AUTO MANIA: by Dr. Iain Corness [email protected]

MINI to be assembled here

MINI countryman

Hot news in the BMW camp is that their MINI Countryman is to be assembled here from CKD kits from the Graz plant. This will result in a cheaper MINI, with prices forecast to be under 2 million baht.
The imported MINI range will remain at around 2.5 million and up into 3 million.
There is no doubt that BMW have done very well with the resurrected MINI range, but for my money, the charm of the original Mini (which was small) has been lost. But then I am probably an old sentimentalist at heart.

The top 10 car nations, and we’re not in it

Brave lad in a Lada.

These are the nations with the most new cars and trucks sold in 2012:
1. China, 17.4 million
2. U.S., 14.5 million
3. Japan, 5.2 million
4. Brazil, 3.6 million
5. Germany, 3.3 million
6. India, 3.2 million
7. Russia, 2.9 million
8. U.K., 2.3 million
9. France, 2.3 million
10. Canada, 1.7 million
That list was published at the beginning of this month, but already it looks as if Russia is poised to take 5th slot by the end of the decade.
The report, from global firm Boston Consulting Group, projects that Russia’s auto market, which totals about 2.9 million sales annually, will grow at an annual rate of 6 percent through the end of the decade and surpass 4.4 million per year.
Russia is currently seventh - it was tenth in 2009 - but will be aided in coming years by special government programs to entice citizens to buy cars. In addition, automakers like Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. have recently built plants in Russia for locally produced products.
Only China, the U.S., India and Brazil will be larger auto markets by 2020, according to the BCG report. Russia will surpass Germany as the largest auto market in Europe by that time, though many in the industry expect that to happen in the next few years.
Though Russian auto sales are expected to fall this year compared to last - an assumption from analysts based on a scenario where the government won’t offer subsidies to citizens who buy low-priced cars, something auto executives expect will happen - the long-term prognosis is that localizing production will boost the Russian economy, and in turn, result in auto sales growth.
Overall automakers will invest more than $10 billion in upgrades and expansions in Europe through 2020, according to BCG.
Ford just finished building a plant with its joint-venture Ford Sollers in record time and will also build a new $274 million engine plant in Russia. The Dearborn automaker will triple its capacity in Russia to about 350,000 units in coming years.
GM is in the midst of a $1 billion investment push in Russia to increase annual production capacity from about 100,000 to 230,000 vehicles.
Those capacity additions will not only help automakers fill the demand for autos in Russia, but also in nearby countries like Kazakhstan, Belarus, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, where auto markets are still in their infancy stages. Anyone looking for a 30 year old Lada?

Cover me patrolman

Ford Motor Co. has a new surveillance system for police cars that automatically sounds a chime, locks the doors and puts up the windows if it detects someone approaching the car from behind. The system - which Ford is patenting - is the first of its kind. Backup cameras and sensors usually only work when a car is in reverse. The new system, dubbed “Surveillance Mode,” allows an officer to use them while the car is parked. An image from the backup camera is beamed onto the rearview mirror, so the officer can keep an eye on the rear of the car. If someone comes too close, four sensors on the rear bumper will detect them. The system works during the day and at night, when officers are often the most vulnerable.
Surveillance Mode is the brainchild of Randy Freiburger, a Ford engineer who works with police and ambulance customers to make sure the company’s vehicles are meeting their needs. He got the idea last August while accompanying Yoon Nam, a deputy with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Nam was asked to respond to a report of a possible drug offense in a gritty area of Compton, California. She told Freiburger to stay in the car and radio for help if he needed it while she went to talk to the suspect. When the suspect took off running and Nam followed him, Freiburger found himself alone, with another suspect approaching him.
Nam tried not to lose sight of Freiburger, and she radioed for help. Both suspects were eventually caught and convicted of drug crimes. But a shaken Freiburger wanted to help make police feel less vulnerable when they’re on patrol.
Ford dominated the police market for decades in the US with the Crown Victoria sedan, but it lost some sales after it discontinued the rear-wheel-drive Crown Victoria in 2011 and replaced it with all-wheel-drive police vehicles based on the Taurus sedan and Explorer SUV. Some departments that prefer rear-wheel-drive cars for their speed in chases have switched to the Dodge Charger or Chevrolet Caprice.

What did we learn from the Hungarian GP?

