite on the pads could be felt.
Moving to the interior, it’s a sweet place to sit, roof up or down. Except for the centre console. It’s busy, very busy and one that a driver needs to study for some time before driving. There’s a button for every separate air conditioning function, including dials for the two zones. It’s overdone, par excellence’. Another downside is the somewhat cheap and chintzy feel the gear selector has, with a hard edged plastic feel to the button being pressed to unlock the movement.
Other than that, it’s standard GM/Opel/Holden in switchgear on the nicely sized steering wheel, a red-orange monochrome display ahead of the driver and a classy look to the dials and layout in the binnacles, with touches of chrome brightening the black plastics. There’s a seven inch screen in the upper centre console that looks just like the one found in a Commodore, except that it’s a non touchscreen setup but does come with the similar apps.
The extendable cushion in the front seats is handy, the padding and leather look is beautiful to behold however lacks ventilation (cooling) being heating only. Oh, by the way, there’s a heating function for the tiller…Another nifty touch is the mechanisms that power forward and back the holder for the seatbelts; hop in, twist the ignition and they travel forward a few inches, allaying any need to reach further back for the belts.
The selling point of the Cascada is the convertible section. It’s a sweet one, taking under forty seconds from fully up, to down and back again. It’s operated by a small chromed lever in the centre console; pull and hold and the mechanisms do their thing, swiftly, smoothly and quietly, at velocities up to 50 kmh. There’s a window switch mounted inside the roof latch, for the rear windows, however all four raise and lower along with the roof’s programming. Rear vision is an issue, with a small window incorporated into the tough triple layered fabric roof. Small also applies to the rear seat space should a driver choose to move the seats back.
The exterior is sleek, svelte, with the rise of the guards sweeping up into the A pillars in an almost unbroken sinuous curve. In profile the black fabric roof looks not at all out of place, with a view from the rear displaying a bold elegance to the look and tail lights. Bootspace is, understandably, tight, with enough room for some overnight bags and houses a space saver spare. Rolling stock is stylish 18 inch alloys with Potenza 235/50 rubber.
Cascada sits on a 2695 mm wheelbase, with an overall length of 4696 mm, somehow managing to look smaller than that. It’s low, a trim 1443 mm whilst track, front and rear,is identical at 1587 mm. Holden quotes front headroom as 960 mm and rear as 917 mm. Cargo space is quoted as 280L with the roof folded, 380L up.
Roadwise, the Cascada is a mixed bag. Steering is well weighted, precise enough but there’s a sensation of the rack being a bit loose whilst driving, with a feeling of movement from the front end being transmitted through the system to the driver. The ride quality in the Cascada was smooth but at times floaty, with the suspension absorbing bumps well but not tying down the chassis over repeated rises and falls in the road. The exhaust note is flat, uninspiring, sounding like an unwell vacuum cleaner.
Roof up, there’s more noise allowed in via the thin rear windows than the roof itself. For roof down driving, a wind blocker is found in the boot and is easily installed thanks to spring loaded locating rods. At speeds up to 120 kmh, sure there’s road and wind noise but noticeable for the lack of intrusive turbulence thanks to the car’s canny engineering and aerodynamics.
Cascada comes with a service interval of 9 months or 15000 kilometres and a new owner could be eligible for the Lifetime Capped Price Servicing. There’s also a year’s worth of Roadside Assistance included.
The Wrap.
It’s A Wheel Thing’s opinion that the Cascada will have an audience but a limited appeal. The consumption, the busy console, the (understandable) inability to house rear seat passengers and the need to compromise on boot space plus the floaty ride quality conspire to lower the overall appeal the otherwise sweet looking Cascada can offer. Prices start from $42K which is another tick against it. For details on the Cascada , click here: Holden Cascada range
A Car That Turns Head For The Wrong Reasons: The Reliant Robin
And on top of the other weirdness, the bonnet opens backwards.
