New baby Benz Sportcoupe
A new variant of the previous C Class has been released in
Europe, called the CLC Sportcoupe. According to Daimler Benz
the new CLC will be available from spring 2008, and is
looked upon by the manufacturer as an attractive and
affordable entry into the Mercedes-Benz coupé family.
CLC
Sportcoupe
The press release waxes on, saying the design, technology
and equipment of the sports coupé meets the desire of young
people for a car that is fun to drive and has a high
lifestyle value, yet which also offers typical Mercedes
standards of quality in respect of safety, comfort,
environmental compatibility and functionality.
It is an extensive revamp of the C Class, with 1,100
components having been either developed for the new sports
coupé or refined from the previous model.
The technical highlights of the CLC include new direct
steering for even more nimble handling of bends, modern
infotainment systems with color display, DVD or hard-drive
navigation with multimedia interface and a more powerful
four cylinder engine with 135kW (184 bhp) available. Fuel
consumption is claimed to be up to 10.8 percent better than
in the predecessor model.
The new coupe, which I think looks absolutely stunning, was
unveiled at the Berlin Fashion show, with the PR machine
working overtime, the car being photographed with some
malnourished fashion model (whose name I haven’t bothered to
remember) in a red dress, to attract the paparazzi.
Once again, though based on the previous model, the front
and rear styling brings the CLC in line with the styling of
the new (W204) C Class Avantgarde.
The large iconic three-pointed star sits in a wide grille
flanked by new projector headlights. The lower bumper
features a wide air intake and fog lights.
The redesigned tailgate incorporates part of the new,
chunkier tail lights, while the hatchback glass no longer
extends below the lip spoiler. The rear cargo space remains
at 1100 litres.
Interior-wise, it is again a make-over featuring redesigned
steering wheel, new instrument dials, and new electronics.
While some writers have said this is not on a par with the
‘new’ C Class, quite frankly this is nit-picking, as neither
of them have interiors which stand out from the crowd, being
the ubiquitous plastic/plastic trims.
The CLC is available in SE or Sport models. Sport has 18
inch alloy wheels and wider tyres, firmer and lower
suspension, and a new ‘Direct steer’ system that Mercedes
says offers quicker and more precise steering on winding
country roads.
The new CLC is pitted against the BMW 1 Series in Europe, a
car which I find probably the ugliest that BMW has ever
produced, in a line-up of their other heavy-handed ugly
cars.
The CLC’s importance is underlined by the fact its
predecessor introduced younger customers to the Mercedes
brand. According to sources within the factory, 70 percent
of the previous Sports Coupe customers were first time
Mercedes buyers – and 43 percent of those eventually
upgraded to larger models such as the E-Class, CLK and SLK.
In Europe the CLC will be offered with four petrol and two
diesel engines, most carried over from the Sports Coupe and
all familiar from the current C Class range.
Petrol engines comprise two supercharged four-cylinders (105
kW and 135 kW) and two V6s (150 kW and 200 kW). Two diesel
engines are also offered with either 90 kW or 110 kW of
power.
The 200kW V6 (CLC350) is mated to the Mercedes seven speed
automatic, and the seven speeder is optional on the 150 kW
(CLC230) model. The CLC180K, CLC200K, CLC200 CDI and CLC220
CDI come standard with a six speed manual with the option of
a five speed auto.
The CLC’s standard equipment in Europe includes six airbags,
parking sensors, and the latest version of Mercedes’ Comand
navigation system.
Will we get the new CLC Sportcoupe in Thailand? Frankly, I
see no reason why not and hopefully Mercedes Benz will have
one on show at the Bangkok International Motor Show which
begins at the end of March.
The best angle of the CLC
sportcoupe
Enduro series for dirt
bikes
Last year there was an enduro for motorcycles
held at the Motor Sport Center on Highway 36, Pattaya, near
the Shell petrol station and close to the Bira International
circuit. Run by Urs Schoenenberger, the initial outing was a
great success. This year the enduro has been extended into a
three by six hour series, with the first six hours for the
two wheelers who ‘do it in the dirt’ being in two weeks time
on Saturday February 23 and Sunday 24. The event is also
open to both amateurs and professionals, though amateurs do
have to have a reasonable standard of riding and be
considered as ‘capable’.
Pattaya
6 Hour enduro
The Saturday has practice, plus a one hour race for children
up to the age of 12 on bikes under 100 cc capacity. For the
adults, the enduro is really a team event with three riders
per team, and competing in three classes Pro, Amateur and
VIP (over 40 years of age) and the Super Cup.
