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

Season’s opener for the Retro racers

The Retro Ford Escort.

It has only just been a little over two months of a layoff, but the racing season 2013 starts up again for many of the classes running in Thailand, including the Retro race cars.
Now before you start heading out to Bira, the season’s opener is not there, but at the new Bonanza circuit in Khao Yai. In fact, we will be running at meetings promoted by the Nitto 3K people and others by the GPI Pro Series covering Bonanza, Kaeng Krachan (out near Cha Am) as well as Bira.
The calendar then looks like this:
March 8-10 Bonanza
May 3-5 Bira
June 29-30 Bira
July 5-7 Kaeng Krachan
July 27-28 Bira
September 6-8 Bira
September 28-29 Kaeng Krachan
October 26-27 Kaeng Krachan
November 1-3 Bonanza
December 6-8 Bira.
Pencil those dates into your calendar.
So you can see we will be doing a fair bit of traveling during the year. Highly developed race cars like our Escort cannot be driven on the road for long distances, even though it is road registered (and in livery that will attract the unwelcome attention of the BiB as well)!
For us, however, the layoff was very busy, mainly with sponsors, but the mechanical side saw us remove the entire rear axle system and send it to Bangkok to get the Limited Slip Differential worked on. This had given up at the last meeting (December 2012) and requires expert hands to get the limiting factor worked out. The other item was electrical (always a ‘black art’ in my opinion) with its second alternator giving up charging. The World Championship winning Red Bull F1 team also did their alternators in, so we are in good company! We are having an experienced auto electrician look at the entire wiring system, as well as replacing the offending alternator.
The sponsor line-up looks good, with most of last year’s sponsors remaining with us including CES, B-Quik, the Pattaya Mail, Hemaraj, EBC Brakes, AA Insurance Brokers and the Sausage King. However, the big news for us is the fact that BBX/Acorn Distribution has come on board as naming sponsor for 2013. In addition we have landed Stonefish Wines (a lovely drop from Australia) as another new sponsor. There will be more who are currently yet to make the decision.

Toyota and Subaru produced a sporty, now Toyota and BMW for another

Toyota and BMW had previously signed MOU’s to build a sports car and work together on hybrids and fuel cell technology.
This year, the heads of the two companies signed further agreements in Toyota’s home city of Nagoya, Japan, to work on four projects at the cutting edge of automotive development.
The result of all this is that BMW and Toyota have agreed to formally work together on lithium-air batteries - seen as the next big thing to replace current lithium-ion batteries - along with a new sports car platform, a new generation fuel cell vehicle system and lightweight construction methods.
This deal follows other agreements signed over the past year to share technology and engines, including small BMW-built petrol and diesel engines in Europe from 2014.
A joint statement released after the event said, “The companies agreed to set-up a feasibility study to define a joint platform concept for a mid-size sports vehicle that is to be completed by the end of 2013.
“The two companies aim to combine each other’s technology and knowledge at a high level to maximize customer satisfaction.
On hand to sign the agreement with Toyota president Akio Toyoda, BMW chairman Norbert Reithofer said Toyota and BMW shared the same strategic vision of future sustainable mobility.
“In light of the technological changes ahead, the entire automotive industry faces tremendous challenges, which we also regard as an opportunity,” he said.
“This collaboration is an important building block in keeping both companies on a successful course in the future.”
The partners’ agreement to work on developing lithium-air batteries now has their goal to produce “a lithium-air battery with energy density greatly exceeding that of current lithium-ion batteries.
“BMW Group and Toyota Motor Corporation are to share their technologies and to jointly develop a fundamental fuel-cell vehicle system, including not only a fuel cell stack and system, but also a hydrogen tank, motor and battery, aiming for completion in 2020,” the statement said.
The BMW-Toyota tie up follows technology and manufacturing sharing agreements between Mercedes-Benz and Renault-Nissan and General Motors and PSA Peugeot Citroen last year.
And after all that, the cars will probably be made in Thailand anyway!

Safer vehicles - or just more things to go wrong?

Alphabet soup?

