Mutterings from the Bangkok International Motor Show
Wiesmann
What is the most important item to take to the 32nd
Bangkok International Motor Show? A good stout pair of walking shoes! The
new venue in the Challenger Hall of the Impact Arena is huge, and the
exhibitors’ booths correspondingly larger. Undoubtedly the best motor show
ever staged in Thailand.
A new name to the Bangkok
International Motor Show is Wiesmann, a bespoke manufacturer of incredibly
fast sportscars, spoiled for me by the matt paintwork, but the pseudo retro
look is very appealing. The Wiesmann brothers were enthusiasts of the
British sports cars of the 50’s and 60’s, so when they started building
their own cars, it was natural that they would use the period in their own
design.
Bra BUS
From the rear, the car is
Austin Healey 3000, whilst from the front it is unashamedly Jaguar XK 120.
However, that is where the retro finishes. The car is built on BMW
underpinnings, using the V8 of the M3 or the V10 of the M5. In the
lightweight body/chassis this results in stunning performance. The BMW
donor does not include the unloved iDrive, so the Wiesmann remains a sheer
performance sports car.
The interior is totally
encased in leather, and while the red interior on display was rather
fetching, the other car with the blue interior did not appeal too much.
Local distribution is being handled by Bhiyute Chiemprasert, who also has
Brabus and 9ff (Porsche derivative). If you have between 12.5 and 14.9
million baht drop him an email on
[email protected]
OMG!
For me, the show was not so
much about new eco-cars such as the Honda Brio, no matter how important they
are, but more about some of the off-the-wall items seen this year. Take the
Brabus “tank” for example, or what I named the “Bra Bus”. Huge housebrick
styled Mercedes GL with astonishing performance with zero too 100 km/h in
5.5 seconds. The best or perhaps the worst of both worlds!
But if you wanted the worst,
go no further than the Mitsuoko stand. Take a sick bag with you - you will
need it.
Ssanyong did shoot their
sstylist and the new Korando looks as good as most others in the small
soft-roaders, but the old Actyon is not saved by two go-faster stripes on
the bonnet, I am afraid.
New Ssanyong Korando
BMW displayed their Mini
brand in semi-darkness, a ploy to disguise just how porcine and oversized
the Mini has become. The four door version is so far removed from Sir Alec
Issigonis’ concept that it does not deserve the name ‘Mini’ any more. Such
a shame that this icon of the British motor industry should end up in this
way. The main BMW stand was full of the range being offered by BeeEmm,
including the fugly 1 Series and the over-inflated X6.
General Motors, for once in
its life at the motor show, presented an interesting and informative display
with some history from its beginnings in 1911 (yes, 100 years of GM) and
examples of their pickups from a 1926, to 1956, to 1960 and now the latest
Colorado, which looks a very handsome unit.
No! No! No!
Arch rivals Ford presented
the new Ford Ranger, designed in Australia and to be manufactured here. The
vehicle on display was, however, a mock-up (and I believe is the same one
shown in Australia last year). The Colorado will steal a march on the
Ranger, being available long before the 2012 season, in which the Ford
becomes readily available.
New Chevrolet Colorado
The just released Honda Brio
eco-car generated much interest, with a base price of 399,000 baht, but with
a few options was soon 505,000 baht. The interior was remarkably roomy, and
even with the driver’s seat in the rear position to cater for farang legs,
there was still adequate knee room for the rear seat passengers.
More on the motor show next
week, with some comments on the ridiculous “Pretties” and their even more
ridiculous get-ups. Remember it is at the Challenger Hall at the Impact
Arena and closes April 6.
New Ford Ranger
New Honda Brio
What did we learn from the Australian Grand Prix?
Well, the first thing we learned was that the Hispania Racing
Team was truly dreadful. How any team wishing to be part of Formula 1 can
appear at the first meeting of the year with two cars that had never turned a
wheel is inexcusable. Fortunately, neither car met the 107 percent rule and
were non-starters. This is not a team of minnows to be pitied, but a team of
incompetents to be laughed out of the paddock.
We also learned that it was
possible for a Lada to make the podium and for a rookie to do the entire race
with only one stop for tyres, as opposed to the multiple stops of everyone
else. We also learned that the highly complex and technical Drag Reduction
System (DRS) which was going to give the chasing car 12 km/h increase in top
speed, and thus promote passing, did not work. Forget all the theoretical
stuff. The movable wing did not work. Period.
While Vettel in the Red Bull was
the master class of the entire weekend and fully deserved his win, the real
heroes were Petrov in the “Lotus” Renault/Lada, claiming third spot on the
podium and Sergio Perez, the Sauber Rookie who came in seventh and only used one
set of tyres. How? Wasn’t he told that the Pirelli’s turn into jelly after 15
laps? Well, that’s what they all said (except Perez).
But before Perez had time to
celebrate his result, the FIA stepped in and declared both Saubers had illegal
rear wings! Now these cars are subjected to scrutiny before they go to race -
and apparently were legal, but somehow, after the race they contravene the
regulations. These regulations cover size and placement of the wings, easy
enough to check, so how did the FIA let Sauber race an “illegal” car and then
find infringements afterwards? The stewarding in Formula 1 has always been a
joke. Sauber has indicated it will appeal the decision. Good.
While Vettel ran away with the
race, it is interesting to look at the fastest laps during the race. Massa and
Alonso (Ferrari) were the quickest cars, followed by Webber (Red Bull) and
Vettel, followed by Button (McLaren), Perez (Sauber) and Petrov in the “Lotus”
Renault. And just by the way, Perez set his fastest time on lap 39, well past
the so-called life of the tyres. Another good theory blown away.
Hamilton, in the lead McLaren,
had a good race, never letting up, and deserved his second place, as did the
Russian Petrov deserve his third. For a driver who was in danger of being
dropped after last year, the Australian GP was a great turn-around.
Mark Webber, hoping to please
the locals, turned in a very disappointing performance. Almost a second slower
than his team mate in qualifying, and finished the race 38 seconds adrift. The
Australian’s fans, of which there are many, will be hoping he has a better
result in a week’s time in Malaysia. If he wants to drive for Red Bull next
year he must improve.
As for the rest? Nowhere.
