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

US GP this weekend

US GP.

The final three Grands Prix for 2014 are in count down. With double points for the last GP that makes 100 points up for grabs. The only players still left in the game are the Mercedes duo of Hamilton and Rosberg. With Hamilton’s current form, he has to be the favorite, but with 100 points lying on the table, anything could happen.
This will be the third F1 GP at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA). The circuit is 5.5 km long and is made up of twenty turns with an elevation change of 41 m. According to COTA, the final plan of the circuit was released on September 1, 2010, showing a design inspired by the European tradition of sculpting the circuit to the contours of the land. The design draws from several European F1 circuits, including a recreation of Silverstone’s Maggotts-Becketts-Chapel sequence, Hockenheim’s arena bends, and a replica of Istanbul’s Turn Eight. Other corners were loosely inspired by the Senna ‘S’ at Interlagos and the Österreichring’s Sebring-Auspuffkurve. A feature of the circuit is a deliberate widening of corners, to encourage drivers to follow multiple racing lines, which did seem to work in last year’s GP.
The circuit runs counter-clockwise, the others being Marina Bay, the Korea International Circuit, Yas Marina, and Interlagos.
From the start line, the cars will climb to the first corner - the highest point of the circuit - with the apex of the corner positioned on the crest of the hill. They will descend back down the hill to navigate a series of fast sweepers modeled on Silverstone’s Maggotts-Becketts-Chapel complex and through a blind corner at Turn 10, taking them to the far end of the circuit and a hairpin at Turn 11. The cars will then follow a 1.00 km straight back towards the pit and paddock area before entering the final sector of the lap and weaving through a series of corners modeled on Hockenheim’s stadium section. This will be followed by a downhill, multi-apex corner with limited run-off before the final two corners of the circuit, a pair of left-hand bends that return the cars to the main straight.
Despite influences by Herr Tilke, the circuit did see passing last year. Unfortunately, with the time differential between Texas and ourselves here in Thailand, the US GP, at the Circuit of the Americas (AKA COTA), kicks off at 3 a.m. our time. Even the most hardy of us have drawn the line at this one. 3 a.m. is just too late to be sitting down to watch the GP, so we will be looking to the internet the next morning, just as you will.

Tesla’s extended warranty

Tesla S.

Long warranties are becoming the name of the automotive game these days. Hyundai in Australia is now offering a seven year warranty - brave? Foolhardy? Or just complete confidence in the product?
However, Tesla is now on the bandwagon with a selected component eight year warranty! Tesla boss Elon Musk reporting on his blog, “The Tesla Model S drive unit warranty has been increased to match that of the battery pack. That means the 85 kWh Model S, our most popular model by far, now has an 8 year, infinite mile warranty on both the battery pack and drive unit. There is also no limit on the number of owners during the warranty period.
“Moreover, the warranty extension will apply retroactively to all Model S vehicles ever produced. In hindsight, this should have been our policy from the beginning of the Model S program. If we truly believe that electric motors are fundamentally more reliable than gasoline engines, with far fewer moving parts and no oily residue or combustion byproducts to gum up the works, then our warranty policy should reflect that.
“To investors in Tesla, I must acknowledge that this will have a moderately negative effect on Tesla earnings in the short term, as our warranty reserves will necessarily have to increase above current levels. This is amplified by the fact that we are doing so retroactively, not just for new customers. However, by doing the right thing for Tesla vehicle owners at this early stage of our company, I am confident that it will work out well in the long term.”
Whilst this looks very good for Tesla owners, on paper, the resale value of a nine year old Tesla just went through the floor!

How to recognize a “classic”

Caterham 7.

