Have I (again) solved the great Mini search? March 29, 2009
Posted by richard in : Minutiae of cars , 4commentsSo, as you know, I’ve been looking back at old road tests in Autocar. The Mayfair one was revealing. While the 1997 Cooper one properly got me going.
I asked the question, wonder if the Mayfair’s still on the road? Tom Rowan answered it – probably not. He did a canny registration search, and discovered the potentially bad news.
Well then, I thought… if it worked for that, why shouldn’t it also work for P 752 KWK, the 1997 Rover press fleet car?
To the DVLA link I duly went. Whence, I got back some very interesting news.
The car still exists.
But it’s currently declared SORN.
Why? What’s it doing? Where’s it living? Has it been crash-damaged, and is currently being repaired? Is it a restoration project? Has the owner discovered its famed provenance, and is keeping it safely stored in a lockup somewhere?
I don’t know! But I would love to… see, if this is a car in ill health, that the owner wants to move on for minimal bucks, I’d definitely be interested. Hey – owning an ex-press car… what a thrill!
It could even be the same car my boss Peter Burgess had down here on loan all those years ago. It could be the same test car my mates at Autocar thrashed around the track. Providing me with the delights to pour over a few weeks later.
It’d be nice to find out. Anyone out there recognise it, and can help? If so, let me know.
Because, staring at the images, a metallic orange Rover Cooper on 13”s would do the job quite nicely, I think…
Can you help me buy a Mini in 2009?
Mini search over already? If I’m lucky
What can I expect from a Mini?
Porsche makes cranky Cayenne cool March 28, 2009
Posted by richard in : Minutiae of cars , 3comments
Everyone’s least favourite Porsche is the Cayenne. (Yes, even the 924 has fans).
But here’s why it’s suddenly cool: the Porsche Design Edition 3.
Now, we’ve already seen Cayman and Boxster Design Edition models. They, like this Cayenne, are jazzed-up Porsches, by the company’s industrial and product design division in Austria.
The Design Studio over there has fairly gone to town on the Cayenne, with special paint, 21-inch wheels, unique design stripes and an Alcantara-shod interior. If that’s not quite stand out enough, there’s a double-decker rear wing offered as a no-cost option.
All rather exciting, especially as only 1000 of the £64k 405bhp V8 Cayenne will be made. But the best part is not the SUV, but the bits that come with it.
Such as, a Porsche Design Chronograph watch. Yes, really. This is a unique Design Edition 3 timepiece, and there will only be as many as there are Cayennes.
In true game show style though, that’s not all. There’s also a four-piece Porsche Design Edition 3-branded luggage set. Yes, even suitcases are made cool by Porsche.
Both are seriously wantable possessions. Both will ensure sky-high valuations, in 3 decades’ time, for any Design Edition 3 Cayenne with both still in tact.
Both are reasons why I want to buy a Cayenne Design Edition 3, squirrel the goodies away in the loft, and then… well, go up into the loft and look at them occasionally. Then hide them away again. It’s a car geek thing.
I would have done the same with those Golf GTI MkII Anniversary forged alloy wheels I almost won on eBay. I certainly do with my Golf GTI MkII 16v uncut key, complete with 16v cap-on-a-string in place.
Who understands?
Anyone..?
Fuel economy economical with the truth
Why car scrappage is now inevitable
What can I expect from a Mini?
Mini fixes easy to come by… March 27, 2009
Posted by richard in : What I learned today , 1 comment so farOver to my mate Keith Adams’ AROnline site, for my daily fix. And, lo, what should sit at the top, but an UPDATED Mini history!
I won’t spoil it for you, not least because it’s an absolute fact-packed epic. Who needs a bedtime book, when you’ve got treasures like this.
But charging on through did open my eyes to a few reality checks. Such as, how the Mini nearly died in the mid-1980s… my era of Mini! The production folk wanted to get shot of it, and hand over the space to more modern designs, that were easier and more efficient to produce. Such as the Metro.
At the same time, though, market research was underway at Austin Rover. Which revealed that most people thought the Mini was, well, already dead. They didn’t realise it was still in production.
Yet the research also revealed how fondly they still thought of it. Ker-ching, went the marketeers, never ones to miss the chance of making a buck.
Result? The famous special edition plethora, which marked out the Mini’s final decade-and-a-half in existence.
