Archive for 2015
Private Fleet Car Review: 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander XLS Diesel.
Mitsubishi’s update to the Outlander is a mix of looks and minor suspension work. There’s revisions front and rear to the sheetmetal and refinements to their engines. A Wheel Thing takes the 2016 Outlander diesel XLS for a run, backing up from the petrol version tested recently.
Powersource.
It’s the 2.2L diesel that Mitsubishi has had for some time, with 110 kW and a “decent” 360 Nm of torque, between a usable but lightswitchy 1500 to 2750 revs. It’s an on/off proposition, thanks simply to two things: the placement of the accelerator pedal and the CVT transmission.
The pedal is placed so the upper half of the foot, the part that most people use to press, is not right on the middle or upper section of said pedal, therefore it feels as if the toes were pressing in the lower half. The rev range then kicks in; light pressure had the XLS move away sluggishly, a decent prod had the torque explode through the drivetrain and pushing people into their seats as the vehicle suddenly surges forward.
The CVT itself is reasonable enough, but like so many CVT’s it never feels as if the full ability of the engine is being put down to the tarmac, whether it’s a lower torque petrol or a gruntier diesel, as is the case more and more in SUV’s.
The Suit/On The Inside.
Click here:A Wheel Thing reviews the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander XLS petrol. for the review of the petrol powered XLS and the Outlander’s new clothes.
On The Road.
It’s here that, oddly, the diesel’s ride quality differs from the petrol. It’s stiffer, more taut, less compliant but still comfortable and less prone to understeer compared to the petrol version. There’s more steering feedback, it’s not as somewhat vague or numb in comparison with even the braking system feeling more up to the task. It’s all quite…odd.
The overall impression was one of more solidity, more coherence, a more holistic feel; once the engine and gearbox had settled on where they wanted to be, the XLS hummed along quietly, with 100 kmh ticking the engine over at just under 2000 rpm, right in the middle of the peak torque figure. The positioning of the accelerator makes this a bit more difficult than it needs to be, but overtaking and freeway acceleration is an easy affair thanks to the torque.
However, again, the CVT dulls the experience, with that sense of sapping the ability of the engine and drivetrain to take full advantage of that 360 Nm. “Normal” driving just doesn’t imbue the same sense of pizazz and zap that a traditional hydraulic gearbox does, and even with preset ratios selected via the paddles there’s little improvement.
The Wrap.
The XLS, in kit and fit and finish, is fine. The diesel is lusty yet hobbled somewhat. The ride is better controlled and economy (6.2L/100 km combined, claimed from the 60 litre tank) offers Sydney to Melbourne range on the highway system.
The XLS audio system here DOES have a DAB+ (Digital Audio Broadcast +) system, which was pretty clear in reception up to Sydney’s lower Blue Mountains (where stations don’t guarantee signal) but, like any car based digital system, was prone to dropoff (also known as the cliff fall effect) unexpectedly.
As a package, the diesel is, A Wheel Thing feels, a better proposition than the torqueless petrol version. As a result, of the two, this is clearly the pick.
For pricing and details, head to the website: 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander range
The Car: Mitsubishi Outlander XLS diesel.
Engine: 2.2L diesel.
Transmission: Constant Variable Transmission (CVT).
Power/Torque: 110 kW/360 Nm @ 3500/1500-2750 rpm.
Tank size: 60L.
Economy: 6.2L per 100 km (combined cycle.
Dimensions: (L x W X H in mm): 4695 x 1810 x 1640.
Wheelbase/Ride Height: 2670 mm/ 190 mm (unladen).
Seating: seven, two rear fold down, 60/40 split fold middle row.
Weight (dry): 1535 kg.
Cargo: 128L/477L/1608L depending on seating configuration.
Service/Warranty: refer to the Mitsubishi website for terms and conditions.
Private Fleet Car Review: 2016 Toyota Camry Atara SL
It’s amongst the first of the last from the Australian manufacturing arm of Japanese goliath, Toyota. To say the Camry has had a facelift is to say the Burj Khalifa is a tall building. Effectively, every single component externally, bar the roof and the window line, has been redesigned, re-engineered and rebuilt. The 2.5L engine stays at the same capacity and offers two different peak outputs, depending on which Camry you buy. A Wheel Thing drives the top of the range Atara SL, wondering if a cardigan was required and was pleased to find out the answer.
Powersource.
It’s Toyota’s venerable 2.5L four, offering 133 kW or 135 kW (with the dual exhaust model) at 6000 rpm. Most drivers, of most cars, will never see that rev limit, which makes this number irrelevant. What is relevant is the torque, at 4100 revs of 235 metres of Mr Newton’s best, up four over the single exhaust.
