Satria GTi Makes its Australian Racing Debut
Proton's class-winning GT-P driver Kosi Kalaitzidis debuted the new Satria GTi at Round Three of the Australian GT-Production Car Championship at Sydney's Eastern Creek. Kalaitzidis and his crew finished preparing the car just a day before first practice at Eastern Creek and was able to take second place in the opening race behind Sydney driver Warren Luff. A tangle with other competitors in the second race saw Kalaitzidis relegated from second to fifth, however he still earned enough points to continue his class lead as he attempts to clinch the title for the second consecutive year. The next round of the eight round championship moves to the streets of Canberra in June where the Proton Satria GTi will again be vying for four-cylinder class supremacy.
The Satria is powered by a 1.8 litre twin cam 16 valve engine producing 103kW of power at 6000 rpm and 164Nm of torque at 5500rpm and accelerates from 0-100kmh in 7.8 seconds with a top speed of 210km/h. The Satria GTi benefits from the engineering and suspension tuning expertise of famous British company Lotus, a subsidiary of Proton Cars. The car has become Australia's best selling GTi hot hatch so far this year, outselling its nearest rival the (in short supply) Peugeot 206 GTi by almost seven percent, according to industry statistician VFACTS.
Ford History
No.21 in a series of 52 interesting facts about Ford Australia to celebrate its 75th Anniversary Year....
Ford's famous designer, Lewis Bandt, the father of the coupe utility, was also famous for having produced a Falcon convertible with a steel retractable top. Lew was given the task of producing six special cars for the Miss Australia Quest of 1964. Working in conjunction with Geelong bodybuilding company, Bodycraft, he designed the convertible version using a Falcon utility as the base. The utility back was ideal for storing the steel roof which folded in two and slid back into the tray. This was then covered by a steel panel which was hinged at the back. The roof was raised and lowered manually, quite a task considering the weight of the steel top. As the utility only had the front bench seat, Lew designed a panel to separate the rear section which held the top and installed a rear bench seat from the sedan. Unfortunately, no-one knows exactly what happened to these six very special Falcons. The only existing photos show one had the Victorian registration number HRB 333. Perhaps someone knows where at least one of these unique convertibles is today - Ford would love to hear from you!
Jaguar XKR with R Features
Revealed for the first time in Australia at the 2000 Melbourne International Motor Show, the XKR with R Features will be unleashed in Australia on 1 July 2000. Available in both coupe and convertible models, the XKR with R Features comprises stunning BBS modular alloy wheels, high performance Brembo brakes and a comprehensive handling pack for the XKR coupe only.
The XKR with R Features will be available in limited numbers and will be priced at $216,000 for the coupe and $240,000 for the convertible (these prices are inclusive of GST).
First unveiled at the 1999 Frankfurt Motor Show, the R Features models make systems and components originally showcased on the XK180 concept roadster a production reality. Like the XK180, the R Features models were developed by Jaguar Special Vehicle Operations, the company's specialist in-house design and engineering department. Australia is one of the first countries outside the UK to market R Features models. All of the available UK options have been brought together to create a distinct high performance model - the XKR with R Features.
The Paris and Detroit wheels are named after the motor show venues at which the XK180 concept roadster was first displayed in 1998. Combining style and performance, they are exactly the same size as the wheels fitted on the XK180 - and the largest ever fitted to a production Jaguar, measuring 9 inches wide x 20 inches in diameter at the front and 10 x 20 inches at the rear.
Both wheels on the XKR with R Features have modular, two-piece construction similar to that used in racing, with die-cast, spun rims for greater strength. Their high-quality appearance is enhanced by the use of titanium fixing screws - one of the screws cleverly concealing the valve - and thanks to wide spacing between the spokes, each style is easy to clean. All wheels are fitted with super-low profile, high-performance Pirelli tyres.
The XKR with R Features offers supreme confidence in high-speed braking, thanks to an uprated braking system supplied by Brembo, one of the world's leading manufacturers of high-performance brakes. The Brembo braking system features four-piston aluminium calipers, front and rear. The 355 x 32mm front discs and 330 x 28 mm rear discs are ventilated and cross-drilled for maximum performance. As well as providing superior braking confidence and response, the discs and Jaguar-branded calipers are an impressive design feature, being clearly visible through the widely spaced spokes of the XKR with R Features' alloy wheels.
Designed specifically for the XKR with R Features coupe only, the handling pack comprises enhancements to Jaguar's advanced CATS. These enhancements include revised electronic control unit mapping and revised dampers for taut, dynamic handling as well as uprated springs and anti-roll bars for increased roll stiffness. The pack also includes a retuned variable ratio, speed-sensitive steering system, giving a very direct feel and pinpoint accuracy.
With the handling pack installed on the XKR with R Features coupe, the ride height is lowered by 15mm, further improving the car's stability and poise. The result is an involving, thrilling driving experience which will reward even the most dedicated enthusiast and provide an evocative reminder of Jaguar's heritage of high performance.