The Sunday is race day, with the enduro going from 10 a.m.
until 4 p.m. and entry fees for the teams are Pro 7,500 THB,
Amateur and VIP 3,000 THB and Super Cup 3,000 THB. The prize
purse for the teams go up as high as 30,000 THB for the
professionals, down to 9,000 THB for the amateurs. The good
news for spectators is that entry to the meeting is free!
The dates for rounds 2 and 3 are August 16/17 and December
6/7. This is a well thought out attempt to make Pattaya the
center of dirt bike racing in Thailand, and all Moto-X and
enduro riders should do their best to support them. For more
details, contact Urs Schoenenberger, telephone 038 420 252
or 086 149 9297.
Autotrivia Quiz
Last week I wrote that the British Morris Cowley of
1915 could not really claim to be British at all. The
engines, gearboxes, differentials and axles were all
imported. I asked from where? The answer was America. The
Morris did not become truly sourced from the UK until 1920.
So to this week. The first Autobahn in Germany went from
Frankfurt to Darmstadt and was opened in May 1935, but it
was not the first modern motorway, which was opened in 1924.
What country? And where did it go from?
For the Automania FREE beer this week, be the first correct
answer to email [email protected]
Good luck!
Honda Civic minded this
year
Last year saw a foray by Honda Automobile
Thailand into the one-make race series events. This type of
racing had been well trodden previously by Toyota, with
races for the old Soluna’s, then a few years later with the
Vios series, and last year the Yaris series. These events
proved to be popular with the drivers, and (when promoted
properly) popular with the crowds.
Honda joined in with their own one-make series last year
with the Honda Jazz. This was a tighter run series, with the
cars being held by Honda and only released to the drivers at
race weekends. This did produce a much more level playing
field, though in motor racing there’s always a tweak here or
there. Believe me.
Honda saw this as a way of promoting the ‘brand image’ and
this could be seen in the Bira Raceway car parks for the
Honda Racing Fests. I practically had to sneak in the back
way wearing dark sunglasses in the ‘works’ Daihatsu Mira. It
was Hondas everywhere, and even a special parking area for
the Japanese Jazz, the Honda Fit.
Consolidating their position, the Honda company has added a
Civic one-make series this year, to run parallel with the
Jazz series. The concept is the same – equal cars, modified
by Honda only, and released at race weekends. A ready to
race Civic will cost 850,000 THB, which is not much more
expensive than the Honda Jazz racers.
In line with the corporate ‘My Earth Dream’ thought, the new
Civic racers are ‘green’, running on E20 fuel. The Jazz will
run on E10.
I have reviewed and driven a Jazz racer at Bira, and the
standard of workmanship was excellent, and the modifications
for track use were very sensible. Consequently, I will
expect the Civics to be the same. After I get myself into a
driver’s seat, I will let you know further; however, I hope
they will allow free-flow (noisier) exhausts.
Natter Nosh and Noggin
The monthly car enthusiasts meeting will be at
Jameson’s Irish Pub on Soi AR next to the Nova Park
development. The car (and bike) enthusiasts meet on the
second Monday of the month, so this time it is Monday
(February 11) at Jameson’s at 7 p.m. This is a totally
informal meeting of like minded souls to discuss their pet
motoring (and motorcycling) loves and hates. Last meeting a
chap from Australia bobbed up with some of the most detailed
die-cast models you will ever see. The Ford GT40 was just
superb.
WRC and TV
Have you watched some of the WRC (World Rally
Championship) events on the box? Much better coverage than
F1, with great in-car shots of the drivers and navigators.
World
Champion Loeb in action
Sebastian Loeb is just so smooth, so it
came as no surprise that he began 2008 by winning the Monte
Carlo Rally for the fifth time. Loeb’s driving style is
quite opposite from Ghighi Galli, who used to be seen in the
in-car shots beating his navigator around the head if Ghighi
got it wrong! Unfortunately the mercurial Italian is not
competing at WRC level this year. Suzuki is a new addition
to the WRC ranks and scored a championship point on their
first outing at Monte Carlo. Aussie Chris Atkinson is back
again behind the wheel of the Subaru WRX, finishing third in
Monte Carlo, beating his very experienced team mate Petter
Solberg.
With F1 insisting on two races for the engines, the WRC has
similar constraints. The engines and chassis of the cars are
sealed to ensure they are not changed. Only two
gearbox/differential packages are authorized per driver, and
five sets of dampers and five hub carriers are authorized
per event.