What is in store for the motorists in the next decade? These examples are not “concepts”, but the technology is here now. For many OEM’s (Original Equipment Manufacturer), the integration of the new technologies is the only item slowing its adoption. That and the price, of course. In the competitive marketplace of today, the base cost is always a dilemma. The answer, however, is to make all the new technological applications ‘delete options’. And since the new car buyer is not really aware of what is coming, this makes it easier for the automaker.
One such example is emergency brake assist. The technology is simple. It is easily programmed into the vehicle for it to appreciate how much traction it has, as well as how many meters it is going to take to brake in time to avoid an accident. However, if you are still too fast, further braking is too late. But this is where Emergency Steer Assist (ESA) comes in. Yes, saved by the alphabet again!
Designed to complement emergency braking systems, ESA works with your electric steering rack to vary the torque by direction, thus very convincingly “suggesting” the proper steering wheel motion. Suppose you need to swerve left - the torque in the clockwise motion is greatly increased (resistance), but it is very easy to turn the wheel counterclockwise. Similarly, during the maneuver recovery phase (you may know this as a tank slapper), the inverse is true, the steering working in tandem with ESC (electronic stability control, mandatory on all cars in Europe since 2011) to control the after effects of the swerve.
A new type of tyre sensor, called Intelligent Tyre System/Fill Assist, mounted on the inner tyre tread (as opposed to the wheel), measures tyre pressure, temperature, g-force and load. It weighs only a few grams. When a heavy load is detected, for example, the system can notify the driver that more air pressure is needed to optimize gas mileage, handling and safety. The sensors also communicate with ABS and ESC, so that these systems can optimize for a given tyre pressure or vehicle load. Very much F1 technology brought to the daily traffic situations.
According to market research company JD Power and Associates, new car sales should reach 17.2 million in the USA and Canada in 2013. How many of these will have the new “fail-proof” technology, I wonder? Adoption of these technologies has never been Thailand’s forte.

GM putting some Spin on it.

GM in a Spin.

The Thai Auto Book reports that General Motors Indonesia has completed its USD 150 million refurbishment of its car plant in Bekasi, a satellite city east of Indonesia’s capital Jakarta.
The plant, with a 550-strong workforce, is set to begin commercial production of the Spin seven-seater compact MPV for sale locally and for export to other markets in the ASEAN region. A further 250 workers will be added by year-end.
The Spin is based on the similarly-named model produced by GM in Brazil but will get a smaller 1.5 liter engine instead of the 1.8 engine fitted to the Brazilian model. It will also have locally-made components, including some trim parts.
The plant will have the capacity to produce 40,000 vehicles a year once a second shift is introduced. The company expects sales to increase significantly in Indonesia with the new model from last year’s 5,643 units.
This puts the Chevrolet Spin directly against the now aging Avanza from Toyota, and for my money looks a lot better.

And just when you thought there was a “pure” manufacturer
GM and PSA Peugeot Citroen will jointly develop people-movers, a compact SUV and a new platform for the next generation of Opel/Vauxhall, Peugeot and Citroen light cars under a strategic partnership formed almost a year ago.
PSA’s Peugeot brand will get a new compact SUV as part of the deal, which is likely to replace the Mitsubishi ASX-based 4008, although there was no mention of Citroen getting a replacement for its similar C4 Aircross.
Development of new B-Segment (light) people-movers will be led by GM but developed on PSA platforms to replace Opel’s Meriva, and could become the next Citroen C3 Picasso while providing Peugeot with a product to sit below its 3008 crossover.
The current Opel/Vauxhall Corsa light car is based on a platform shared with Fiat’s Punto and is overdue for replacement.
GM and PSA also intend to co-develop a new generation of high performance, efficient three-cylinder petrol engines based on PSA’s three-pot engine that is already doing service in the 208 light car. (Giddy yet?)
The strategic alliance between GM’s loss-making European operation and the struggling French conglomerate, announced in February last year, aims to cut costs and boost economies of scale.
At the vehicle development announcement in Brussels, GM vice chairman Steve Girsky and PSA chairman Philippe Varin also outlined their intentions to further expand their alliance to make the most of opportunities in growing markets such as Latin America and Russia.
PSA is no stranger to vehicle sharing, having partnerships with Toyota, Mitsubishi and BMW. In some societies she would be considered a ‘tart’.
Mitsubishi has a deal with PSA enabling Peugeot and Citroen to sell rebadged i-MiEV electric cars and the BMW Group has a long-standing four-cylinder engine sharing arrangement with PSA.
Apart from Corsa sharing Fiat Punto underpinnings, GM Europe’s partnerships are largely in the commercial vehicle sector, sharing mid-sized and large vans with Renault-Nissan and its compact Combo van based on Fiat’s Doblo - which is also sold in the US under Chrysler’s commercial brand, Ram.
And after all that, the cars will probably be made in Thailand anyway!

Natter Nosh and Noggin

The car club meets at Jameson’s Irish Pub on Soi AR next to Nova Park. The next meeting is on Monday March 11 at Jameson’s at 7 p.m. A totally informal meeting of like-minded souls to discuss their pet motoring (and motorcycling) loves and hates (plus lies and outright exaggerations). Come along and meet the guys who have a common interest in cars and bikes, and enjoy the Jameson’s specials, washed down with a few beers. A couple of the members are scrutineers at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, so they may have some scuttlebutt about the F1 scene. Always a fun night. Be prepared to laugh a lot at some of the antics of the members (when they were younger)! The Car Club nights are always on the second Monday of the month (not every second Monday)!

Autotrivia Quiz

Bonnie and Clyde.

Last week I asked you to have a look at the couple and the car. Who were they and what was the car? It was Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow with a (stolen) V8 Ford.
So to this week. What is the connection between Tazio Nuvolari, Nick Mason and Dr Porsche?
For the Automania free beer this week, be the first correct answer to email [email protected].