A ‘green’ Jazz for Paris
Honda’s petrol-electric hybrid production
vehicle will make its world debut at the Paris motor show
later this month. Honda’s smallest hybrid will be powered by
the same IMA petrol-electric drive system as seen in the
Insight, producing a 65 kW/121 Nm SOHC eight-valve i-VTEC
1.3-litre i-VTEC petrol engine combined with a continuously
variable transmission (CVT), with a 10 kW/78 Nm synchronous
AC motor sandwiched between the two to create a parallel
hybrid system with total outputs of 75 kW and 199 Nm.
Honda Jazz
Hybrid
Honda says the hybrid version will come
with the same practicality and flexibility of the current
Jazz, but will also offer reduced fuel consumption and CO2
emissions that will be comparable to the Insight - first
official details of which will be formally revealed at
Paris.
Honda documents also state the hybrid
Jazz is very frugal and returns fuel economy figures of
between 3.33 and 3.85 L/100 km.
Will we see the hybrid Jazz in Thailand?
Somehow I do not think so, as the hybrid concept has not
been popular, and with our (relatively) cheap fuel compared
to the UK/Europe, for example, there is not such a financial
inducement to go ‘green’.
Will the
new Fiesta turn around Ford’s future?
For many reasons, the Ford brand has not
done as well as it should have in Thailand, despite its
modern offerings being basically very good cars. Currently,
with about only two percent of the new vehicle market, this
has been (is) a source of concern for Thai Ford management,
with Ford ASEAN president Peter Fleet stating that although
Thailand has been very successful as an export hub, Ford has
not been as successful in the domestic market.
New Fiesta
With the new Ford Fiesta sharing
underpinnings with the runaway best seller the Mazda2, this
latest Ford product should, in theory, be very attractive to
the Thai buying public. One of my (very few) criticisms of
the Mazda2 has been the power of the engine, with its 1.5
liter gasoline engine leaving the car underpowered for its
excellent chassis/road holding which could take
significantly more power. The Fiesta does come with a more
powerful 1.6 liter engine, which should then make the Ford
package even more attractive than the Mazda alternative.
While there are a few Fiestas on display
around the place, I will report further after I have an
opportunity to drive one, but expats I know who have driven
them in Europe all rave about them.
Autotrivia
Quiz
Last week I asked what British car,
designed with America in mind, broke 63 American stock car
records at Indianapolis over seven days? As unbelievable as
it sounds, it was the Austin A90 Atlantic, which is better
remembered for the fact that its electric convertible top
stuck in the half open position for the entire New York
show!
The
Unlovely Austin A90 Atlantic
So to this week. A model of a car was
named after a race that it never competed in, and earned the
title of the most expensive refrigerator in Europe. What was
this car?
For the Automania FREE beer this week, be
the first correct answer to email [email protected]
Good luck!
The Stig’s
ID is ‘Top Gear’ secret no more
Jennifer Quinn
London (AP) - The opaque visor of
one of Britain’s most famous helmets has been lifted.
The identity of The Stig, the
always-anonymous test driver on the popular television show
“Top Gear”, has long been a closely guarded secret. On
Wednesday, lawyers said the BBC had been refused an
injunction blocking publication of a book revealing the
identity of the character.
Shortly after, publishers HarperCollins
said in a statement that a 33-year-old racing driver named
Ben Collins “has a great story to tell about his seven years
as The Stig, which will appeal to a wide audience beyond
just motoring enthusiasts.”
The Stig
Calling it a “victory for freedom of
speech,” HarperCollins said the book will be published in
Britain on Sept. 16.
The white-suited Stig is the second in
the role; the first Stig, who wore a black suit and helmet,
was Perry McCarthy. He left the show in 2003 after his
identity was revealed.
The show has a long-standing policy of
not commenting on The Stig’s identity. A “Top Gear”
spokeswoman said no decision has been made on whether the
character will be back when the show returns.
“Top Gear” is one of the BBC’s most
successful programs, and is seen in more than 100 countries
around the world. Alongside the show’s three garrulous
hosts, The Stig is an always-silent presence, fearlessly
navigating the show’s test track in glamorous cars.
Speculation over his identity is a
favorite pastime for fans of the show, and the “Top Gear”
website sells T-shirts proclaiming “I am The Stig,” ‘’I am
not The Stig,” and “I am The Stig’s fat cousin,” among
others.
