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

2012 Los Angeles Motor Show featured 24 world debuts

The ultimate SLS?

The LA show’s general manager Andy Fuzesi said, “The auto industry in North America is experiencing its best annual sales rates since 2008, and this positive growth can clearly be seen in the number of debuts, broad range of vehicles and transformative technologies on display at the show.”
Electric vehicles were one of the talking points, with California’s status as the biggest market for electric vehicles in the US and the largest market for high-end luxury and performance cars.
Cars on display include two small EVs from General Motors, Fiat and BMW, alongside world debuts for performance vehicles such as the Porsche Cayman, Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS Black Edition and Jaguar XFR-S.
Fiat showed an electric version of its 500 bambino. Projected to cost around $45,000, the 500e will be powered by a 75 kW electric motor matched to a lithium-ion battery pack. Chevrolet had the Spark EV - which shares 75 percent of its electric components with the plug-in Chevrolet Volt. BMW was pushing its “i” brand of EVs with an i3 hatchback and the i8 coupe and spyder.
The AMG SLS “Black Edition” has a bigger 464 kW/635 Nm V8 engine than the normal SLS.
Jaguar displayed its fastest sedan - the XFR-S with 404 kW/680 Nm supercharged V8-power. Claimed acceleration times are 0-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds.
Other new vehicles included the Volkswagen Beetle convertible, the new US version of the new Hyundai Santa Fe, and the North American Kia Forte.
LA also hosted the global premiere of the Mercedes-Benz Ener-G-Force and the US debut for the BMW i8 Spyder.

What is happening with the Bira Circuit?

B-Quik Porsche at Bira.

Panic and consternation in the local racing fraternity with the rumor that the Bira Circuit is closing down. Well, it’s not a rumor, it is a fact, but it isn’t going to happen tomorrow, and the future of Thai motor sport is actually very rosy.
Confirmation of the future closure was given in the Bangkok Post, with an item quoting Dr. Prachin Eamlumnow, one of the owners of Bira and boss of Grand Prix International, that negotiations are underway on the sale of the circuit. Note that it is still in the ‘negotiations’ phase, which can go on for years.
I spoke with Anothai Eamlumnow, Dr. Prachin’s son and promoter of the Pro Series races at Bira a couple of weeks ago, and he confirmed that the circuit is for sale, but nothing is happening in the immediate future time frame, and the circuit will be available as usual in 2013.
There are rumors of two new circuits to be built, with one to FIA standards for the World Touring Car Series, but no confirmation as yet, and rumors are what fuels motor racing! However, by 2014 I expect there will be an alternative circuit to Bira, in addition to the circuit at Kaeng Krachan (near Cha Am), the one at Korat (the Bonanza circuit) and a temporary track at Muang Tong Thani (used last month for the Honda night races). There is also the round the houses event at Bang Saen, which is being promoted by Sonthaya Kunplome, which could become two events a year, instead of the single event.
So it is with almost 100 percent surety that Bira will be used in 2013, but 2014 is not confirmed. There will be more circuits, and motor sport will continue to flourish in Thailand. Never fear!

What to do while driving through Pattaya’s flash floods

Wet feet?

According to the Institute of Motorists (IAM) in the UK, in cases of severe flooding, you should reconsider making the journey at all! If it is unavoidable, and you have to drive through deep water, the IAM recommends drivers take the following precautions:
Drive on the highest section of the road and don’t set off if a vehicle is approaching you. Leave time and space to avoid swamping other cars and pedestrians. If you can’t see where you are going to come out of the water, such as when approaching flooding on a bend, think twice about starting to drive into it. In deep water never take your foot off the accelerator, as this could allow water to travel up the exhaust pipe. Once you’re out of the water, dry the brakes before you need them. The best way is to lightly apply the brake as you drive along for a few seconds, after checking nothing is following you too closely.
(And my tip is to carry an aerosol can of dewatering fluid in case the distributor gets wet. Plenty of brands in the shops, WD40 is probably the best known. WD40 was the 40th Water Dispersant formula they had tried.)
 

General Motors is giving its Chevrolet Spark a jolt of electricity

The electric Spark.

