Features

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

Nitto 3K race meeting this weekend

Retro Action - pic by Alan Nielson

The Nitto 3K people are promoting a race weekend, but unfortunately it is not at the local Bira International circuit, but out in Kaeng Krachan, near Cha Am and Hua Hin.
This is an interesting circuit with many changes of elevation and quite a few corners where discretion must be employed before you hit some unyielding fences or earth banks.
The usual full card of categories will be competing, including sedans, pick-ups and the hotly contested Retro group, with my TBX Retro Escort being in the thick of it all.
Friday 1st is practice, with qualifying and racing Saturday and Sunday.
 

Jaguar F-Type breaks cover in Pattaya

F-Type cabriolet

There were two Jaguar F-Types on display at the Bira circuit for the 100 year anniversary of Prince Bira. Same color, but one a cabriolet and the other a coupe. The coupe was pleasant enough looking, without being traffic-stopping. But the rag roof was a complete disaster around the rear.
However, Jaguar says that its new F-Type Coupe will double sales of its two-seater sports cars, with the majority of customers being lured away from other premium sports car brands, including Porsche and BMW.
The convertible V8 F-Type in its supercharged form puts out 364 kW and 625 Nm torque, but the top of the line V8 coupe has 404 kW/680 Nm and cutting the zero to 100 acceleration time by a second to 4.2 seconds.
Top speed remains the same at 300 km/h, as do the fuel-consumption and CO2 emissions figures at 11.1 liters per 100 km and 259 g/km respectively (if that is of any interest in a sports car).

Jaguar Egal

Less powerful engines include a 3.0 liter V6 developing 280 kW and 460 Nm torque, which is enough to keep the 0-100 km/h dash below five seconds at 4.9 and on to a top speed of 275 km/h.
The least powerful engine in the coupe still manages to get to 100 km/h in 5.3 seconds, a top speed of 260 km/h and a consumption of 8.8 liters per 100 km. Both V6 variants have fuel-saving idle-stop.
Convertible versions have a minimal 196 liter boot which shrinks further with the addition of ‘space saving’ spare wheel, but with the coupe, the boot more than doubles to just over 400 liters.
All variants have forged aluminium double-wishbone suspension at all four corners and the electronic stability system measures body movement 100 times per second to keep everything pointing in the right direction.
Selecting the Dynamic mode switch sets the Coupe up for more spirited driving, with sharpened accelerator response, heavier steering and more aggressive gear-changes higher up the rev-range.
If the switchable sport-exhaust option is fitted, the Dynamic mode also automatically selects the loudest setting. However, the more noisy option can be switched on and off at any time with a center console button.
All versions get auto dimming rear-view mirror, rear parking sensors, cruise control with limiter, keyless entry and start, while Bluetooth, Meridian 380W sound system and navigation are all accessed through the eight inch touch-screen.
However, many items you would expect are pay-extra options, including an electric boot-lid, a package including memory for both seats and dimming/folding side mirrors, a package with reversing camera and front parking sensors, a range of carbon-fiber interior and exterior trims, 12 different wheel designs and even a five-piece luggage set tailored to fit perfectly in the boot.
So whilst the new Jaguar F-Type may look good on paper, even if not in the flesh, I cannot see them lifting too many sales from Porsche, for example.
However, it seems impossible for Jaguar to get anywhere near the staggering impression produced by the E-Type when it was released in 1961. In March 2008, the Jaguar E-Type ranked first in a The Daily Telegraph online list of the world’s “100 most beautiful cars” of all time. Even Enzo Ferrari called it “The most beautiful car ever made.”
There was also a very special E-Type fitted with a 7 liter Holman and Moody Ford Galaxie engine, and called the Jaguar Egal. This would have been built around 1962, and I saw this car racing at Silverstone in 1966. The driver would get it half straight in the corner, pull the string and smoke would come out from under the rear guards and it would launch itself through to the next corner. Nothing beats cubic inches!

100th anniversary of the birth of Prince Bira

Prince Bira

A moving joint Buddhist and Brahmin ceremony was held at the Bira International circuit in July to mark the 100th anniversary of Prince Bira’s birth. The event was carried out in front of the statue of Prince Bira, which is near the main entrance to the circuit, and revering Prince Bira is something that many racers do at some stage each season.
Prince Bira was the first Thai sportsman to achieve supreme standing in the international arena. He won the BRDC Gold Star in 1936, 1937 and 1938.
Unfortunately there was a hiatus in motor sport caused by WWII, which would have been Prince Bira’s best years.
What is also not known to many is the fact that Prince Bira was also an accomplished yachtsman and sailed with HM King Bhumibol.