“The whole point of The Stig is the
mystique - the bizarre characteristics he has, the
wonderment created about what he might think, feel, do or
look like,” producer Andy Wilman said in a post on the
show’s website. “Kids adore the conceit, and I believe
adults, although they know it’s a man in a suit (or is it?)
gladly buy into the whole conceit because they find it
entertaining.”
The Stig’s Facebook page - which more
than 2.5 million people “like” - says he was recently
attacked by a goose, that his ears “are not where you would
expect them to be,” and that he thinks the movie “Star Wars”
is a documentary.
The BBC said it sought the injunction -
the hearing was held in private - because viewers like the
mystery surrounding the driver’s identity and it’s “vital to
protect the character of The Stig.”
The broadcaster said that the judgment
does not prevent them from taking the issue further in the
courts.
“The BBC will not be deterred from
protecting such information from attack no matter when or by
whom it should arise,” the broadcaster said in a statement.
Collins’ website says he has raced on the
Formula Three and NASCAR circuits, and drove James Bond’s
Aston Martin in the 2008 film “Quantum of Solace.”
What did
we learn from the Italian Grand Prix?
Before I look at the antics at Monza, I
must comment on the latest nonsense from the FIA, where they
have said they will “monitor” the off-track behavior of
drivers and “punish” them. Just who do they think they are?
This is political correctness gone mad. The FIA has no right
or jurisdiction over a license holder away from the race
circuit. In fact, they have even too much of a say at race
meetings. Next they will be saying that drivers and their
girlfriends will need to have separate rooms!
So to the race at Monza. Young Mr.
Hamilton obviously did not read my advice that you don’t win
the race at the first corner - you only lose the race at the
first corner. He hit the rear wheel of Felipe Massa’s
Ferrari with the front wheel of his McLaren, so he was not
even alongside. Breaking the steering arm meant that his
race was over and his chance of a heap of championship
points disappeared.
Alonso in the Ferrari did drive well and
he and the Ferrari pit crew deserved the win, and the
devotion of 100,000 red-shirted tifosi (not to be confused
with Thai political red shirts). Having said that, Felipe
Massa did also drive well, but his third place again makes
him the number two Ferrari driver. Sorry Felipe, you’ll just
have to get used to it.
Jenson Button chose a different race
set-up from Hamilton’s, going for high downforce, which
results in slower top speed, but faster in the corners. It
almost worked, but a pit stop which was 0.8 seconds slower
than Alonso’s resulted in his coming out of the pits in
second place, a position he kept for the remainder of the
race.
Red Bull’s Vettel, the ‘enfant terrible’
this season, pulled off an incredible strategy which looked
quite ridiculous initially until you looked at how he had
managed to keep his tyres together and by coming in for his
compulsory stop with just two laps to go, managed to
maintain his 4th place. By the way, do
not waste even one nano-second wondering if his engine
problem was team orders to allow his team mate Mark Webber
to pass him. They are not that friendly.
Fifth, and well deserved, was Nico
Rosberg in the Mercedes, even though we never saw him during
the telecast. He has this amazing ability to circulate,
remaining out of sight and just maintaining position as
others drop out. His team mate Michael Schumacher (9th)
must now be deciding whether another embarrassing season is
really worth it. I think it is time for his neck injury to
force his retirement.
Dangerous driver of the day award must go
to Nico Hulkenberg in the Williams, author of the phrase
“What chicane? I didn’t see a chicane!” All over the road
like a mad woman’s breakfast.
Renault will soon have spent their Lada
money and drunk the vodka, and Petrov, the Russian bag man
will be out of a job. Don’t expect to see the hammer and
sickle in a yellow car in 2011. Kubica was strangely quiet,
circulating in the points, but not showing his usual fire.
HRT’s Sakon Yamamoto, to be known as
“Sock ‘em” Yamamoto after running over his own mechanic.
However, he had a brilliant weekend. For once, he did not
come last. Only second last.
The title chase is now down to the final
five races, and the champion will be one of the following
five drivers:
Mark Webber 187 points
Lewis Hamilton 182
Fernando Alonso 166
Jenson Button 165
Sebastian Vettel 163
Consistency is now needed to be crowned
champion.