These are the Minis I know, love, and collected brochures of as a kid. Designer, Park Lane, Sky Blue, Advantage (now THAT would be a buy), Check Mate… lord knows where the brochures are now, but I had the lot back in my yoof.
Wouldn’t have been the case if it wasn’t for the marketeers and researchers, though. Engineering would have got its way, and more Maestros made at the Mini’s expense. Shudder.
For this reason, I’m going to have a cup of tea. In recognition of marketeers everywhere. Cheers.
What can I expect from a Mini?
Can you help me buy a Mini in 2009?
Fuel economy economical with the truth? March 27, 2009
Posted by richard in : Minutiae of cars, What I learned today , 5commentsFuel economy is all nowadays. Not since the 1980s have manufacturers been so intent on producing efficient cars.
It’s all in the name of being green, you see. That’s why we’re seeing the return of the ‘eco special’.
Back in the day, car makers achieved good returns with long gear ratios, economy meters and stripped-out, lightweight equipment levels. Volkswagen Polo Formel E, anyone? Austin Metro 3+E?
25 years later, things are, of course, much more advanced. We have, err, long gear ratios, trip computers and, well, stripped down equipment levels. Audi TDIe, Ford Econetic, etc and so forth. OK… not much progress there, then. But, if something ‘aint broke and all that…
Why this post, then? Because Ford’s revealed some of the secrets behind the eco game in Automotive Engineer this month. See, nowadays there’s far more to it than simply keeping the revs low.
The fuel test cycle may be oft-criticised, but it still takes in a whole host of parameters. Which can be, for want of a better word, massaged.
Here’s 5 revealing ways the new Fiesta Econetic beats the system.
• Every kg saved benefits real-world economy – but only HUGE mass reductions affect the test cycle figures. That’s because ‘inertial weight classes’ are used, each covering around 100kg. This is basically a rolling road with a resistance against it. But… it’s only by shaving enough to move into a new band that you will improve economy.
• Fitting longer gear ratios is expensive. Volkswagen does this in Bluemotions – 1st and 2nd are standard, 3rd to 5th stretched. Far cheaper, says Ford, to simply fit a longer final drive ratio. It cuts 5g/km from CO2 emissions. But depends on having a torquey enough engine to still pull well in 1st and 2nd…
• It’s not hard to make a more aerodynamic car – but it IS costly to produce and fit the bespoke panels required. Ford reduced CO2 emissions by 2g/km, by easy measures. The maker didn’t want any more bespoke ‘workstations’ on the production line, to fit extra aerodynamic addenda.
• An easy fit, you’d think, would be aerodynamic wheel trims. Yes, says Ford – but the redevelopment work in ensuring the brakes behind them get enough cooling air is another matter. That’s why they’re not here.
• The biggest trick to improving test cycle economy is recalibrating the engine ECU. Measures here include reducing the idle speed, as it takes up a big part of the official test cycle. In the future, Ford also expects eco credits for fitting a standard trip computer.
All of this helps improve the official figures. However, only some of it will affect real world economy. Just goes to show, when judging economy cars, that it’s best to look beyond the figures, and what measures are actually employed to achieve them.
Are they test cycle cheats, or real-world benefits?
What can I expect from a Mini – 2 March 26, 2009
Posted by richard in : Minutiae of cars , add a commentOK, I’ve been ploughing the Autocar library again, seeking out tests from back in the day. 22 January 1997 doesn’t sound *too* far back in the day, even though it is, actually, 12 years ago. Gawd, etc.
Anyway, Autocar Road Test no. 4228 is of the Rover Mini Cooper, by now with airbag, seatbelt pretensioners and side impact bars.
The radiator’s on the side, damping pads are fitted in the roof, there’s an extra exhaust silencer, and the final drive is longer. All helping the 1275cc meet the 74dB noise limit.
Fear not, says Autocar. It’s still a Mini, and thus, unlike any other car on sale. Encouragingly, the 63bhp A-Series is now ‘evergreen’, taking nearly 10secs off the Mayfair’s 0-60mph time. It’s still unrefined, though.
The ride also remains bouncy – ‘burying drivers’ heads in the roof’. The key is finding a smooth corner. There, says Autocar, four-wheel drifts are the norm. Intimate, if crude, feel through the steering helping you achieve ‘perplexingly high speeds’.
Needless to say, the interior is as dated as ever (despite a two-speed fan!). It’s very cramped, doors are tiny, and tall people simply have to bend their knees. Buttons on the dash are unlit (I didn’t realise that) and the boot is highly awkward.