Anybody got a barn?

Healey Silverstone

For my money, living in the UK does not have many advantages over living in Thailand - other than perhaps the plethora of barns dotted around the British countryside, barns that have old cars stored in them, to be found many decades later.
I was given some copies of an interesting magazine simply called The Automobile, and each month there is a section devoted to “barn finds”, and in January this year these finds included a Healey Silverstone which had been residing in the barn for 30 years, a 1921 Dodge Brothers half-ton pick up truck, found in the basement of a dealership, where it was last known of 60 years ago and a three wheeled BSA stored in a village in England for 30 years.
I often wonder just what kind of person parks his car in a barn and then leaves it there to be covered in chicken poop? Don’t they at some stage think, “Oh yes, I left the Hispano Suiza in the shed down the road, I should go and start the engine, I suppose?”
The closest I ever got here was finding a 1965 Datsun 510 which had been left there in a lean-to. Locals didn’t know how much it was likely to go for, but said they would ring when they found the owner, which they did. Unfortunately my wife answered the phone, didn’t understand what the caller was on about, and considering it to be a wrong number, promptly hung up, only telling me a week later of the communication.
Memo to self - do not let my wife be involved with old cars in any way.
 

What did we learn from the Hungarian GP?

Well, we learned that the young Aussie Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) really is the real deal and able to mix it with current and past world champions. He will be one himself in the not too distant future.
Everyone remarked on what a cracker of a race the Hungarian GP turned out to be, with one of my fellow spectators in Jameson’s saying it was the best GP of the year. I probably wouldn’t go that far, or that effusive, as a number of factors conspired to make the race exciting. The rain before the start was a major factor in the mix. The safety car being another major factor. Up to the first SC, Rosberg was running away with the race, to then lose the advantage because of the timing of the SC spoiled the race for me. I like to see lead changes through talented driving, not by extraneous factors.
Another gritty drive by Alonso (Ferrari), showing just why he is a champion. However, his second place was again through other factors and even team manager Marco Mattiacci admitted “we have to be realistic about it. Here, the weather and the track conditions leveled out the performance differences and that’s why we must not delude ourselves.” This was emphasized by Alonso himself who said, “This race shows that anything is possible when there are unusual conditions like today, with a wet start and the appearance of the Safety Car. We managed to make the most of all opportunities that presented themselves, taking the best decisions even at the most difficult moments.”
Second (string) driver Kimi Raikkonen with his sixth place, showed why Alonso is Number 1 in the Ferrari team.
Mercedes went from being invincible to vulnerable, and it is obvious that hurried decisions are not something the three pointed star is good at. After the first SC with Rosberg now back in the pack, Hamilton brought back into the pack and both cars on different strategies they were muddling. Team boss Toto Wolff admitting, “We had some very difficult decisions to make in the race. Obviously, we need to sit down, discuss and analyze the moment when Lewis was asked to let Nico pass - but, like always, we will do this calmly and work our way through any confusion or misunderstanding. There were so many things influencing the decisions we made.” Forget the conspiracy theories. There isn’t one, but if Hamilton had moved over for Rosberg they would have been second and third instead of third and fourth. Hamilton has shown (again) that he is not a team player. The Mercedes drivers will not be pals for the rest of the season.
A good solid drive by Massa (Williams) translated into a solid finish in fifth. He is the elder statesman these days, but still deserving of his seat at Williams.
Vettel (Red Bull), once the proud owner of the vertical digit, is becoming unraveled. A very lucky save from a spin and unable to use the track the way his team mate was managing it shows that his confidence is no longer there, finishing 40 seconds behind his Australian team mate. He should move to Ferrari ASAP, if Hulkenberg hasn’t signed on the dotted line yet.
There is now a three week break so that the mechanics can go home and get some clean undies. The next race is at Spa on August 24.

Autotrivia Quiz

Last week I asked what 1916 American small car was given by Thailand’s King Rama VI to his nephew Prince Chula Chakrabongse? It was a scaled down Cadillac, with which Prince Chula managed to knock over a lady in the palace! Prince Chula became the sponsor for Prince Bira. (Many thanks to Jerry Coffey from the US, for bringing the information to me.)
So to this week. The Aero Minx of the 1930’s had taller windscreens as special orders. Who ordered this, and why?
For the Automania free beer this week, be the first correct answer to email [email protected].