Limited Edition Holden Statesman
Holden has released a limited edition version of its prestige long wheelbase Statesman. Only 250 examples of the WH Statesman International model will be produced. The Statesman International is powered by Holden's advanced GEN III 5.7 litre alloy V8, generating peak power of 220 kW at 5000 rpm and maximum torque of 446Nm at 4400 rpm. It is equipped with unique 17inch alloy wheels and low-profile 235/45 tyres. Its appearance is enhanced by an integrated rear deck spoiler and body-coloured grille treatment. It is further identified by International Series badging and a tone on tone Phantom black paint finish.
The interior of the Statesman International is trimmed in an exclusive shade of Howe leather, Light Shale, and the steering wheel has two-tone leather covering. The instrument cluster has been re-styled, and features a mid-grey face with sports style surrounds in satin silver and contrasting white indicator needles. The Statesman International also features the extended memory personal identity key system, which remembers the driver's seat and mirror positions.
Statesman international recommended retail price is $57,990 and it goes on sale in early June.
Alfa Romeo Reveals The Alfa 147
Alfa Romeo will preview its new small car, the Alfa 147, at the 68th Turin International Motor Show before it goes on sale in Europe at the end of the year and in Australia in the middle of 2001.The 4.16 metre long, 1.70 metre wide hatchback Alfa 147 is a good-looking, spirited car that offers performance, safety, equipment and comfort comparable to that of much higher category models.
The Alfa Romeo 147 will be fitted with three Twin Spark 16 valve engines: a 77kW 1.6 unit; an 88 kW high power 1.6 unit and a 110kW 2.0 unit. The latter will be available with either a manual gearbox or a Selespeed gearbox with robotised gear shift and clutch control. These units are joined by a common rail diesel engine with variable geometry turbine, the 81kW 1.9 JTD, which will go on sale in Europe in spring 2001 together with the 2.0 manual gearbox unit and five door versions. Australian market engines will be announced when the car is launched here.
The mechanical units are designed to suit the car's engines and decidedly sporty personality. The floor pan is based on the Alfa 156 floor pan (this means the car is not a development of the Alfa 145 but a completely new car in its own right). The new car's torsional rigidity is the same as that of its older sister, as is the suspension system: double wishbone at the front and MacPherson at the rear. The Alfa 147 also offers maximum active and passive safety. Its powerful, easily-modulated braking system comes with ABS and it also offers sophisticated electronic devices including electronic brake force distribution (EBD) that distributes braking force over front and rear wheels, a device to limit wheel spin during acceleration (ASR), a device to regulate braking torque when changing down through the gears (MSR) and a device to control dynamic stability on bends (VDC).
Anglo-Australian Team Leads Volvo Attack on 2000 London-Sydney Marathon
Volvo's reputation for building cars that are tough, swift and safe - and long-lasting - will be put to the test by an Anglo-Australian team competing in the 2000 London-Sydney Marathon rally, which starts in the British capital on 3 June. One of Australia's most experienced long distance drivers, George Reynolds, and his British partner Andrew Gorrod will contest the gruelling 16,000 km event in a car that has conquered almost as many marathon kilometres as they have, a Volvo 144S sedan.
The third London-Sydney Marathon has been billed as the world's ultimate motoring adventure. It will take the 96 entrants - including a total of six Volvos - through 14 countries. The rally includes two massive airlifts, from Turkey to Thailand and from Malaysia to Darwin, from where the weary crews and battered cars will start their final sprint to the Sydney Opera House finish on 4 July.
Reynolds brings to the team his experience of competing in the original London-Sydney Marathon of 1968, the 25th anniversary Marathon in 1993 and many other overseas and Australian motorsport events, including winning the second-ever Bathurst touring car endurance race in 1964.
He met Gorrod on the 1993 event, when the Englishman was a service mechanic for the same 1968-model Volvo they will share this time. The Volvo and Gorrod, as driver, went on to finish the 1995 London-Mexico and 1997 Panama-Alaska rallies. Gorrod has completely rebuilt the trusty Volvo 144S for the tri-continental Marathon in the workshops of Volvo dealer Cecil and Larter, based in Bury St Edmonds, England.
"We've managed to get an extra 40 horsepower from the engine for this event, but I'm not sure if that's good or bad - good for speed, or bad because we will get into trouble a lot quicker," he joked.
While looking forward to again testing the Volvo in some of the world's harshest motoring conditions, he's also delighted that it will be Reynolds sharing the driving and navigation duties.
"George is amazing," said Gorrod of the stud cattle farmer from Lancefield, Victoria. "He's built like an oak sapling, but he drives like God's messenger. "Between us we have an experienced crew and a tough car under us. I hope we can do well."
The Volvo entries in the latest London-Sydney Marathon replicate the Swedish make's participation in the original, legendary event. Five cars were entered in 1968 by drivers who helped earn Volvo an enviable name in Australian rallying - Bob Holden, Max Winkless, John Keran, Jack Forrest and Gerry Lister. And one crew of four women, led by Elsie Gadd, who won the ladies' trophy in a Volvo 145S wagon.
Quickies
- US magazine Auto Interiors magazine has given the Mazda MPV its "Truck Interior of the Year" Award....
- Mitsubishi Motors has appointed Mr. Tom Phillips as the new Managing Director of its Australian operations. He will commence his new appointment on 27 June 2000. For the last 14 years Mr. Phillips has worked for Toyota Motor Corporation Australia and has broad experience in their regional office, retail, sales, and parts operations. He has been the Director of Sales and Marketing since 1997.
