BMW Z4 has 3 Series Convertible to thank May 29, 2009
Posted by richard in : Uncategorized , 5commentsLEARNING how to do folding hard-top roofs with the 3 Series Convertible served BMW well.
It meant it could launch a folding hard top Z4 relatively easily – simply because it had acquired so much knowledge.
What’s more, the shift over to the folding tin top is another reason for the car’s production relocation to Germany.
The Regensburg plant where it’s built has now become BMW’s official ‘centre of excellence’ for folding hard-top roofs.
It’s so well geared up, the supplier is even located there on site, an engineer insider told me.
‘This gives us the best possible means of achieving high quality levels.’
Engineering a folding hard top isn’t the work of a moment. Even one such as the Z4’s, whose lower 2-panel count reduces the number of joins and joints to worry about.
The problem come in areas you probably don’t even think about. Such as?
• Packing the roof into the boot without the lardy bum of a Peugeot 307 CC. ‘A close working relationship with the designers is vital.’
• Making it watertight – ‘this is the key. The biggest challenge is not to get the roof moving, it’s to keep the water out.’
• The need to like coffee. ‘I was able to work closely with the expert from the 3 Series Convertible project – we could have coffee, chat about our weekends, and how to get the Z4 roof watertight. We did this a lot…’
‘Once you’ve got it watertight the first time, you then need to do it again. Repeatability is of huge importance.
‘Our approach is to always take one car at random and test it for water tightness.’
Passing the tough BMW test involves putting the car in a high-pressure shower. Literally. ‘It’s a severe test. At the moment, every car is being tested. In time, tolerances will be such that we can test a certain percentage.’
What’s a watertight test pass rate for BMW? 95 percent ‘right first time’. Which means that, basically, every single Z4 has to be built to be watertight.
‘We’re almost there…’
If Ford played chess, don’t take it on May 23, 2009
Posted by richard in : Uncategorized , 2commentsHEAVENS, I’m admitting something here. That I used to be in Chess Club at College.
OK, not for long. And I did used to put Breeders tapes (yes, tapes) on in the background. But, partake I did. Which is why I know Ford is like a member of said Club.
The feared member. The Club player I never dared play. The champ, the whizz, the one who nobody could beat – his moves were like a perfectly-placed onslaught of brilliance from the off. The git.
Bit like Ford right now (well, apart from the git bit).
Market share is booming. The right cars are flying out of the showrooms just at the right time. The dealers find they’re still able to make all the right noises for customers.
Checkmate, rivals.
It’s almost momentous, Ford happening to launch the brand-new, brilliant, bedazzling Fiesta and pretty decent Ka, just as the country enters a major recession and switches wholesale (well, 35 percent or so, according to the SMMT) to superminis.
Think of the Blue Oval right now just as we thought of the St Georges Cross flag seller, in the 2002 World Cup. Yes, him, on the beach in the Costa del Sol right now.
Is this by chance or design? Did Ford foresee changing market conditions? Did it intentionally make the Fiesta so damn great because it KNEW the market was switching this way?
Whatever, it’s working. Historically so. Mainstream is back in vogue, and the blue collar’s fave is reaping the benefits.
Damn, it’s good. You won’t catch me taking it on. Now, where’s me Breeders tape…
The most depressing engines in esistance: Ford 1.8D
Ford gloom hides people carrier revolution?
Weller does a MINI Silverstone gig
Westfield not far afield May 17, 2009
Posted by richard in : Uncategorized , 3commentsYOU can’t get auto stories closer to home than a car company 3 miles from your door.
Westfield Sports Cars is based in Kingswinford. Or, down the road from me. Just because they’re close, though, doesn’t mean I have connections there. Alas.
Maybe this is because their sights are set further afield. See, in yesterday’s local paper came a story that the firm’s upped its exports by 80 percent.
80 percent!
Westfields, it seems, are now being distributed in the Middle East, France, Holland and Malaysia. There’s an international dealer network. And, says the company, it’s not stopping there.
See, Westfield now has European Small Series Specification – homologation for kitcars. This means they’re an even more consumer-friendly proposition, meaning Westfield could see production nudge up to 2 a day.
14 a week, 56 a month. Big numbers for someone the size of Westfield.
UK Trade & Investment cash is helping this foreign expansion. Apparently, at all international motor shows and track days, the cars carry UKTI logos – because the Government body is providing the company with the necessaries to develop this expansion.
Seems there could be a rumble down the road soon, too. (Not to mention a permanent Police presence on Tansey Green Road). That’s because Westfield is expanding its model range.
Soon, the company will start building The Bil Saperas. The what? A modern day AC Cobra. Whew.
With that in the pipeline, maybe this stay-at-home won’t be so hard after all. Now, Westfield MD Julian Turner, you know my email address…
Totally random used car: MG ZT
Mini prices and the daily heart-flutter May 4, 2009
Posted by richard in : Uncategorized , add a commentWELL, this great Mini search is not looking good.
I’ve got my trader alerts fully set up, and I’m thoroughly depressed by the results.
They’re either insanely expensive, or seriously scabby. Or both.
This is something AROnline whizz Steven Ward has discovered elsewhere, too. He posted a blog about his foray to BCA Brighouse.
