AUTO MANIA

by Dr. Iain Corness
Autotrivia Quiz

Last week I mentioned that the first 4 wheel drive race car to be built with a 6 cylinder (in-line) engine was made in Holland. I asked what was it and what year? The answer was, I believe, quite amazing - it was Spyker in 1903.

So to this week, and this all came out of hazy memories and flights of association brought on by the name Spyker. A Spyker was the co-star in a 1953 movie which featured a Darracq. I am not looking for the name of the car. What was the name of the female lead who played the trumpet? Now that should get the internet players searching! (This is because some of you are just getting too smart with your web browsers!)

For the Automania FREE beer this week, be the first correct answer to fax 038 427 596 or email automania@ pattayamail.com

Good luck!


Interested in the Thai auto industry?

There is an English language Thai auto industry magazine which is giving an excellent overview each month of the goings and comings in Thailand in this arena. There is also a job section for those looking for a future in the auto industry. Called Thai Autobiz, it is published in Bangkok and you can contact their editorial department by email thaiautobiz@grandprix group.com or speak to the Editor Benjamin Asher on 02 522 1731-8. It is available on subscription and has a cover price of 100 baht. OK, OK, I’ll come clean, I have a page in it too!


The Baby Jaguar

Our Down-Under correspondent John Weinthal has really been doing well in the luxury stakes. A couple of weeks ago it was the S-Type Jaguar, next week it is the Maserati coupe and there’s an Alfa in there somewhere too. This week it was Jaguar’s entry-level car, the FWD, two litre X-Type. Here’s what John thought of it.

Jag X-Type

"The last Jaguar I drove was the entry-level 2.5 litre V6 engined S-Type. The S is Jaguar’s mid-sized series, equivalent to an E Class Mercedes or 5 Series BMW. I was mightily impressed with this smooth, utterly British AUD 85,500 car. That’s a heap of money to most of us but there are customers for such cars and much more expensive ones. But while not every car at this level is necessarily something one would want to own and drive regularly, the S-Type Jaguar certainly is.

"After the S-Type I keenly anticipated driving the smallest Jaguar, with Jag’s smallest engine in more than 40 years at least. This is the new Jaguar X-Type - Jaguar’s answer to the likes of the 3 Series BMW and Mercedes C Class in particular.

The Jaguar X-Type’s interior

"It costs just under AUD 54,000 (expect that to be around three point something million baht here) with manual gears, and has a 2.1 litre 117 kW V6 engine. A five-speed auto adds AUD 2500 making it pretty much the same as these two competitors. However, the Merc and BMW entry engines develop only 105kW - more than 10 per cent less than the Jag.

"Until now all X-Types have been all-wheel-drive. They have offered a 145kW 2.5 V6 or a 172 kW 3 litre V6 - and they cost from AUD 70,000 up to AUD 80,500 - pretty much the same as the upper 3 Series and C-Class sedans.

"But the little V6 Jag, alone among this trio, is front-wheel-drive. However it is so neutral in everything it does that I defy any driver to discern that from the driving experience. Not once over my week with the car was there the faintest indication which wheels were doing the pushing or pulling - it is that good!

"It is also blessed with as fine a chassis as any in its class. The Jag has exemplary steering feel, great bump absorbency and a fast flat ride through corners. It is a joy to drive as far as all the basic dynamics go.

"While the Jag is no racehorse, except when compared with the BMW and Merc at this price, it cruises as comfortably and effortlessly as one might hope of any leather-lined, wood-trimmed British Club elegant Jaguar.

"But there are many cars at around the AUD 50,000 mark with at least 140kW topping out around 180kW for such delights as the Subaru Liberty B4 and Mitsubishi’s Ralliart Magna. (Neither of these cars are on sale in Thailand.)

"However, relatively low power has never hindered the success of the BMW and Merc. There’s so much to heritage and masterfully nurtured badging. This is what will really distinguish the Jaguar X-Type from the common herd.

"Now for the list of not so hot things about the Jag. First it has no left foot rest for the driver and I cannot understand how such an otherwise beautifully equipped little luxury car can be offered without a rear centre arm-rest. It has such irrelevant things as automatic headlights and rear mirror dimmer for heaven’s sake.