Once again, Autocar’s objective terms write the Mini off as from another era. But, of course, it is! That’s why it’s so great! And thus, ‘as an object of basic desire, it’s still up there with the best of them.’
Couldn’t have put it better myself…
What can I expect from a Mini? March 25, 2009
Posted by richard in : Minutiae of cars , 5commentsI have yet to drive a Mini, but am getting more eager by the day. Until I snare one, I’m having to get my fix from virtual sources.
Hence, me turning to Autocar, 23 August, 1989.
Here, the magazine subjected a 998cc Mayfair to the rigors of its full road test, as a celebration of 30 years’ production.
What did Autocar make of it? Well, I took from it the following impressions:
• Engine
It’s slow. The Mini is substantially slower than the original 1959 test car, says Autocar. Sure, it weighs 10 percent more, but the engine’s also bigger. 0-60mph in 22 seconds sounds slow to me, a top speed of 78mph below my everyday cruising speed.
It’s also, says Autocar, slower in the gears. This is because the gearing has been raised over the original, by 20 percent. At least that means you don’t have to rev it; there’s a ‘cacophony’ near the 5750rpm redline. But, it lugs smoothly through the rev range and, says Autocar, isn’t as unrefined as has been made out. Unlike the gearbox, which whines, is obstructive and agricultural.
• Driving impressions
Autocar loves how the Mini handled. By modern standards, the turn in is almost too sharp; the communicative steering means you place it inch-perfect every time. It’s also throttle-adjustable.
The ride isn’t as bad as feared. It’s nervous in town, with the short-travel suspension easily caught out. But it’s very stable on motorways, dealing with low-frequency undulations well.
• Interior
The car is dated from behind the wheel, with switches out of reach. Visibility is fantastic, but the driving position has ‘serious problems’. Space is ‘inadequate’, noise levels high and the seats, while not uncomfortable, are lacking in lumbar and lateral support.
Even Mayfair trim is sparsely equipped. However, it feels sturdy and strong, with the doors shutting cleanly and solidly. The paintwork would be favourable on a car costing twice as much. Alas, minor items are shabbily assembled, and the keys are difficult to put in the locks.
• Summary
It is slow, unrefined, cramped, and modern superminis are in a different league. Doesn’t matter. It’s still easy to make a case for the Mini, concludes Autocar. It’s great fun to drive, and stands out in a world where cars look ever-more anonymous.
All that criticism’s to be expected. All that we can take. We buy Minis not for rational reasons, but emotional ones. Autocar’s modern-perspective take has only served to reinforce that… now then, does anyone know if F 21 RKV, the reg of the test car, is still out there?
CITN: Citroen C1 RV threat? March 24, 2009
Posted by richard in : News clues , add a commentCitroen, like model partners Peugeot and Toyota, shifts a fair few C1s in the UK.
That tally was boosted recently, by a substantial 1320, thanks to a deal with AccuRead. The meter reading company’s taking these cars on, for 18 months, to cover 13,000 miles a year reading, well, meters.
They’re all 1.0 five-door Rhythm 1.0-litres. In black, silver, or one of two greys. And may be extended by another six months if the demand is there.
All fine and dandy.
However, Citroen has also accurately revealed a potential blow to its C1 RVs in a few years’ time.
See, more than 10 per cent of annual sales coming from one order always leaves things slightly out of your control. The used market now knows that 1.0 five-door Rhythm C1s will be more plentiful if they wait – so could mark current cars down a little in knowledge of this.
They’ll know that silver, black or grey cars could have faced a little more abuse, so may want to avoid them. They’ll also know they could face greater refurbishment costs if they buy them ‘as seen’, so will try to avoid this on a car that, until now, has been predominantly retail.
Further to that, they’ll know that this could also mark a shift in Citroen’s thinking for the C1. All companies want to go green nowadays. Is this deal setting out the brand’s stall for drawing in fleets, who want large numbers of eco cars, at a low price?
So many ponderables. Until now, the C1’s RVs have been excellent. It’ll be worth watching if they vary from the similarly high figures of its 107 and Toyota Aygo siblings over the coming months…
Just how loyal are the super-rich? March 23, 2009
Posted by richard in : What I learned today , add a commentBentley customers are, sometimes, a loyal bunch. 82 per cent of those who bought, back in 2006, an original GTC still own the car.
