On the local front in Thailand, Honda had a
target of 70,000 units for 2003 and is expecting this to go to
80,000 this year. They are pinning much of their hopes on the
market acceptance of the Honda Jazz 1.5 litre five door
hatchback. This is built on the same platform as the Honda
City and slots into the 542,000-664,000 bracket. Honda do not
feel that the new jazzy little Jazz will take sales from their
own City or the Stream, but will be aiming for the Toyota Vios
customers with an alternative to the City.
John Weinthal had a week with a Jazz in
Australia during 2003 and here are further Words from Weinthal
on the Honda Jazz Auto - though he does begin by saying
“I’d opt for the manual”.
Honda
Jazz
“The Honda Jazz is one of at least four
highly competitive and distinctive new smaller cars which have
been launched over the past few months. The Jazz finds itself
up against (in Australia) the likes of the Citroen C3, the
Mazda2 and the more conventional but extremely competitively
priced Hyundai Getz.
“For Honda, the Jazz - or Honda Fit as it
is know in its homeland - was Japan’s top-selling car last
year with more than 250,000 sales - some 25,000 more than the
larger and more powerful Toyota Corolla. Its Japanese and
subsequent international success has made the Jazz the most
popular new model Honda ever.
“In
Australia, the Jazz is offered here in three specification
levels. The base 1.3 litre 73kW GLi Jazz costs from AUD
17,000. The VTi starts at AUD 19,990 and the range-topping
VTi-S is yours for AUD 22,490 (630,000 baht). Continuously
variable auto transmission adds AUD 2000 to the GLi which has
ABS anti-lock brakes. The VTi and VTi-S have slightly larger
1.5 litre engines which produce an adequate 81kW.
“While performance is barely sporting,
economy for the auto, top of the range VTi-S test car was
amazingly good. It returned 600 km from its 45 litre tank
without effort in a range of city driving, a run up Mt
Tamborine with five people aboard and touring through the
Tweed Valley and Gold Coast. In truth performance is OK most
of the time but using the air-con in hilly country certainly
drags the Jazz back a bit.
“Beyond
the novelty of the seven speed CVT auto, the Jazz is pretty
much line-ball with other modern Japanese small cars in its
presentation. It is another of the short and tall variety,
which means good head and leg room with much more luggage
space than a glance at the five door hatch would suggest. This
layout can result in rather strange looks but it more than
works in terms of everyday comfort and practicality.
“Frankly the main point of interest of
the Honda Jazz is the continuously variable auto with its
selectable seven speed sequential function which is optional
on the two upper models. The sequential mode is entered by
pressing a button on the right side of the steering wheel.
From there on virtually instant and ultra-smooth up and down
changes are made by pressing plus and minus buttons on the
left or right hand side of the steering wheel. It is effective
and occasionally it might be more useful than just novel,
although after a few practice plays I rarely bothered to
exercise the sequential function. That leaves us with a
relatively normal auto with a useful and simply activated hold
on the mid-range for extra braking or to overcome the auto’s
natural urge to up and down change rather too willingly. At
times I even found myself slipping the auto into neutral
because it was too keen to hold a lower ratio for longer than
I felt was comfortable or necessary.
“Overall it is easy to understand the
Jazz’s popularity - although prices are hardly bargain
basement (in Australia). Honda, like the upper-class Germans,
tends to trade somewhat on its carefully nurtured, and mostly
deserved, reputation for innovative engineering and build
quality.
“The test car ran out at AUD 24,790
(694,000 baht) before the unavoidable government and delivery
charges or insurance. For this you get a car nicely kitted out
with power windows, mirrors and remote locking, air-con, ABS
brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, alloy wheels,
halogen headlamps and fog lamps, two air bags, lots of useful
storage spaces, split folding rear seat, driver’s seat
height adjustment and a rather tarty body dress-up kit.
There’s a vehicle immobiliser system and five three-point
lap-sash seat-belts. Hondas in Australia are covered by an
industry standard three-year 100,000 km warranty.
“The Jazz is already a runaway sales
success and multi-award winner. I’d try the five-speed
manual gearbox before buying and I suspect I would then opt to
save AUD 2300. The manual gear change would deliver more
useful performance and possibly even better than the auto’s
outstanding fuel economy.”
(Thank you John, Jazz is appearing in
larger numbers every day, and its effect on the local market
will certainly be monitored by Toyota. Dr. Iain.)
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Honda S2000 Convertible
For 10,000 baht less than 4 million, you
can have the sun on your scalp (we’re all getting older) and
unfiltered exhaust gases up your nostrils, driving the Honda
S2000. And while it seems crazy to contemplate spending that
amount of money for sunburn and smog, there is an appeal in
topless motoring that no other forms of transport can give.