There’s enough to get the 1505 kg (dry) Camry up and rolling deceptively quickly yet, oddly, doesn’t feel as if there’s anything there when the go pedal is asked to do something.
Toyota claims 7.8L combined cycle economy over 100 kilometres using 91 RON unleaded….A Wheel Thing saw a best of just over 10L per 100.
The transmission is a six speed auto, a smooth and quiet one at that. It works hand in hand with the engine, for the most part, with barely noticeable shifts under most throttle applications. Under a heavy foot, needing acceleration, it drops back, one, two ratios and there’s a fair bit of noise coming from under the Camry’s scalloped bonnet. Forward motion seems to not increase rapidly although the tacho is right around, rev wise, where peak torque is meant to be.
The Suit.
If one was to place this alongside the preceding model, one would be hard pressed to see a resemblance, unlike Audi’s “new” A4 (unveiled June 2015). Apart from the roof and the windows, every other panel is new. And damn, it looks good. From a sculpted, scalloped bonnet, to the deep dish, inverted Vee shaped, front air intake, to stylish 18 inch alloys to the Lexus-like profile and tail lights, it’s possibly the best looking, nay, sexiest Camry we’ve seen.
Ever.
From the front, head on, there’s no resemblance at all to Camrys of yore, rather the aforementioned inverted Vee, eagle eye headlights and LED driving lights set into the slopes of the Vee. In profile there’s a strong resemblance to a vehicle from Toyota’s luxury arm, whilst the windows are the only clear (no pun intended) carry over from the prior model..
The rear has a refinement of the angular lights whilst the bootlid opens up, via the lightest of touches on the pad, to reveal a chasm that seemingly (belying the actual 515L capacity) swallows the Grand Canyon and leaves room for a battleship.
On The Inside.
Yup, there’s plenty to like here too, but it’s not entirely perfect. There’s plenty of room, of course, comfortable seats and ergonomics are mostly well thought of. There is a clash of interior designs that are jarring to the eye, however.
The dash’s upper level has a stitched material look to it, but is hard to the touch. At either end there’s not a smooth blend into the door trim and they’re made of different material to the dash. There’s the same slightly bulbous look to the lower part of the forward console, with the result being a look that impacts on the legs and leg space.
The actual dash is a nice piece of engineering, with a smooth arched binnacle over the dials; there’s a four inch full colour LCD display, with an unusual layout to the information shown, plus a 6.1 inch touchscreen for the navigation and audio system (ten speakers for the Atara SL). Another oddity stands out, with the Atara’s dual zone climate control showing a light for when it’s off, not on…
The mix of colours is, to A Wheel Thing, a constant hindrance to being fully appreciated. The plastic alloy look is and always has been a cheap and chintzy add on, detracting from the otherwise pleasant enough ambience the cabin has. Except for the high visibility reflection of the dash in the windscreen…
The seats, in faux leather, are comfortable without a huge measure of support, with flat cushioning; the audio controls on the steering wheel (a clever nod in design, looking not unlike the Toyota emblem) double up on the search buttons, with seek and select preset leaving volume adjustment to be used separately, rather than leaving the seek to the touchscreen.
Safety isn’t overlooked for occupants, with seven airbags including curtain and driver’s knee. There’s pre-crash avoidance for the Atara SL, front and rear parking sensors (lower models get just two rear), blind spot and rear traffic alerts systems as well.
There’s a couple of nice touches in the Atara SL, such as an electric rear sunshade, auto high beam and digital radio but heating/cooling for the front seats didn’t seem to be readily visible. Keyless start is available for bar the entry level Altise petrol.
On The Road.
It’s surprisingly un-Toyota like like in its ride; it’s taut, firm, not plush, this Atara SL. Small bumps are dealt with, partially, and coming across those in turns has the nose feeling skittish, skipping across the road. That same tautness has the nose pushing into massive understeer in one roundabout, an unusual design that gives a driver a half figure eight entry and exit.
The steering ratio is quick (the column is also adjustable for reach and rake) with good response and feel through the system. It always felt communicative and was barely vague dead on centre, like so may are. The 215/55/17s help in feedback, yet, surprisingly don’t have a tendency to tramline, given the relatively thin footprint.