Why the ‘sometimes’ proviso? Because that’s for the GTC range, Bentley Board member Stuart McCullough revealed. If you’re looking at the Flying Spur, of course, the loyalty rates are even higher. Customers hold onto their cars for years.
The coupe, however, is different. Such is the fast turnover trend in the market, Bentley Continental GT buyers, on average, keep their car for just 11 months. Less than a year!
That’s the luxury car market for you. In certain sectors, it really is less about the car, and more about what’s ‘new’.
Could part of Bentley’s current troubles run deeper than the credit crunch, then? Be down to the fact its Continental GT is getting on a bit nowadays?
Judging by all the activity at the Crewe HQ, I’d wager the maker realises this, and has been working on the solution for years now… ‘new product is always crucial, a spokesman told me.
‘We’re going to be moving the Bentley story on in due course…’
Watch, he implored, this space. OK…
What I learnt… from Fleet News, 20 March 2009 March 20, 2009
Posted by richard in : What I learned today , add a commentSo far, new car sales have fallen by 28 percent. The new car market is predicted to fall from over 2 million new car sales, to 1.7 million sales, or less.
Yet the SMMT says it could be boosted by 250,000 sales in an 18-month period by a new car scrappage scheme.
It would have to incorporate nearly new green cars to be of any benefit, though, a leasing company boss told Fleet News. Surprisingly, he said this would have to cover cars up to four years old.
This would stimulate the used car market and thus boost the new car market.
But, isn’t the used market already thriving, as buyers seek extra value? Aren’t car auctions seeing record results and a shortage of stock? I think he’s barking up the wrong tree here.
… Fleet sales once accounted for over half the new car market. Now, due to the recession, it’s down to 44.8 percent. Retail sales are, relatively, booming, taking 55.2 percent.
This is despite reports that retail customers are sitting tight, waiting for the Government to decide on a scrappage scheme. If it comes, I’d expect the proportion to become even more skewed.
… Those fields of cars we keep seeing on the news are just an illusion. Actually, fleet bosses say, there are not loads of cars sitting ready to go. So, huge fleet discounts are not on the table. One chief told Fleet News that swingeing cutbacks by car makers last year have slashed inventories.
… Car makers making the best of the recession include Ford, whose market share is approaching 20 percent – a massive increase on 15 percent last year. French makers are struggling, though. Citroen has 2.8 percent, Peugeot 3.8 percent (down from 6.1 percent) and Renault just 2.7 percent (down from 5.7 percent).
Secrets of the new Toyota Prius March 20, 2009
Posted by richard in : Minutiae of cars , comments closedI was honoured to speak with the chief engineer of the new Toyota Prius, Akihiko Otsuka, at the Geneva Motor Show recently. Honoured, because the young dude is quite a guy.
Oozing enthusiasm for the Prius, his groundedness and sheer enthusiasm wowed me. We’re close in age, he and I, and I really felt how ‘here and now’ he is. Think everything that’s dynamic and invigorating about modern Japan, for an idea of his approach.
This whirlwind of ideas shows in the new car, which really is quite something. Official fuel economy of the current one doesn’t always carry through to reality, I said. Unbowed, he admitted so – a key target of the new car was to improve on this.
He told his team to benchmark against the Volkswagen Golf 1.9 TDI – not the default 2.0 TDI, which is a fair bit less efficient. Quite a challenge, as I know how economical that engine can be. But Otsuka ‘beat it’.
A new approach to body design helped here – he allowed the aerodynamic engineers to work with clay models, ‘despite the expense’. This is unheard of in the car industry, where stylists normally hold sway. But, getting aerodynamics engineers so closely involved in the shape means the drag factor is a startling 0.25. An old Mini, by way of comparison, is 0.56….
However, while the hybrid gear is the big deal, he admits that this contributes only half to the overall 14 percent economy improvement. The other 7 percent?
‘Low rolling resistance tyres, aerodynamics and other energy improvement methods.’ The same, in other words, as employed on a VW BlueMotion, Volvo DRIVe, Ford ECOnetic, SEAT Ecomotive…
This fact brings home the law of diminishing returns. And the scale of the challenge car makers face in making cars continually more green.
I have an absolute mass of information from the discussion, which I’m using to write a piece for Automotive Engineer magazine. Overall, though, meeting Otsuka-san was quite something. In a month or so’s time, we’ll be finding out if his car is as good.
