Despite the hype – a shambles!
What did we learn from the Spanish Grand
Prix? Quite honestly, it was a shambles, despite the
international press lauding the Ferrari 1-2 and ignoring the
fact that only 13 cars finished. And a couple of those were
walking wounded.
Much has been written about the new “young guns” taking over
from the old-timers, but that is nonsense. All the “young
guns” seem to be doing is taking each other out! Take
Sebastian Vettel (Roaring Tosser), the lad hailed as the
“new Schumacher” (Michael that is, though he is looking much
more like another Ralf), with a huge future predicted. So
far he has not managed to finish one race this season. Not
one. In fact, he is lucky if he gets past the first lap
before he has his accident. This time he blamed the other
young hopeful Adrian Sutil with whom he collided, and
finally said, “Hopefully we can get the new car soon and
move out of the back of the pack, where I have had so many
problems at the start of races.” He should at least get part
of his wishes. He has destroyed so many cars already they
will have to give him a new car every Grand Prix. He should
not expect his contract to be renewed.
However, Sutil in his Force India found that the ‘force’
wasn’t with him either. “Again a disappointing day. After a
good start into turn four I was on the inside and had a try
to overtake another car, but it was too close and I couldn’t
make the corner. I crashed into a car and my race was over
then and there.” Help me! The other car was “too close” so
he couldn’t make the corner. And this is one of the best 22
drivers on the planet? Sutil will be lucky to have a drive
next year.
Another youngster is Timo Glock, who is lucky he has the
manufacturing might of Toyota behind him. How many cars has
he destroyed this season? He is another likely to be an
ex-F1 driver in 2009. Mind you, in his favor, it was another
accident with David Coulthard, who is no longer a young gun.
I think it is time DC retired. Permanently.
Other accidental non-finishers included Piquet (Renault) and
Bourdais (Toro Rossa), Kovalainen (McLaren) and Rubens
Barichello (Honda) all joined by the Sulky Spaniard who
popped an engine and Nico Rosberg (Williams).
After all the tales of woe, Raikkonen in the Ferrari was the
class act again. Pole position, fastest lap and first to
greet the chequered flag. It doesn’t get much better than
that. Massa in the second Ferrari had no answer for his
speed and consistency, and is rapidly settling in to be the
Number 2, just as he was when Michael Schumacher drove for
Ferrari, but it was a good 1-2 for the Scuderia.
Lewis Hamilton drove well for third place, but the McLaren
is just not fast enough. The design chappies at the Woking
headquarters will be scratching their heads. His partner
Heikki Kovalainen is apparently shaken but not stirred after
his 220 kph accident, a tribute to the strength and safety
in today’s F1 car. It was Sir Stirling Moss who said he
remembered when F1 was dangerous and sex was safe. How times
have changed!
Much talk as to whether Super Aguri will survive. Simple
answer - it won’t, and does it matter? There are enough
mobile chicanes already.
More Bikes from Bitec
The motorcycle fest at the Bangkok International
Motor Show did keep many bikers very interested. Our man on
the spot, Alan Coates continues his report from last week.
Honda:
CBR 600RR - Arguably the most popular machine in the 600
cc class, this model had a ground up revamp for 2007 but was
not at this show last year. The 4 cylinder (across the
frame) engine produces 118 BHP at 13,500 rpm. Weighing in at
only 155 kg means a very impressive power to weight ratio
for this machine.
Honda
DN-01
CBR 1000RR Fireblade - Uprated again from 2007 with sharper
looks and a stronger performance this “all new” machine has
175 BHP at 12,000 rpm. More use is made of aluminium in its
construction that limits the dry weight to 199 kg.
DN-01 - An all new concept from Honda, seen as the way
forward in “sports tourers”; this view is not shared with
this reporter or many of the so-far quoted sources regarding
the DN-01. The engine and hydraulic transmission have been
“lifted” from the Deauville to produce a cross between a
scooter and a cruiser. The 680 V twin engine produces a
meager 60 BHP while weighing in at 270 kg dry weight. Even
before loading up with pillion and luggage these stats do
not conjure up an image of a sports tourer. It may well be
comfortable with low seat and foot boards a la H-D but the
performance or rather lack of it will discourage most
potential buyers.
Motard PGM – F1 (Step Thru) - Here we have an example of the
latest MotoGP styling for step-thru bikes, no doubt there is
a section of the young biker market that will be attracted
to this machine. Expect to see them hammering along
Sukhumvit in the near future.
Kawasaki
ER-6N - Shown again this year is the entry level naked
sports 650 cc parallel twin with 71 BHP at a modest 8,500
rpm. This capacity was so beloved by the Brit bikers from
the post war era through to the advent of the leak free,
multi-cylinder machines from Japan in the 1970s. However,
with electronic ignition, fuel injection and overhead
camshaft there the similarity ends between old British and
modern Japanese motorcycles.
