Belgian GP this weekend
Spa is a real driver’s circuit, and there
is always the threat of rain, which could help bring some
drivers forward, and see the ‘power’ drivers slip back
somewhat.
The almost 14 km Spa-Francorchamps circuit was the quickest
of all the classic road circuits and many would say the
greatest. It used public roads through the mountains of the
Ardennes in Southern Belgium and even in the dry was a
circuit for which you needed a good set of cojones. In the
wet it was only for heroes and as the region is known as
‘The Pisspot of Europe’, races have frequently been held in
the wet.
Spa was first used for racing in 1924 and the first Belgian
GP was run in 1925, won by Antonio Ascari, father of the
double World Champion, Alberto Ascari.
Serious discontent with Spa began after a downpour in the
1966 race which caused several crashes, most significantly
one involving Jackie Stewart which led to his campaign for
improved circuit safety.
In 1983 a new 7.3 km circuit was built incorporating some of
the original track, but with an improved surface and run-off
areas. The new Spa, which still includes some public roads,
is the longest circuit on the F1 calendar and, many believe,
the most challenging.
The GP should be at 7 p.m. Thai time, but as always, check
your local feed to confirm this. I will be watching as usual
from my perch at Jameson’s Irish Pub on Soi AR (next to Nova
Park), and we watch the South African feed which has some
decent commentators and no adverts! Join me for a meal and a
natter first.
Autotrivia Quiz
Quiz cars
Last week I asked what Guinness Book of
Records entry was beaten in the James Bond film Casino
Royale? Clue: It was set by an Aston Martin DB9, dressed up
as an Aston Martin DBS. It was the most number of cannon
rolls, with the Aston completing seven rolls before coming
to rest on its wheels again.
So to this week. Since this is the Belgian GP, a question
from there. Look at this photo. It was taken at Spa. What
are the cars?
For the Automania FREE beer this week, be the first correct
answer to email [email protected]
Good luck!
What did we learn from
the Italian Grand Prix?
Well, we learned that it is possible to pass at Monza, a
circuit where the pundits all claim that passing is
impossible. The usual excuses are ‘dirty air’ and ‘decreased
downforce’ when following another car. So how did Hamilton
manage to pass Raikkonen? And Kubica managed to pass
Rosberg. Even Button managed to have a passing and repassing
duel with Rosberg. These drivers stood out as willing to
have a go, and F1 has been sadly in need of drivers with
some tiger. Well done!
We also saw that Alonso was the class act of the weekend,
pole position, race winner and fastest lap. An emphatic win.
Hamilton was definitely only the bridesmaid at Monza,
despite some spirited driving. However, Alonso is certainly
not endearing himself to his team, by saying that the
Manufacturer’s Championship does not mean as much as the
Driver’s Championship. Alonso forgets very quickly that it
is the ‘team’ that gets him to the front, while he continues
with his FIGJAM policy. (If unsure of FIGJAM it is “Fork”
I’m Good, Just Ask Me!)
After languishing at the wrong end of the timesheets all
year, Honda was shaking hands with themselves with two cars
in the top 10. Who cares if they were eighth and tenth! Two
top 10 finishes. Will they be able to continue this
breathtaking form at Spa? I doubt it.
What else did we learn? Well, with Kovalainen seventh and
Fisichella twelfth, Fisi has signed his own death warrant.
He will not be a Renault driver next year. With Rosberg
sixth and Wurz thirteenth, Alex’s results continue to get
wurzer and wurzer. He will not be a Williams driver next
year. With Trulli eleventh and Ralf Schumacher fifteenth,
Toyota had nothing to write home about. Ralf will not be a
Toyota driver next year. He will be better signing a
contract with Ssanyong. They won’t be racing in F1 next year
either.
BMW continues to impress, though getting the jack stuck
under Kubica’s car would have had several people on the mat
in Dr Mario Theissen’s office on the Monday. 17 second pit
stops are not excusable at that level.
Many drivers are using first lap skirmishes as the reasons
for their poor performances. Coulthard clobbering Fisi which
broke his front wing and took out the steering, resulting in
a high-speed crash. Vettel crashing into Davidson, but
surprisingly, Ralf kept his nose clean. Figuratively and
metaphorically! Perhaps bumper bars are in order?
Let us see what Spa brings!
Lexus LS460
The Lexus LS460 is out and they are raving about it. GoAuto
from Down-under had this to say - Lexus’ flagship LS series
has been reborn for a fourth time with pricing, performance,
styling and refinement to unsettle the upper-luxury segment
status quo.
The ground-up redesign of the LS also represents a rethink
of Lexus’ flagship positioning, with the traditional
single-specification V8 model - now christened LS460 - to be
joined by a long-wheelbase version.
Lexus
LS460
Dubbed the LS600Lh, the latter is a petrol/electric hybrid
devised to recharge the moribund image of the LS to that of
a technological and environmental innovator. It arrives in
October, priced from around $250,000.
For now, the focus falls on the LS460, and its keen,
no-options $184,900 pricing that continues the LS tradition
(since 1990) of offering specification matching the German
competitions’ upper-level models but at their entry-level
prices.