There are some cars that turn heads for the right reasons. You look at them and think “Wow!” I remember nearly going off the road the first time I saw a vehicle that I loved the styling of (it was a 2000 model Ford Falcon XR6, by the way – although I mistook it for a Jaguar at first glance). Others are a pure dream to drive and seem to have been created by designers who really think about what people need and want (something I’ve experienced with the Volvo and the Saab I’ve owned over the years – bravo, Sweden!).
Others turn heads for the wrong reasons. They leave you wondering what on earth the design team was thinking. You wonder how on earth the cars in question got off the drawing board, let alone the sales yard. One car in particular stands out as a real head-turner (for the wrong reasons) and head-scratcher: the Reliant Robin.
If you’ve seen a Mr Bean episode, you’ve probably seen a Reliant Robin. It’s the three-wheeled blue thing that perpetually gets shunted out of the way by Bean’s beloved yellow Mini . This vehicle wasn’t, as I once thought back in my teen years, specially created by the producers of the Mr Bean series as a joke. It is for real. A design team really did sit down and a car company really did make a car with three wheels. What’s more, it sold. Apparently, the “Plastic Pig”, as it came to be called, is the second-most popular fibreglass vehicle. It also went through three facelifts (all of which kept the three wheels) and was produced up until 2001.
The idea behind the Reliant Robin was frugality and innovation. It was developed back in the 1970s during the oil crisis, so cars with small engines were highly desirable (some things don’t change). This had the benefit of bringing the Mini and the Fiat 500 to public attention but it also produced some right horrors. As well as the Reliant Robin, another mid-1970s horror was the Sebring-Vanguard CitiCar, an electric vehicle (yep, things haven’t changed) that was great in the fuel consumption department but looked singularly hideous and had windows that zipped up.
The Sebring Citicar.
But why, oh why did they make it with just three wheels? It doesn’t make for better aerodynamics to increase the fuel economy. It certainly doesn’t make for better handling. Out of all the three-wheeled car designs (the Reliant Robin isn’t the only one in existence), the delta layout (one wheel at the front, two at the back) is the least stable and is prone to rolling when braking The “tadpole” layout – one at the back, two at the front, as seen in the BMW Isetta – is somewhat more stable.
The reason why they made it with three wheels was to make it more accessible: because of the engine size and because it had less than four wheels, it was classed as a motorbike for licensing and registration purposes. If you were a miner working in the north of England who needed to get to work cheaply but didn’t want to freeze your buttocks off on a motorbike, and you didn’t want to pay a packet for car registration, something like the Reliant Robin kind of made sense, especially as you could fit the family in the back, like you would with any three-door hatchback.
Specifications-wise, the Reliant Robin achieved its aim of good fuel economy. The 1970s model’s teeny little 750 cc engine (with 29.5 kW of power and 63 Nm of torque and a 0–100 km/h time of 17 seconds, depending on who you ask) could do 70 miles per gallon (that’s 4 L/100 km). The top speed of the Robin was 136 km/h, although given its performance when braking and cornering, you probably wouldn’t want to flog the little thing that hard. Especially as the body was made of fibreglass to keep the weight and fuel consumption down. Needless to say, the Reliant Robin has a rear-wheel-drive powertrain.
The Robin is notoriously unstable, with a tendency to lift rear wheels off the ground during hard braking or cornering. This is probably the main reason why it ended up being the patsy in the Mr Bean episodes: it was easy to roll, push, tip and otherwise abuse. Top Gear episodes have also taken the mickey out of the Robin. And the three-wheel design makes it look just plain weird.
However, as with all very distinctive cars, there are going to be a few people who are passionate about the quirkiness of the vehicle in question. Some people love the Robin. Heck, one specialist website claims that HRH Princess Anne once owned one. Owners say that they like the way that people stop to stare and smile at the car. Small children have been known to burst into laughter at the sight of a Robin. So I guess the Robin has the advantage of bringing more smiles and laughter into the world. If you want to do this, fine. Just remember two important things: (1) take it very, very easy around the corners, and (2) have another vehicle for taking the kids to school unless you want them to die of embarrassment (although it would make a good parental threat).
Safe and happy driving, whether you prefer two, three or four wheels,
Megan
Level 2, 9 Help Street