Kawasaki
ZX-10R
GTR 1400 Sports Tourer - This is Kawasaki’s more
conventional idea of a sports tourer and comes fully dressed
with generous fairing and luggage system. This new model has
the engine lifted from their 1400 ZZR hyper sports bike. The
detuned 1400 cc is slotted into all new chassis designed to
carry two and a mountain of luggage, in comfort, at high
speeds over colossal distances with ease. The shaft driven
280 kg bike has 150 plus BHP, now that is a sports tourer!
Ninja(s) - Three of the out and out super sports bikes range
were displayed, all in their very familiar green livery. The
250, introduced last year, now established in a new market
that replaces that previously occupied by two-strokes which
are now, of course, banned for environmental reasons.
Earlier 600 Ninja ZX-6R cheated slightly to keep pace with
the Honda and Suzuki in this class by giving their engine
636 cc. This latest model competes fairly and squarely with
a 599 cc engine giving 123 BHP at 14000 rpm and almost 130
BHP also at 14,000 rpm with their RAM air system that boosts
power when on the move. Weighing in at 167 kg puts it
slightly ahead of the Honda in the power to weight ratio
stakes.
The ZX-10R, newly released, is Kawasaki’s flagship for 2008.
With just under 200 BHP on RAM air at 12,500 rpm and
weighing in at 179 kg gives a very serious performance
package for even the professional racer.
Z-1000 - Retro in name and general appearance only, this
naked sports bike is marketed on the back of the popularity
and memories evoked by the earlier ZED series from this
manufacturer. The updated in-line 4 with fuel injection
delivers more than 120 BHP at 10,000 rpm to propel the 205
kg un-faired machine at a healthy rate of knots. There will
be many buyers of this model to enjoy the comfort and
performance without venturing into the rarified atmosphere
of the supersports. A much more useable and friendly model
on an everyday basis.
Autotrivia Quiz
Last week I noted that there is one automaker in the
USA which has been building cars since 1896. I asked which
is it? It was Oldsmobile.
So to this week. The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, the Chevrolet
Corvette of 1957 and the Triumph TR 5 all had something in
common as a first in their home countries. What was it?
For the Automania FREE beer this week, be the first correct
answer to email [email protected]
Good luck!
Reliability the
important issue with buyers in the US
The Consumer Reports magazine in the US has
finished an exhaustive review of the automotive products
available in the US, concluding that overall, the best cars
sold in the U.S. are made by Honda. This was after looking
at reliability, performance, fuel economy, comfort, interior
fit and finish, and ergonomics of 262 vehicles.
Old
VW gets a lift
In their score card, Honda, with an overall score of 78, was
followed closely by Toyota (75) and Subaru (72). BMW, Mazda,
Nissan, and Volkswagen were tied at 71.
“Some vehicles that did well in their testing had a
relatively high number of problems reported by owners in our
reliability survey. For example, vehicles built by
Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen (including Audi) achieved the
best average scores in our tests, but the reliability of
Volkswagen vehicles overall was below average, while
Mercedes’ reliability was well below average.” The Consumer
Reports people said that they do not recommend vehicles with
below-average reliability, so VW and M-B suffered in the
final ratings.
Honda earned the top score in their analysis because it
builds very reliable cars that perform very well. Its
average test score was only slightly under Volkswagen and
Mercedes-Benz, and Honda was the only manufacturer to earn
an excellent overall reliability rating as well.
The home grown American manufacturers did not do well in the
Consumer Reports, which goes a long way toward explaining
why the US manufacturers are in such deep doggy-doo.
Detroit’s share of the North American market dipped to its
lowest level ever, just above 51 percent. For the first time
in history, Toyota outsold Ford in the U.S. and outsold GM
worldwide to become the world’s largest automaker. Sales
shrank almost 12 percent at Ford, 6 percent at GM, and just
over 3 percent at Chrysler. Ford and GM racked up billions
in losses, and after a nine year merger with Daimler, which
owns Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler was sold off at a multibillion
dollar loss.
Overall, only a quarter of their recommended vehicles came
from U.S. companies, which is a result of their vehicles’
inconsistent reliability and performance in their testing,
and about half of their recommended vehicles were Japanese.
In the end, the companies that made the ‘best’ vehicles were
those that have found a way to excel in all areas:
performance, interior craftsmanship, safety, comfort, and
reliability. The best all-around vehicles each year continue
to set a higher and higher standard for other companies to
match. That is a competition in which consumers are the
ultimate winners.