There is always debate on what makes for a “classic” motor car.
A couple of years back I was approached by someone trying to work out how many classics there were down here in fun-town Pattaya. My reply was, “Not many” as you very rarely see any vehicle with classic history or pedigree sitting at the side of the road, and a quick query amongst the monthly car club natter night enthusiasts revealed that very few of them owned anything which, in my opinion, were classics. The Honda Jazz, whilst being a great little car, is hardly a classic!
For me, a classic is a car which has had significant impact on motoring history. It is also a vehicle which has been out of production for a number of years, so that the manufacturer’s advertizing claims and slogans have been forgotten. “Safety Fast” was on all the brochures about MG cars, but when you think about it, very few were ‘fast’ and even fewer were ‘safe’.
I believe there is a tendency in countries such as Thailand to confuse ‘old’ and ‘classic’. For example, Fiat must have sold very well in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s judging by the number of battered old Fiat 1100’s that are still around. Some of these are now half a century old - but does that make them a ‘classic’?
MGB’s were a very successful mass-produced sports car that brought open-top motoring to the masses in a way that the Triumph TR series did not. So according to my definition fit into the classic category. However, what do you make of this MGB? Goes nicely, but doesn’t quite sound the part. Why? Because it has a Toyota Corolla engine in it too. Can we call this MGB/Corolla a classic? I know what I think, what do you think?
My feeling is this, if we allow this in as a classic, then we have to allow anything that looks like a classic in to the category. Bugatti T35’s built on a VW platform spring to mind immediately, but we don’t have to go that exotic. What about the thousands of 351 Cobra replicas? A 351 Cobra is most certainly a classic, but is a ‘new’ one a classic too?
Another classic that has spawned whole generations of clones is the Lotus 7, and in particular, the Super 7. An instantly recognizable vehicle which has influenced automotive design for 40 years. According to any definition, the Super 7 has to be a classic. But what about the Caterham? A newer and better Super 7 without a doubt, but it is a copy of the original design. Can we call it a classic too?
Unfortunately we haven’t got many Caterhams or Cobra replicas down here, so the debate continues but quietly. However, let me loose in a Caterham/Cobra at the Prince Bira circuit and it won’t be quietly, I can assure you!
For interest, here are some of my entries for a classic car category: 1973 Porsche RS Carrera (the forerunner of the ultimate Porsches), 1964 Mustang 289 V8 (the first of the really powerful Mustangs), 1966 Morris Cooper S (the first of the mass market pocket rockets), 1946 MG TC (first introduced sports cars for the masses to America - but ‘safety fast’?), 1958 Ferrari LM 250 (what a shape, what a noise, what a car), 1936 Cord 810 (classic Gordon Buerhig design with the coffin nose and hydraulic shifter), 1931 Mercedes SSKL (the first road car you could race and win) and the 1955 Citroen 2CV complete with canvas seats (First car made from roofing iron!).
Of course there’s lots more, but there are not too many in Thailand, I’m afraid (though there used to be a V8 Tatra in Chiang Mai).

An optimist is someone who brings their lunch to work?

The latest figures from our local auto industry are not encouraging. The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) has reported that the Year On Year figures for September showed a fall of 15.6 percent.
Domestic car sales fell by almost 28 percent, reflecting the general downturn in the community coffers. Exports also fell in that 12 month period by 18 percent.
Some of the reasons put forward by the FTI include lower farm prices, weak domestic consumption, tightening up of loan criteria, poor economic outlook of neighboring ASEAN countries, a decreased demand for pick-ups in Australia and increased competition from cheaper Eastern European vehicles, coupled with a very slow global economic recovery.
It would look that the Thai auto manufacturing industry will need to promote the products very heavily in the ASEAN group, in the hope that the institution of the AEC will stimulate their economies.

But on the other side of the coin

News just to hand from the Thai Board of Investment (BOI), five manufacturers have been given the nod to progress with the eco 2 program. These include Ford and GM, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Toyota. Notably the future presence of VW that everyone though would be producing a Polo sized light car for the eco 2, is not mentioned.
Thailand aims to achieve annual motor vehicle production of three millions units by 2015. The projects announced under the eco 2 program so far are expected to add a further 800,000 vehicles from 2019.
The five manufacturers receive tax concessions in return for the commitment to invest in expanded manufacturing facilities in Thailand.
Ford and GM’s investment plans are for about THB 1.8 Bn and THB 1.2 Bn respectively.
According to the Thai BOI announcement, Ford plans to boost the output of its Rayong manufacturing plant by 180,000 vehicles a year, while also adding production capacity for 2000 engines a year.
Ford already builds products such as the Fiesta, Focus, Ranger and - soon - Everest SUV in Thailand, exporting them to Australia and other countries.
The third-generation Ford Ka five-door hatch and four-door sedan that went into production in Brazil earlier this year could be a prospect for the new Ford plant, with speculations that Ka production will be extended to Thailand, China and India.
So, despite the FTI gloom, doom and disaster, the big players look to making hay while the sun still shines.

Autotrivia Quiz

Quiz car.

Last week I asked what car is this? It was the Lightburn Zeta “sports”.
So to this week. When we pull up at the traffic lights, why should we remember Herbert Frood?
For the Automania free beer this week, be the first correct answer to email [email protected].