"The test car also had the optional satellite navigation. As on the S-Type it was occasionally sufficiently inaccurate that I would never order it. This is nothing to do with the system I imagine - just the mappers Jag have chosen for Australia.

"And, most unusually for any Jaguar including the sports models, there is quite audible engine and road noise. This is typical of the class the X-Type competes in but absolutely unlike any other Jag.

"Overall I loved my week wafting around in this X-Type Jaguar, but I don’t think I would be a buyer of this entry level model, even though it is clearly more potent and better equipped than its two most obvious competitors.

"It’s classy and a terrific drive until one really wants the urge of a large engine. Many people would never want or need this I am sure and they will be at least as happy as the status-conscious crowd who own 3 Series and C-Class badgemobiles."


The Eff Wun Revised 2003 Calendar

Following the meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris on October 1st, they have released the final calendar of events for the 2003 FIA Formula One World Championships. Get out your 2003 planners and mark in the dates and places.

09.03 Grand Prix of Australia (Melbourne)

23.03 Grand Prix of Malaysia (Sepang)

06.04 Grand Prix of Brazil (Sao Paolo)

20.04 Grand Prix of San Marino (Imola)

04.05 Grand Prix of Spain (Barcelona)

18.05 Grand Prix of Austria (Spielberg)

01.06 Grand Prix de Monaco (Monaco)

15.06 Grand Prix du Canada (Montreal)

29.06 Grand Prix of Europe (Nürburgring)

06.07 Grand Prix de France (Magny-Cours)

20.07 Grand Prix of Great Britain (Silverstone)

03.08 Grand Prix of Germany (Hockenheim)

24.08 Grand Prix of Hungary (Budapest)

31.08 Grand Prix of Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps)

14.09 Grand Prix of Italy (Monza)

28.09 Grand Prix of USA (Indianapolis)

12.10 Grand Prix of Japan (Suzuka)

The Belgian (Spa) round is subject to the unanimous agreement of the Formula One teams that this event can be run without tobacco advertising.

The Hungarian GP has been pushed forward a week to August 24, making it a three-week break between the German and Hungarian GP’s as requested by the teams and drivers. This does also mean that the Hungarian and Belgian events are now scheduled to be held on consecutive weekends.

By stating that the Belgian GP will only go ahead if it has the unanimous agreement of the teams, this places the onus on the teams regarding cancellation rather than the sport’s governing body. The FIA sneaky trick number 375! Good one Max and Bernie!

No "new" GP’s for 2003, but in 2004 we are supposed to get one from the Middle East and another from Asia, which will mean that a couple will have to be dropped. Will they be countries that do not allow cigarette advertising, I wonder?


Anyone want to restore an old MG?

While driving back from Sriracha last weekend I spotted the nose of a red MGA in a repair yard full of 60’s and 70’s American cars. Having had a couple of MGA’s in my time I was overcome with nostalgia and pulled up.

Yes, it was for sale, but no, it doesn’t have the MG engine, now sporting a Nissan Sunny. The front end has had what I call "bastard" engineering, with the original Armstrong lever action shock absorbers having been replaced by telescopic shocks, with the upper mounting fabricated out of inch angle iron.

MGA

The body has been equally bastardised with all the seams between the guards and the body having been filled with "bog" of some sort, and some fibre-glassing having been done to the floor to replace the original wooden floor boards. It is also a left hand drive model, and the pic with this item is not the car in question!

The shop claims it has all the instruments, windscreen, lights, etc., and the initial ask was 250,000 baht. I estimate the car to be a 1956 model and an American export car complete with bolt-on wheels (but not the MGA Twin Cam type). Is it worth restoring? It’s one helluva rebuild to restore this baby, but it is an almost 50 year old classic sports car.

If you want to investigate further, the place is called American Car and the chap is Kaew On-Lamai 01 863 5249, and he does not speak English (or even American)! As you leave Sriracha, on the way to Pattaya, it is at the outskirts on the left and you will see the hulks of American iron first.

If you are a fan of Americana, he has a couple of Mustangs, a Dodge Challenger, a Ford Ranchwagon and other such vehicles complete with acres of rusting sheet metal. However, it is worth a trip down memory lane to wander around his yard, and imagine who brought these cars here - and what happened to cars after the Americans pulled out.