Well, we did learn (if we didn’t know before) that Hamilton (Mercedes) is a first class driver, and has a good tactical head on his shoulders. He drove a faultless race and was a very popular winner. To see “The Finger” (Vettel) relegated to third was sweet music for the British fans who cheered every time Grosjean (“Lotus”) attempted to pass the German, making Vettel’s loss very popular.
There was drama in the Red Bull pits even before race day Sunday with Mark Webber’s “sister” car to Vettel’s in trouble with KERS yet again. Now that Webber does not have to toe the party line, he let fly on Saturday evening, “KERS, gearbox, you name it... driving the car so far off the potential is unbelievable and so massively frustrating,” Autosport quoted him as having said in the wake of qualifying. “It’s stupid, it’s embarrassing and it’s a brutal circuit to be out of position. We should be challenging for the front row and we’re bloody 10th. So, a pain in the arse. It’s amazing... all the effort you go to and it’s two weekends on the bounce where you get that.” Expect more ‘straight talking’ from Webber before this year is out. His 4th place finish in Hungary after starting 10th was excellent and amazingly trouble-free.
Another driver using his head at all times was Kimi Raikkonen (“Lotus”) who drove sensibly into second place, frustrating Vettel at every turn. However, Raikkonen’s team mate Romain Grosjean allows his Gallic nature too much free rein and yet again serves penalties for unnecessary contact and having four wheels off the race track. A fast driver, but slow learner? Sixth place could have been third if he could only just temper his emotions.
For once, Alonso (Ferrari) was never in the hunt, over half a minute behind Hamilton, and Alonso goes into the break very dejected. The reality is that there is very little chance of him challenging for this year’s championship with what has been an uncompetitive car, so expect Ferrari to divert the attention to the 2014 challenger.
Many seem to have missed the fact that Button (McLaren) was back! Well inside the top 10 runners and in front of his least favorite Mexican Sergio Perez in 9th. McLaren have not given up developing this year’s rather slow car yet, but it should be noted that Button finished in front of Massa in the other Ferrari. I have said it before, but this has to be the final season for the Brazilian.
With Rosberg’s Mercedes engine calling it quits, this elevated Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado to 10th and one championship point for the Williams team, which is worth probably as much as Pastor’s annual gift of around 50 million USD to Sir Frank.
Of the rest, most of whom seemed to be under the radar as far as the Hungarian TV editor was concerned, most notable were the Team Papadum where neither driver saw the finish (DiResta and Sutil). And Oh Yes, Ben (money bags) Chilton came last again while still insisting that he is in the seat because of his talent, and not Daddy’s money. Being consistently last does mean that you can rely on him, if nothing else!
The next GP is August 25 and is at Spa, one of the best GP tracks in the world.

Bentley to build a Stupendously Useless Vehicle (SUV)

Fugly Bentley SUV

Bentley over the past few years has built some delectable motor cars, with superb styling, powerful sports tourers in the grand manner. That is what the name Bentley conjures up. However, we are going to get a Bentley SUV by 2016, and from the concept shots, it is a nauseating shocker. I was going to write Fugly, which is probably a better description.
Bentley Motors has confirmed that it will proceed with the development of the Bentley SUV, the company’s fourth model line. According to Bentley, sales will begin in 2016 and will create over 1,000 UK jobs.
Dr Winterkorn of parent VW said, “The Volkswagen Group believes in the UK as a competitive location for industrial production. Bentley fans all around the world are looking forward to the brand’s first SUV. Together we will make this new Bentley another true Bentley - powerful, exclusive and successful.”
According to the press handout, the SUV will be a thoroughbred Bentley true to the brand hallmarks of luxury, performance, quality and craftsmanship. The styling will set it apart from any other SUV on the road (you’re not joking!) and will be true to the Bentley design DNA. It will be the most luxurious and most powerful SUV in the market. The response from customers to a Bentley SUV has been extremely positive in the last 16 months. (Well, that’s what they would say, wouldn’t they!)

Autotrivia

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that in 1961 a front engined car ran in a Grand Prix. I asked what was it? It was the Ferguson FF, which a few of you got correct. However, I went on to ask what was different about the Ferguson’s braking system for the Grand Prix? And suggested you think hard about this! You see, the answer was that the Ferguson did have Dunlop anti-lock brakes, but they never used them in the Grand Prix - but don’t ask me why!
So to this week. A manufacturer built an 800cc engined car which was very popular, but failed the US emission control standards and was dropped by the manufacturer in 1970, after 11,500 of these vehicles had been built. What was it?
For the Automania free beer this week, be the first correct answer to email [email protected].