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AUTO MANIA:
by Dr. Iain Corness |
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Pro Races at Bira this weekend
Thomas Raldorf in the CEA Honda.
The Pro Racing folk are at Bira this weekend, with a full
card of events. This group is a little less formal than the SuperCar
promotions, but you should see plenty of action on the tight Bira circuit.
They do have a Retro class, but running under different
regulations from the Nitto 3K promotions compared to what we run in with the
Securitas Ford Escort Mk 1 Retro race car, so we will not be present. (The
start of the season for us has been delayed and is now May 4, 5, 6.)
The start of the F1 season is also two weeks away, with
the first GP in Australia March 18, followed one week later by the Malaysian
GP.
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The 33rd Bangkok International Motor Show
Our motor show is on again this year from March 28 to April
8. Once again it is going to be held at the Challenger Hall, Impact Arena, Muang
Thong Thani and the organizers are promising a bigger, better show with plenty
of new vehicle launches to whet your appetite.
33rd BIMS.
This is the second year of running at the Challenger Halls,
and last year it showed that it was more than capable of holding the largest
motor show in Thailand.
The Grand Prix International Group, the organizers of the
Bangkok International Motor Show realizes the significance of the show to the
automotive industry which is trying to recover after having been badly affected
by the tsunami in Japan and the floods in Thailand.
Last year’s event was an overwhelming success in the history
of the show. This year, exhibition space has been booked by BMW, Chevrolet,
Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Kia, Lexus, Lotus, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MINI,
Mitsubishi Motors, Mitsuoka, Nissan, Peugeot, Rolls-Royce, SsangYong, Suzuki,
Thairung, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo. One exhibitor from last year which will
not be present is Proton, while the parent company sorts out its financial
situation, having been bought into by DRB in Malaysia. Mitsubishi Motor and
Suzuki are expected to launch their eco-cars at the event, and Hyundai from
Korea will launch their latest model, the Elantra.
The motorcycle ranks will feature Big Bull, BMW, Ducati,
Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, Modern Bike, Stallions, Suzuki, UDA, Vespa and
Yamaha. 2012 is set to be a great year for new bikes and the BIMS is where
you’ll be able to throw a leg over the latest and greatest. From bling cruisers
to the latest hi-tech sportsbikes, there’s something for everyone here. New are
Ducati and Harley-Davidson.
Organizers are also preparing a special area for visitors who
want to do a test drive. Last year’s show featured 20 of the leading automotive
brands and between them more than 1,000 test drives were taken during the event
by enthusiastic show visitors. Other attractions for the general public include
a music corner, automotive auction, photography competition, and a variety of
automotive-themed talk shows.
And yes, the “Pretties” yawn*.
The Bangkok International Motor Show continues to show signs
of healthy growth and popularity with a roster that promises not only to expand
over last year’s 20 car companies but also to showcase top models. Concept cars
and production cars from Japan, Europe, America, Korea and China are presenting
technology right up to the future, signifying that the automotive industry of
Thailand is still relevant in the automotive world of SE Asia as well as being
important in the world stage.
President of Grand Prix International and chairman of the
organizing committee, Dr Prachin Eamlumnow said, “I’m confident that this 33rd
Bangkok International Motor Show will endeavor to overturn the fortunes of the
Thai automotive industry again and be the gauge of the Thai economy.”
The BIMS runs from 28 March to 8 April 2012 at the Challenger
Hall 1-3, Impact Muang Thong Thani - Thailand’s biggest automotive showcase.
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China attacks Europe
Qoros.
China, the world’s most populous nation, is not content to
just making vehicles for home consumption, but is now entering the European
market as European manufacturers.
For example, the Great Wall company has just opened a factory
in Bulgaria, and like most Chinese cars they are inexpensive, with models
ranging from just over 300,000 THB, drive away. This company has 10
manufacturing plants in China and is predicting sales of half a million cars
overseas per year.
Chery, the largest producer in China now has a plant in
Italy, having bought a Fiat plant in Sicily. Taking a leaf from Toyota and
Lexus, or Nissan and Infiniti and Honda and Acura, Geely has its own brand as
well, called Qoros.
Geely is another powerful brand in China, and they already
have a foot in Europe, having bought Volvo from Ford a couple of years back.
Geely will also sell under its own brand name in the UK, with a mid-sized car
selling for 500,000 THB.
Beijing Automotive Industry Holding tried to buy Germany’s
Opel, when GM was in the middle of its turmoil and bankruptcy, but GM hung on.
GM also hung on to the now bankrupt SAAB, but there are signs that GM might
relent and let SAAB go over the Great Wall of China!
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Made in der Black Forest by der Elves
VW Kombi.
Have you noticed the number of old Beetles on the roads these
days, plus a fair smattering of Kombi wagons? I had previously noted some in
Chiang Mai, but not many in Pattaya. Now it is the other way around. Go along
the Railway Road and there are two VW places around the Naklua areas.
I have also seen one genuine Beetle cabriolet (I think they
were done by Karmann) and a couple of Karmann Ghia’s. A couple of years ago I
spotted a Kubelwagon and Wiki tells me that the Volkswagen Kbelwagen (short for
Kbelsitzwagen, meaning “bucket seat car”) was a military vehicle designed by
Ferdinand Porsche and built by Volkswagen during World War II for use by the
German military (both Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS). Based heavily on the Volkswagen
Beetle, it was prototyped as the Type 62, but eventually became known internally
as the Type 82. It was to the Germans, what the Jeep was to the Allies.
The Kombi was first produced in 1950 and became an instant
success with the hippy movement in the 60’s, and for Australians going to “do
Europe” where there were Kombi’s for sale or exchange in the Earls Court suburb
of London. Kombi’s were not known for performance and zero to 100 kph is quoted
as being 1 minute 15 seconds. 100 kph was also its top speed. I’m sure there are
lots of Kombi tales out there.
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Ferrari is the hottest brand in China
Ferrari FF (Fully Flamed?)
An almost-new Ferrari FF apparently burst into flames on a
motorway in Shanghai, China. As can be imagined, the photos of the flaming
supercar are all over the internet.
According to Chinese news site Wenzhou City News, witnesses
saw the Italian supercar driving along when smoke started billowing from under
the bonnet. The driver stopped and jumped out just before the car burst into
flames.
Police and fire-fighters were called, but by the time they
arrived the car was a write-off.
In China, the FF costs close to $850,000 as it attracts
import duties and high taxes, so let’s hope he was insured.
In the past 18 months Ferrari has had a number of its cars
spontaneously ignite, particularly with its 458 Italia. Ferrari issued a recall
in September 2010 for the 458, blaming an adhesive in the wheel arches that
could ignite in some circumstance. This is apparently the first fire involving
an FF.
Despite the recent spate of embarrassing fires, Ferrari
buyers have not been deterred. Sales were up by 9.5 percent to 7195 units in
2011, while the company’s revenue was up by a record 17.3 percent. Certainly hot
results against the poor financial situation of Italy.
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