I bought my first sports car in 1963, and
have almost always had a ragtop in the stable since then. Our
Down-under correspondent John Weinthal also had his first
sports car around that time - a Triumph TR2, and he still
enjoys the wind in the hair. So here are the Words from
Weinthal on Honda’s offering in the open top stakes.
 Honda
S2000
“The first open Honda I drove had an all
alloy 600cc, four cylinder engine which ran out of puff at
about 11,000 revs. Among its many unusual features was that it
was chain driven. That was the early ’60s S600. It was
followed by a more conventionally driven Honda S800, using the
same ultra-compact convertible body as the S600. Now we have
the S2000 which is every bit as impressive a piece of
technology today as were the ’60s originals in their time.
“This aggressively styled strict two
seater is as true a sports car as they come with most of the
comfort features we expect on today’s better quality new
cars, certainly those at around its AUD 70,000 price (in
Australia just under 2 million baht!).
 “About
all that’s missing is cruise control, a better than just
adequate sound system and a glovebox; no great penalty, apart
perhaps from the disappointing noise boxes - radio, six-stack
CD and tape. But the system almost makes up for this with the
most practical driver’s right hand controls I’ve seen, in
addition to the usual control panel behind a centre-dash
cover.
“Standard gear includes ABS brakes, two
air bags, sturdy roll over bars and an aluminium bonnet. It
has perfect 50/50 front and rear weight distribution, limited
slip diff, air conditioning, electric windows and mirrors,
alloy wheels, low profile tyres, and remote locking with an
immobiliser.
“While clearly the engineers and sports
departments at Honda had the majority say in designing the
S2000, it was also driven by real world folk who won’t put
up with any inconveniences just because its primary allure is
so different from everyday cars.
“The normally aspirated 2 litre engine is
the world’s most powerful in terms of kW per litre - a
whopping 176kW in a 1260 kg lightweight. The S2000 has a
terrific short throw six-speed gearbox, and at the 9000 rpm
redline in any gear the exhaust note is quite awesome.
“The car can hit 100 from rest in 6.2
seconds, which I’m sure it did many times during my week in
it. Top sped is 240 kph. Even these impressive numbers miss
the point. This car handles, stops and steers with great
accuracy and driver communication. It never rattles or
squeaks, even over some of the most challenging dirt tracks I
know in far north eastern NSW. I know no more solid feeling
convertible.
“What really makes this the most ownable
of convertibles is the hood operation. Two simple clips to
unfold, a button to press and you’re fully open or closed in
a remarkable six seconds. This makes it a true no-compromise
everyday car, with none of the hang-ups of all other dropheads
in my experience. It’s simply stunning.
The magazines have raved and for once they
are right. What they haven’t said is that it’s probably
the one convertible this side of a Porsche which could really
stand the punishment of everyday country road driving,
including dirt.”
(Thank you John, it is good to see that you
have not forgotten how much fun driving a soft-top can be - or
even how much fun you can have, in a soft-top. Dr. Iain)
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Mazda muscling its way in
One make that has also begun to really
‘market’ its cars is Mazda. I have always had a soft spot
for this Japanese firm and have owned a couple of Mazdas (RX 7
and MX 5) as well as racing rotary engined sports sedans.
Absolute trouble free motoring. While the sales figures are
nothing like Honda or Toyota, under local MD David Grakul,
Mazda has experienced a 40 plus percent increase in sales in
2003 and with the Zoom-Zoom campaign has certainly raised
brand awareness to new heights. The RX 8 is getting even more
rave reviews throughout the world and the rear hinged
‘suicide’ doors that convert it from a two door sports car
to a four door coupe work very well. And don’t the publicity
shots with the cars in that bright yellow look great!
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Autotrivia Quiz
Last week I asked which famous Italian
marque also produced spark plugs? The answer was Maserati, who
also produced air horns!
So to this week. A very rich and titled
Englishman, who headed a very large motor corporation wanted
to be a doctor. He did not have enough money to go to
university as a young man, so started a bicycle repair
business, and then went on to building cars to fund his way
through medical school. He never got there, but gave huge
amounts of money to medical research after he became
successful in the auto business. Who was he?
For the Automania FREE beer this week, be
the first correct answer to email [email protected]
Good luck!
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Natter Nosh and Noggin
The car (and bike) enthusiasts will be
meeting again this Monday night (12th) at Shenanigans Pub at 7
p.m. This is a totally informal meeting of like minded souls
which meets on the second Monday of every month to discuss
their pet motoring (and motorcycling) loves and hates. It is
free to join and I suggest that you bring along magazines or
photographs so that the group can get involved in the
discussion. Generally we have something to eat while we are
there and wash it down with something amber, hence the name,
Natter, Nosh and Noggin. Just ask any of the lovely
Shenanigans girls where Dr. Iain and the group are and they
will point us out and give you a push.
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