These days, this includes Lexus’ ‘Pre-Collision’ advanced
safety system, air suspension, radar cruise control,
reclinable ‘premium leather’ seating with cooling and
heating for all outboard seats, top-end audio, four-zone
climate-control air-conditioning, and keyless entry and
start.
Lexus says that equivalently equipped and powered BMW 750i
and Mercedes S500 models cost between $19,600 and $69,000
more respectively, while - for LS460 money - you can only
get the 200 kW/350 Nm 3.5-litre V6-powered Mercedes S350 and
225kW/390 Nm 4.0-litre V8 BMW 740i.
With a new 4.6 liter quad-cam V8 delivering 280 kW of power
at 6500rpm and 493 Nm of torque at 4100rpm to the rear
wheels, the LS460 also has the upper hand on engine output
for the outlay.
It is married to the world’s first eight-speed automatic
gearbox, a compact transmission designed to maximize fuel
economy at higher speeds and launch feel at lower ones.
Gearshifts are said to be virtually imperceptible, and up to
41 percent quicker than the previous six-speed automatic
set-up.
Speed is an unexpected LS460 upshot - it can sprint from
0-100 km/h in 5.7 seconds, hit the standing-400 m mark in
13.8 seconds (these are very fast times - Dr. Iain) and
reach a speed-restricted 250 km/h. Apparently, 280km/h has
been recorded.
Conversely, the ADR 81/01 fuel economy average is 11.1 L/100
km, while its CO2 emissions result is 261 g/km. It is also
extremely quiet - Lexus says a stethoscope is used to test
each engine so buyers can enjoy the silence.
Aiding the numbers above is a leading drag co-efficient
figure of 0.26 Cd, with reduced lift front and rear compared
to its LS430 predecessor, narrower panel gaps, minimal
protrusions and a flush underbody for quieter, smoother
airflow.
The LS is the latest Lexus with the ‘L-finesse’ styling
language also seen on the GS and IS, which, according to
design chief Simon Humphries, needed to encompass more
boldness “with a degree of good taste” as well as
aerodynamic efficiency.
Air suspension also makes its debut in an Australian-bound
Lexus, incorporating new shock absorbers and an improved
Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) system that automatically
adjusts suspension forces at all four wheels.
It forms part of a new platform featuring a longer wheelbase
and wider tracks - with the rears being the fattest among
the LS’ immediate fat-cat competition.
The Lexus’ multi-link front and five-link rear arrangement
includes forged aluminium components and ‘Vehicle Posture
Control’ damper force control logic that uses sensors to
minimize the phase difference between body roll and pitch
angles during cornering via the shock absorbers.
Among many other things, AVS also helps reduce body roll by
30 percent compared to the previous LS, along with reducing
diving under brakes, squatting under acceleration, and the
transmission of noise, vibration and harshness into the
passenger compartment.
A Normal, Sport and Comfort switch next to the gearlever
alters the damping force for flat, firmer (by 20 percent) or
softer respective responses from the suspension.
The LS460’s steering is an electronically powered set-up
that, along with the front suspension’s geometry, has been
redesigned for better feel, ride and handling
characteristics.
Mounted forward of the front axle centers, Lexus claims the
steering has a more natural feel, is more adept on rough
roads, less likely to vibrate, and is more prompt in
response to input.
A variable steering gear ratio is also incorporated, which
quickens the direction of change at low-speed steering
inputs, and decreases it as vehicle speeds rise, for a less
nervous and less fidgety steering feel. Turns vary from 2.4
to 3.5 revolutions.
The driver is ensconced in a cabin that offers independent
temperature adjustment as part of the four-zone climate
control operation for all outboard occupants. It uses 13
sensors for optimal conditioning, and includes a permanent
pollen and dust-removal mode.
Entry is via a sub-credit card-sized ‘Smart Card’ that
boasts several driver-specific seat and steering wheel
positioning settings.
The aforementioned Pre-Collision safety System (PCS),
cribbed from the GS and some IS models, recognizes potential
dangers in advance according to deceleration and sudden
driver inputs by “preparing” the brakes, seatbelts and
dampers.
PCS joins another Lexus safety acronym: VDiM, or Vehicle
Dynamics integrated Management. The latter works with the
LS460’s anti-lock brakes, brake assist function, electronic
brake-force distribution, traction control and VSC stability
control - as well as the AVS suspension, electric power
steering and variable steering system - to simultaneously
help keep the LS under control and on the right trajectory,
instead of relying on individual components like the VSC to
work independently.
The aim is to also reduce response times, or to keep
progress as smooth as possible, since VDiM can integrate
each item as needed.
Ten airbags - including new rear-seat side airbags - also
offer improved impact protection, while the body’s 30 per
cent increase in torsional stiffness has prompted Lexus to
claim another “best in class”.
Lexus says that it has redoubled its efforts as far as cabin
quality and craftsmanship is concerned, with the aim being
to combine highly automated assembly with a custom-made
effect.
“Function with emotion” is how the LS’ chief engineer,
Moritaka Yoshida, put it. He went through every process of
the production process to achieve this.
Expect a long-wheelbase LS460L before too long, as well as a
short-wheelbase LS600h hybrid further along the line, to
bring the LS line-up to at least four.
