The figures are now starting to trickle through on the results of the Bangkok International Motor Show, and as I mentioned last week, the push was for
sales. Would you believe that Mercedes Benz took 306 orders (with deposits) for Mercedes Benz cars during the show period? Start working out the sums and you can see it was a
pretty successful show for MB.
According to Grand Prix International, the people who actually put on the extravaganza, it was also a successful venture with in excess of 1.5 million
people through the turnstiles over the week long show. There was enough official interest in the show for Prime Minister Thaksin to spend an extended period of time at the
displays last week. Bet he doesn’t reduce the import duty though!
Some of the stands were well thought out and some money certainly well spent in building an exhibition area to showcase their products (in the case of MB,
for example), but amazingly some were very sparse. Ford stuck a few store dummies in swim suits on their stand, an American F150 step-side pick-up and a locally produced
Ranger tricked out as an ice cream van (see picture), but I’m sorry chaps, it really was a bit lack-lustre.
I know Ford can do better, and I’d like to see them try a little harder next year. Mind you, I did score a week long test in the new 4x4 Ranger, so the
trip up wasn’t all in vain. Thank you Mike Pease for making it happen so quickly, and K. Sompong for bringing it down to Fun City Pattaya. With Songkran being on while the
test was on, I’ll definitely know if it was weather-sealed effectively, I am sure.
The “Eco” theme was there too this year and the biggest exponent was Mr. Eco himself, Paul Markham
with his Ecolux electric bikes. Paul has actually promised me a “test ride” on one of his latest offerings and I told him if it went over the hill to Jomtien I’d write
about it. The latest electric bike does look quite spiffy, with a mountain bike chassis (frame) and a large battery which drops into the downtube from the headstock. It also
features multiple Shimano gears and a centre hub motor. Paul must have used more film at the show than any other exhibitor as every time anyone went near an Ecolux he’d
leap out of the shadows and photograph them. He may of course have been a P.I. in his last life!
Automania Quiz
Last week I mentioned the Cord Car Company and in particular Errett Lobban Cord, the erstwhile owner of the company. Cord went bust with his Cord
Corporation, but it wasn’t because his cars were no good. Why did he have to fold up his tents and disappear? The answer was that the American Stock Exchange began
investigating E.L. Cord’s share dealings and he had to sell out to a set of bankers. The share price then really fell down the well and Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg went bust!
So to this week. And let’s try something a little Germanic. The 1972 911 Porsche had two filler flaps.
One on the left front guard and one on the right rear guard. This was the first time they did this and they scrapped it after only one year, reverting to one filler on the
left front again in 1973. This week’s question is simply, why?
For the Automania FREE beer this week, be the first correct answer to fax 427 596 or email [email protected]
The last of the vinyl - and that’s final
Last week I did mention the vinyl clad young lovelies who were everywhere at the MoShow. The accessories hall was the worst. 90% of the exhibits there were
for solar film for your windows or sound systems that would do justice to the Albert Hall. Enticing the buyers in, were the Vinyl visions. Bangers was as hot as Hades and the
accessories hall not the coolest of places, so how the Vinyl clobber was by the end of the day is anybodies guess. This picture was taken on the second day and the vinyl
outfits were already showing some signs of coming apart at the seams.
Come for a ride in a Mercedes Benz C 180 Elegance
Our Down-Under correspondent John Weinthal has just spent some time with a C Class Benz and filed this report.
“Six months back we saw the first of Mercedes Benz responses to the new BMW cars in the form of the super-sleek, high tech C Class sedans. Shortly we
will see an even sleeker coupe (released in RHD at our Motor Show in Bangkok), a swish luxo-wagon and, possibly, a C-Class convertible. In June Jaguar’s answer goes on sale
across Europe and we should see this full-time four-wheel-drive smallest Jag ever within a year. It’s called X-Type and promises to double Jaguar production and take the
fight right up to the Germans. The Lexus iS200 is also a strong contender and will be even more so when the 3 litre iS300 gets here.
“Of course in some ways there are better value cars than these jewels, but none have the same cache - the Coffee Club cred - and customers are willing to
pay big premiums for such perceived prestige.
“I recently spent a very pleasant week in Mercedes’ AUD 55,000 entry level C 180. In fact the test car had the added luxury of an AUD 6000 package
called Elegance. You could save AUD 3100 - and I would - by opting for manual gears, even though the 5 speed auto is, with argument, the best I have experienced. It’s just
that the base four cylinder 95kW 2 litre C180 model would enjoy the manual bonus for around town oomph and extra economy.
“Nobody, anywhere, has an entry level sedan with this degree of sophisticated technology and inbuilt safety. Many would also argue that it currently tops
the sedan class for sheer style and road presence. Every C Class is truly a techno and luxury tour de force of an altogether new dimension at each price level.
“Every C-Class features the expected wedge of electric gizmos from automatic climate control to remote locks, windows, mirrors and seats, cruise control,
excellent Bose sound system and darkness-activated headlamps which means you need never turn the lights on or off. There are overhead side window airbags and adaptive front
airbags, plus side impact bags in all four doors.
“The C-Class has topped independent crash testing in Germany and the US thanks to its basic design integrity. It also features an electronic stability
program, the latest in anti-lock brakes, seat belt tensioners and belt force limiters and head restraints on all seats.
“The brilliant five speed auto gearbox is standard. Manual gears are an advance order lower-price option on the C180 and supercharged C200 Kompressor
models only. The auto is simply the most user-friendly I have tried with full manual control at hand and the silkiest of changes in virtually all circumstances.
“But, as ever, all is not quite perfect - even after considering the rather limp performance which you expect - and get - from a 95kW four cylinder in a
1.4 tonne car. For me the interior design rather bitty, especially compared with an equivalent BMW or the new baby Jag and a lot of other cars at this price and less.
“I was also surprised at how much one needed to be familiar with Mercedes thinking to make much sense of
the sound system and air con controls. Everything ultimately worked brilliantly, but there was little logic to some of the operational features I thought - and not having a
handbook in the test car didn’t help either!
“Ride and handling are excellent. Low noise levels are the rule except when pressing the hard working engine a bit fiercely. Like all Mercs of the past
40 years and more, the seats feel very firm initially, but certainly work for you as the hours pass.
“These elegant C-Class sedans boast a host of design details which will pass the test of time I have no doubt. They are super safe, nicely made and more
than meet the ambitions of many of those who either enjoy driving or know what they like to be seen in - maybe both.
“C-Class takes the battle up to BMW’s wonderful 3 Series cars, and there’s much more to come from Merc plus Jaguar, and never, ever, discount Lexus -
Mercedes certainly don’t. How I would like to have to make decisions in this marketplace.”
