A few of you have been asking when does the thunder down under kick off the 2001 season. It looks like being an interesting year. Even Prost, last year’s
wooden spooners, are excited about the new season and feel they have a much better car than previously. Jean Alesi managed 63 laps consecutively in the new car (APO 4) which
is about all he managed to complete in total last year. Jordan too are very upbeat and are looking forward to the rivalry between themselves and BAR, now both with
“factory” Honda engines. Williams too are recording some very competitive times in testing, and I must admit that Montoya is very much on the pace, after I thought he
might have some trouble adapting to F1 after CART.
Another driver on the pace is Kimi Raikkonnen, the new young signing for the Sauber team. It will be interesting to see how he goes in company. Coulthard
has had nice words said about him by Ron Dennis, so maybe it is no more mister nice guy. Anyway we’ll all see after the 3rd of March, which is in four weeks time, when we
line up in front of the big screen at Shenanigans! I will give the screening times closer to the event.
The latest Nissan 200 SX (known in Japan as the Silvia) appears to be winning friends all over the world. However, don’t look for it at the local Nissan
shops, I think it is more likely to get here as a grey import. Our Down-under correspondent, John Weinthal has just spent a week with one and sent up the following report.
Nissan has returned Big Time to the sports car business with its exhilarating new 200SX coupe. This is an all newie. It is a two door, pretend four seater
coupe. In Base Spec S it costs a tad under AUD 40,000 or 44,000 for an ever so mildly up-spec Type R. In Australia, these numbers put it right into Subaru WRX, upper-Celica
and Honda Integra R territory. And there will be buyers torn between the three of them. Apart from its stunning profile and rear three quarter styling, which could be
straight from a Ferrari in many ways, the 200SX is the only rear-driver among this group. And it is well up with the best of them in sheer, all-out go.
The 200SX has a turbo two litre four cylinder engine developing 147kW. There’s
also a six speed gearbox and tricky but highly effective helical limited slip diff. on manual models. As it weighs just 1265 kg, performance is rewardingly rapid.
For an extra AUD 2000 both spec 200SXs can be had with auto gears. And some will appreciate the auto box. The manual box is pretty nifty, but heavy to
select reverse, and the overdrive sixth and high fifth gears mean it depends on left wrist exercise. Around town you might as well forget fifth and sixth, and even on the
open road one slips back to fifth or even fourth pretty regularly.
But the serious fun begins in the hills or on any challenging, winding road. Then the considerable body strengthening - complete with front and rear
bracing struts - the refined suspension, excellent steering and fine brakes all combine to deliver a great fun, yet stress-free drive. This is one of those fine cars which
flatter the driver - it makes us all feel better than is probably true.
As a rear drive car, it is always possible to overdo things, but it’s wonderfully responsive and correctible when you do. On dirt roads it is simply
terrific fun. In slippery going it provides a test of your responses with resultant delight at the ease of correction when you have over-enjoyed things just a little bit. No
doubt rear-drivers provide their own brand of excitement which many reckon is vital to a true sports car. Certainly this Nissan never fails to entertain.
The 200SX is reasonably well equipped. Air con, ABS anti-lock brakes, two air bags, a CD player, remote locking and power windows and mirrors. The more
expensive R gets six-stacker in-dash CD player, a power sunroof and extra body plastic dress up kit. I couldn’t justify AUD 4000 for that lot, especially as the less fussy
Spec S model looks better to my eye. The sunroof’s nice, the more elaborate CD player is a maybe and AUD 4000 is a lot of money!
But there are some disappointing omissions. Several passengers immediately noted the absence of even a passenger’s vanity mirror! And any car capable of
such easy, speedy progress, really should have cruise control. Beyond that, cabin storage spaces are not much use, especially the near tight fit door bins. While the centre
console bin will hold half a dozen CDs, which is useful, two cup holders are placed ridiculously near to the driver’s left elbow so they’re even a nuisance as a place to
rest your mobile phone. The boot is reasonably capacious but has a narrow opening. It would be sensible if the kids-only rear seats could fold forward into a supplemental
luggage area, a la Porsche and some others.
None of this matters much. The 200SX is a wonderfully communicative and responsive cracker of a drive. It is a delight at all times, and just that little
bit challenging in the way of most rear drivers. Some convenience items may be missing, but this is a car for those who put driving pleasure first. And it looks terrific.
Last week I asked you to think back to when we had the first posthumous world
champion - the very talented Jochen Rindt, who died in a practice accident at Monza driving a Lotus. That was 1970 and two other race drivers also died that year. One was
Bruce McLaren who was killed testing one of his Can-Am cars at the Goodwood circuit. The other unfortunate, and the subject of the quiz, was the very wealthy Piers Courage,
who died when he crashed his De Tomaso and it caught fire. He was the heir to the Courage Brewery family and married the Hon. Sally Curzon who was the granddaughter of Earl
Howe, famous for racing Bugatti’s in the 1930s. Now that’s 5 star trivia there! Want any more? The present Earl Howe (son of the Bugatti man) used to live in the family
mansion just outside Amersham in the UK, which is where I met both he and the Hon. Sally. The old Earl’s study is kept as it was when the racing Earl was alive, complete
with a broken Bugatti road wheel mounted on the wall and a statue of Boadicea and her chariot which he apparently won for coming third at Le Mans or something. Enough,
enough, I hear you cry!
So to this week and there was one car which raced in the UK and was one of the most spectacular sports cars I have ever seen racing. It was called the
Jaguar Egal and I want to know just what this car was and what was the capacity of the engine? Hint, it raced at the St. John Horsfall meeting at Silverstone in 1968. Now
that should get you thinking.
For the Automania FREE beer this week, be the first correct answer to fax : 427 596 or email : [email protected]
