The “new” small car from Toyota was interesting.
Called the Yaris, or Echo in Europe, this is a true 4 place vehicle,
around the size of a Daihatsu Mira. It is claimed that if there is enough
interest, Toyota will produce them. Very strange styling, though. We’ll
see. Also on the Toyota stand were every conceivable variations of the
Tiger pick-up - stretch cabs, single cabs, double cabs and frankly, who
cares? I like “real” cars too much! One of the prettiest cars on
display had to be the new Celica. Back to a rakish, pointed front after
the sensuous swelling curves of the past few years. In a deep blue, it was
sensational.
VW
Bug
Nissan had their little “Cypact” on display which
is reputedly a 2+2. This is a very attractive small car, but 2+2? More
likely 2+2 legless midgets in the rear!
Mitsubishi had the new Pajero on show, but to me it
didn’t look all that exciting, but then I must admit I don’t get
turned on by the 4x4 brigade, sorry. The Lancer is really starting to look
long in the tooth too, and must now be in Evo 46 guise, I’m sure.
One really funky little effort was on the General’s
stand, called the Chev YGM 1, but what it was for, I really don’t know.
Too small for the 4x4 fans and too big and chunky to be a small people
carrier.
Celica
2000
On the VW stand they had the new Golf with the 2.3
litre V5 under the bonnet. The whole concept of a V 5 sounds wrong, but
mate John Weinthal, who has driven the Bora with this engine in Australia,
claims it is an exceptionally smooth power plant, with plenty of grunt. In
the Golf shell it should be a rocketship. The new Beetle does nothing for
me, I’m afraid, and the show car done up in 60’s “flower power”
livery was a joke in my opinion.
The Audi stand featured the new TT Roadster. Again very
“current and VW corporate” in its shape, it was released with a trio
of adagio dancers also imported from Germany. Nice dancing, but personally
I’d rather have someone who could tell me just what the car is capable
of! I’m not really old and cynical, Mr. Audi. It’s just I’m a
motorcar person, not a jazz ballet enthusiast.
Cypact
Bikes at Bira
The first round of the Shell Thailand Motorcycle
Championship will be held at the Bira circuit this National Labour Day
holiday Monday, 1st May. If you are into two wheels, don’t miss this
event. The Bira circuit is on Highway 36 around km 14.
Every inch a Rover
Poor old Rover the wonder puppy. Discarded by new
masters BMW like a worn out sock! 80,000 workers and their wives and
families marching in the Midlands of England, and what will it get them?
Nothing!
Too long has the world hung onto old brand names as if
they were religious relics. Rover was a relic, I’m afraid. While the old
“perpendicular” Rover 75’s and the P3’s before them might have
stirred British national sentiment, the Rovers of the last 10 years have
not. Honda Rovers and lately BMW Rovers are anachronisms. It’s time to
put Rover to sleep! Goodbye, Rover!
Quiz
- name three of the four
Autotrivia Quiz
Last week, I suggested you look at the old photograph
of the Maserati 250 F and asked who was the intrepid pilot. The clue was
that the pic was taken in Germany and the correct answer was the greatest
driver of all time, Juan Manuel Fangio, winning the 1957 German GP at
Nurburgring. During the race he took 6 seconds off the lap record. Not
0.6, but 6 whole seconds - an eternity!
I was very honoured recently to be presented with a
beautiful book by local businessman and motor sport enthusiast, Nick
Demet, on the Spa-Francorchamps race circuit between the years 1948-1960.
This circuit, through the Ardennes forests, is one of the few still being
used today, and is considered by many drivers to be THE driver’s circuit
of the yearly calendar. The Spa F1 race will be held this year on August
27th. Don’t miss it!
VW
Golf V5
So this week, it’s a photo again. Take a look, there
are four drivers there, get any three right will do. The year is 1952, and
the photo was taken at Spa-Francorchamps. One became a world champion, the
others were also rated as top drivers in their day. For the Automania FREE
beer this week, be the first to fax 427 596 or email [email protected]
with the drivers;’ names. Want a clue? Best of luck!
Fangio’s greatest race?
When you compare race results to Grand Prix entered, or
front row spots after practice compared to number of GP’s qualified for,
then there is nobody better than Juan Manuel Fangio.
Take the GP mentioned in the quiz result - the 1957
German GP at Nurburgring.
In qualifying, Fangio in the Maserati 250 F took pole
by nearly three seconds from the Ferrari’s of Mike Hawthorn and Peter
Collins, but at the start it was the Ferrari’s that hit the front, only
to be displaced by Fangio by the third lap.
At the end of the 12th lap, Fangio made his scheduled
pit-stop (yes, they did have pit stops even then). However, a botched stop
for fuel and tyres left Fangio 40 seconds adrift of the two British lads
in their red Ferrari’s when he rejoined the race.
At the front, Hawthorn and Collins were actually
swapping the lead - and at times running side by side laughing, they were
so sure of their position!
But by the end of the 16th lap, Fangio had reduced the
deficit to 33s, next lap it was 25.5s, then 13.5. It was on the 20th lap
that Fangio then sliced six seconds off the existing lap record!
Frantic pit signals came from the Ferrari pits, but
their two drivers had no answer against this display of sheer brilliance.
On lap 21, the second last, Fangio took Collins and then Hawthorn as well.
Even on the final tour, Fangio did not slacken off and crossed the line
almost 4 seconds in front, taking the lap record, the race and the world
championship.
While many will say that Michael Schumacher and his ilk
are “great” drivers, there is no-one in my mind like the incomparable
Juan Manuel Fangio. They may be “good” but only Fangio was
“great”.