Dee-Ann Durbin AP
As mentioned above, an all-electric version of the Chevrolet Spark mini-car was shown at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Unlike the Chevrolet Volt sedan, which can run in all-electric mode but also has a backup gasoline engine, the Spark EV is a pure electric. GM won’t say how far the car will go on a charge, but says it will be a top performer among the small number of EVs available. The current leader, the electric Ford Focus sedan, can go 120 km on a charge.
The Spark EV will also be cheaper than most of its electric rivals, GM says. Exact pricing hasn’t been revealed, but the car will start for less than $25,000 in the U.S. when a $7,500 federal tax credit is factored in. The electric Nissan Leaf starts at $27,700 with the tax credit. Like all electrics, though, the Spark is much pricier than its gasoline-powered equivalent. The gas-operated Spark starts at $12,245.
The Spark EV is powered by an electric motor and a 20 kWh lithium ion battery. It gets 130 horsepower and can go from zero to 60 mph in less than 8 seconds, which is several seconds faster than the gas-powered Spark. GM says the Spark EV is the first all-electric vehicle in North America to offer SAE Combo DC Fast Charge capability, which can charge the battery to 80 percent of capacity in about 20 minutes. It can also be fully recharged in seven hours using a standard 240-volt outlet, or longer using a 120-volt outlet.
Though it’s a mini-car, it has lots of big-car touches, like leather seats and GM’s OnStar safety system. The Spark EV will have a smartphone-based infotainment system that gives drivers access to navigation and music apps like Pandora. Drivers with a compatible iPhone can link up their phones and perform tasks - like sending e-mail or texts - by talking to Apple’s Siri. The car also has 10 air bags and electronic stability control, which helps keep it steady despite its small frame.
The five-door hatchback is tiny, at 144.7 inches long. That’s about 5 inches longer than a Fiat 500. It comes in lime green and other unusual hues.
GM customers will now have an all-electric option that costs less than its chief rivals. The EV could also increase buyers’ interest in the gasoline version of the Spark, which went on sale in the summer.
However, demand for electric cars has been anemic so far. GM and other automakers have fallen significantly short of EV sales targets, especially as gas prices have fallen. Electrics remain expensive, and drivers are concerned about getting stranded too far from a charging station. While the Spark is great for city drivers who need to fit into tight parking spaces, those drivers may not have garages or other spots to charge up their cars at night.

Renault gloats over its 2012 F1 results

Sebastian Vettel’s drive to sixth position in the dramatic Brazilian Grand Prix saw him crowned the 2012 FIA Formula One Drivers’ World Champion. It is the third consecutive title for Sebastian and comes just one week after Red Bull Racing-Renault secured the constructors’ title at the previous race of the season in Austin, USA. Renault has powered Sebastian to his three titles and all but one of his 26 career wins and 36 pole positions.
Sebastian’s title is the 10th drivers’ crown for a Renault-powered driver. Eight further drivers have won the title with a Renault-engined team; the first came in 1992 for Nigel Mansell (Williams), followed by Alain Prost (1993, Williams), Michael Schumacher (1995, Benetton), Damon Hill (1996, Williams), Jacques Villeneuve (1997, Williams) and Fernando Alonso (2005 and 2006, Renault). Sebastian then won in 2010, 2011 and now 2012 with Red Bull Racing.
Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus F1 Team) passed the flag in 10th overall, sealing third in the drivers’ championship and making him the only driver this season to have finished every single race this season. Teammate Romain Grosjean did not finish the race but finishes the season eighth in the drivers’ classification. The team secures fourth overall in the constructors’ championship with 303 points, one win and nine further podiums.
Williams F1 Team recorded a double DNF this race, but one win and 76 points place the team in eighth in the constructors’ championship in the first year of the latest incarnation of the Williams-Renault partnership. Pastor Maldonado recorded 45 points for 15th in the drivers’ championship and Bruno Senna 31 points for 16th.
The final race of the season also brought delight for Caterham F1 Team as Vitaly Petrov finished in 11th position, elevating the Anglo-Malaysian team to the crucial 10th position in the constructors’ championship for the second consecutive year. Vitaly finished in 19th in the drivers’ classification and Heikki Kovalainen in 22nd.
Jean-François Caubet, managing director of Renaultsport F1, commented; “We would like to congratulate Sebastian on his superb performance today and for his third consecutive title. We are proud to see another title for a Renault-powered driver and of course for our partners Red Bull Racing. We would also like to extend our congratulations to our partners, Lotus F1 Team, Williams F1 Team and Caterham F1 Team. Across our four partners, we have scored nine wins and a total of 839 points. On the very last lap, we also finished with four teams in the top ten of the constructors’ championship. We are as pleased with this overall record as we are of becoming triple world champions. It’s been a hard year, but one that has produced some exceptional results.”

Autotrivia Quiz

Last week I asked which sports car had a manufactured life of seven years. Four speed transmission with overdrive option. It had to be detuned from 150 bhp to 125 bhp to keep the taxes down. What was it? It was the Triumph TR6.
So to this week. We all know Ferrari has one prancing horse, but which manufacturer had more than one prancing horse on the radiator?
For the Automania free beer this week, be the first correct answer to email [email protected].