The torque of the 2.5L, being delivered so high, nevertheless sees the Camry moving to freeway speeds quickly, it’s when the high revs for the torque are called upon it feels as if it’s fallen into a hole. 235 Nm is a decent enough amount from a non turbo petrol engine, but it just doesn’t seem that it’s there. The lower ratios of the gearbox take advantage of the lesser torque nicely compared to the upper limits.
As expected, there’s good braking feel as well, with minimal travel before the foot begins to be told the pads are biting and it’s progressive, firmer, for the rest of the way.
The Wrap.
Much like its Australian based competition, Ford and Holden, with their final outings also rated as being the best made, the Camry Atara SL stands tall amongst its brethren. The external looks may polarise, perhaps even put off traditional Toyota customers, but some would say that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
In a crowded market and against contenders such as the Mazda 6, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima and Holden’s failed Malibu, a bold move from Toyota may be what the Camry, a car long seen as needing its driver to be outfitted in a cardigan, needs for that cardigan entry token to be ditched.
For pricing and extra information, head here: 2016 Toyota Camry range
For A Wheel Thing TV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Plwk9_Yu4qI&feature=em-upload_owner
The Car.
Toyota Camry Atara SL.
Engine: 2.5L petrol.
Fuel tank: 70 litres.
Economy: claimed (from 91RON) 7.8L per 100 kilometres combined.
Transmission: six speed automatic with paddle shift.
Power/Torque: 135 kW/235 Nm @ 6000/4100 rpm.
Weight (unladen): 1505 kg.
Dimensions: 4850 x 1835 x 1470 (L x W x H in mm).
Wheels/Tyres: 215/55/18.
Turning circle 11 metres.
Servicing: 4 years capped price (see Toyota for conditions).
Those Signs On The Dashboard
One of the things that you have to learn when you buy a new car is what all the information displayed on the dashboard is what all the warning lights mean. In the cars I remember from my childhood, like the old Mitsubishi Sigma station-wagon my dad let me steer down the driveway, and the Simca that was the first car I owned, there were only a few warning lights: usually the fuel light.
Today’s cars have many more sensors and information systems to let you know just about everything that’s going on with its inner workings. This information is usually presented to you via a little light on your dashboard. But these little lights don’t (or usually don’t) come right out and say something intelligible and straightforward like “Fog lights not working” or “Engine about to explode”. This is because the car was probably designed by Germans, built by Chinese, intended for Brits and sold to Aussies. Just as well, or these information lights might end up with classic examples of Chinglish along the lines of “Lanterns for use when soft cloud sleeping on ground not happy”.
Here, then, is a guide to what they mean…or at least what they look like they mean In the diagrams below, the numbers refer to the columns and the capital letters to the rows
Figure I:
- 1A: Soprano singing very high note; may shatter the glass of the windscreen.
- 2A: Beware of signpost shaped like a spanner.
- 3A: Aliens attempting to beam up sailing ship.
- 4A: Pigs with turbo-propellers fitted so they can fly. Activate manure-proof umbrella immediately.
- 1B: Badminton competition ahead.
- 2B: Asteroid approaching.
- 3B: (exact meaning of this has been sensored censored, as this post needs to be G-rated).
- 4B: You have overturned your bowl of noodles.
Figure I
Figure II:
- 1A: Whales visible ahead.
- 2A: Beware of Lego building blocks on road ahead.
- 3A: Turn around and go back: you’re heading the wrong way.
- 4A: North is this way.
- 5A: This car is Chitty-chitty-bang-bang and is about to take off.
- 6A: Very large insect on windscreen.
- 1B: Do you have the balls to drive this car?
- 2B: Flowers
- 3B: Please ensure that head is at the top and feet are down the bottom before attempting to drive.
- 4B: You need to go on a diet.
- 5B: Daleks ahead.
- 6B: Fair Isle or Scandinavian knitting not recommended while driving.
- 1C: Rub steering wheel to make genie appear and turn car into magic carpet.
- 2C: See Figure I, 4A
- 3C: See Figure I, 3B
- 4C: Visit nearest STI clinic immediately
- 5C: See Figure 1, 2B
- 6C: You are about to be kidnapped by the Illuminati.
- 1D: Whales this direction
- 2D: Exit this way
- 3D: Dark Lord approaching. Destroy One Ring immediately.
- 4D: See 1A
- 5D: Love your six-pack!
- 6D: Do not attempt to drive this car unless you are psychic
Figure II
And if you take this seriously, I suggest that you grab the handbook that was sitting in the glovebox of the car when you bought it and look up what they really mean.
Safe and happy driving,
Megan
United States of Brands: The American Speedfest Thunders Back to the UK
Image Credit: speedfest.co.uk
American Speedfest has never just been a race weekend; it is a no holds barred celebration of muscle, speed and extravagance drenched in American patriotism. Where can you find pageant shows, hot dog eating contests, live music and driving displays alongside mind blowing on-track action? For one weekend in June, the Kentish lands were transported stateside. America had come to the UK like never before. For the guests of Stopwatch Hospitality, they were treated to an unforgettable experience that for any motorsport fan was something truly special.
People often say that the 3rd film in a series is never as good as the originals and perhaps it needs to end. Well if anything, the American Speedfest is the exception. Having been to the Speedfest for every year of its existence, from my Stetson to my boots I can tell you that it blew the other years out the water. As the hugely popular event returned for its third year, the headline act remained the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series.
There are many within the world who look at American racing with a certain degree of scepticism; isn’t it just a bunch of rednecks in cars turning left for a few hours? It can be safely said that the NASCAR Euro Series does blow that theory straight out the ballpark. From the fiery pits of hell comes the meteoric rage of the ages, the gods unleashed their chariots of fire to rain their thunderous chorus upon us all.
Stopwatch became American for the day
For guests of Stopwatch Hospitality, it was not just NASCAR racing they got to enjoy, but a full behind-the-scenes tour of the DF1 Racing garage and even the chance to chat to one of their drivers, Christian Malcharek! It is not every day that you are up close and personal with a NASCAR machine, but Stopwatch made that possible! Topped off with a fabulous glass of prosecco for everyone, even Christian’s father Jirko Malcharek, Slovakia’s only ever F1 driver, joined the chat to regale the group with his stories of F1 testing. We even posed the ultimate question to Christian – F1 or NASCAR? Without even skipping a beat the answer was NASCAR, any day of the week.
Entrance to Stopwatch also meant access to the official grid walk for the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series. Seeing the cars in their natural habitat with their commanders and crew alongside is something not many race fans will get to experience. The look of childish wonderment spread across the faces of all our guests; that primal passion for motorsport never fades. It’s with you for life.
When it came to the racing, the American machines did not fail to deliver. The racing was intense, action packed and exhilarating to the very end. Some of the incidents throughout the races proved the importance that safety plays in the sport. Cars had their entire body ripped off or even wrecked, rolled and ruined, yet the driver would walk away unharmed. However, if ever there was one tweet to sum up the quality of the racing, it could only be this by Stopwatch’s own writer Lewis Glynn:
“The @EuroNASCAR scriptwriters hath decreed that no car shall gap another. For if you defy me, you will suffer a SAFETY CAR”
Image Credit: Speedfest.co.uk
The other support races included the monstrous Formula 5000 cars, who could drown out even a Slipknot concert as well as some V8 muscle cars that were just utterly beautiful to watch. A star in both these races was the Stopwatch favourite Greg Thornton, who came up and chatted with the guests. A star of all types of historic racing, Greg is by far one of the nicest most genuine people you will ever meet, who always has time for the fans. If this man was not a driver, he would be perfect for television; his to-the-point descriptions and analysis of his races made everyone feel they were in the car with him. Genuine man. Genuine talent. Genuine race driver.
But what makes the American Speedfest so special is that the racing is just one part of a fantastic jigsaw that fits together to create something which is every type of awesome. A visit from the auto-cast of Transformers and Cars were huge crowd pleasers, after all who doesn’t want to see Optimus Prime up close and personal? Combine that with iconic Hollywood car displays, an American style beauty pageant and a hot dog eating contest and there really is no reason to even go to the US. But to top it all off, crowds at the end of the day were treated to a Brands-style re-enactment of the famous scene from Back To The Future; the Doc, a chasing gang and of course the DeLorean with added pyrotechnics.
If I was honest, throughout the lead up to the event I was filled with an immovable doubt; NASCAR machines at a track that isn’t an oval and full blown American pomposity? Surely this would not be that good. It takes a lot for me to say this, but I could not have been more wrong. The bombastic fanfare that greeted me would have been enough, and yet every time I took a breath more would come. The American Speedfest has become above all else, one of the highlights of the Brands Hatch calendar every year. The added bonus of spending the day with Stopwatch Hospitality will give you a truly unforgettable experience, matched by no one else. Exquisite hospitality and views, multimedia access and a behind-the-scenes package gives guests a memory few others will share, a first-hand account of the full motorsport experience. It is not just what the fans see, but how the racing is seen by the teams and drivers.
The only way is the USA. The only way is Speedfest. The only way is Stopwatch.
See you in 2016!
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Keep Driving People!
Peace and Love!
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