His findings mirrored mine. Rusty Minis, going for eye-wartering money. One 96/P Cooper Sports Pack he saw ended up going for £2650. Plus £200 indemnity fee. As Ward said, that’s ‘one expensive restoration project’.
He persisted. Went to see a private City E, that he rated at £500, tops. As he said, ‘imagine my disappointment when it made double. Imagine my shock when I was told its reserve was over £1k…’
Chosen a great time to buy a Mini, haven’t I. 50th anniversary buzz and all that.
How to get a cheapie? Tips from Ward’s respondees include going for a Clubman, hanging the Mini and going for an Allegro or Metro. Or, well, choosing a Volvo.
Hey ho. I will persist! With, naturally, any tips on where to source bargains much appreciated…
Can you help me buy a Mini in 2009?
Mini brochure makes fascinating reading
More on Mini’s classic brochure May 3, 2009
Posted by richard in : Uncategorized , add a commentIT was a safety overload with the 1997 Mini Classic, as Rover’s brochure explained.
Standard kit? Driver’s airbag. Seatbelt pretensioners. Side intrusion beams. Headlamp leveling switch (if only the hydra cars had’ve had this…). Sir Alec would have been blown away.
But it wasn’t short on gadgets, either. Twinpoint fuel injection (yes, Tibbles, with chips)? Anti-theft alarm? Coded stereo? All were standard. And while there was no air con, there was the ferocious development of a twin-speed fan. In all things holy…
Rover certainly kept mentioning then, too… all through the brochure. Many times over.
Indeed, you had to bury far deeper to discover other features, such as gauges for oil temperature, battery and volts. The famed brake circuit test button. Gorgeous tweed seat trim as standard.
Never before had the Mini offered so many paint colours either, said Rover. There were ‘Classic’ paint colours. There were regular colours. There were new colours, which still look staggering today:
• Amarath: pearlescent purple flip
• Volcano: orange
• Kingfisher: blue
My favourites, picked from the huge range, took me a good half-hour to choose. In the end, I nailed it down to three:
• Platinum Silver
• Yukon Grey
• Whitehall Beige
I mused and I mused… in the end, Platinum Silver won. As you can see, it’s perfect. But, interior? Options? That’s another matter (and blog) entirely…
Can you help me buy a Mini in 2009?
Mini brochure makes fascinating reading
World news on your doorstep? May 3, 2009
Posted by richard in : Uncategorized , add a commentMy focus is going to shift for the next month.
Such is the way of work, I’ve at least 4 weeks committed solidly to long hours in the office, instead of out and about on the road. Hence, why updates have been a bit sparse here.
(And, why Sainsbury’s is doing a roaring trade in coffee and sweeteners.)
Thing is, where will all the discoveries come from, I’ve been thinking? Where will I uncover the stones? No chance of coffee with the next Krusche in the next few weeks, that’s for sure.
Instead, therefore, my focus is shifting close to home.
So, just how much can you find out from what’s around you? What can you discover about the global motoring world, from investigating what comes through your door, or what’s going on at things you see on your way to work?
Keep coming back, then, as my radar resolutely focuses on, literally, the here and now. I’m starting with the local paper. May watch the regional news. Will tune into commercial radio. Even, heavens, speak to the neighbours of my folks when I’m over for Sunday lunch and the Sunday paper ritual.
Can we all become motoring insiders? I’ll let you know…
Totally random used car: MG ZT
Mini brochure makes fascinating reading
Which totally random used car am I looking at today? 3 May 2, 2009
Posted by richard in : Uncategorized , 2comments2 May 2009 – MG ZT 160+
TRAWLING through the local paper, I thought I’d see if there were any Mini ads in the Classifieds. There weren’t – but what should be in the ‘M’ section instead, but a £3k 2005 MG ZT?
Blimey, I thought. £3k. That’s a whole lot of car for the money (BMW Z-axle rear suspension ‘n all). Then, I thought, now then. The ZTs were introduced a few years before that. Which means they could be cheaper still.
Sure enough, trailing through Auto Trader saw a shedload pop up, that fitted well within the Richard Aucock price range (motto: Bugger all is Best).
Take the bad boy above: 57k, Richard Aucock right-on red, sparkly set of spoked-style alloy wheels – and a staggering price tag of £1595. For a 2.5-litre, 160hp peach of a thing. Whew.
Certainly, our old press test car handled sublimely, handled great and looked the biz. We liked it. Car, for, of, lots, money, the.
Mind you, I remember putting these things into our database at work. It was a flamin’ nightmare. + this, 190 that, SE the other. Made little sense without a degree in Unix. But a bit of knowledge means dangerous things in sort-of understanding the Auto Trader ads.
+ here, you see, means half leather – and, if memory serves, side airbags and a trip computer, which was still illuminated in BMW amber, rather than MG blue. (Guess the units were sealed, and BMW by then weren’t too keen on doing much for MG Rover). Amusingly, it also has a stereo cassette player. Good job I’m a 5Live addict.
Thirst apart, this is a steal. Getting parts for it could be an issue in years to come, but I’m sure there’ll still be enough independent support to cover the basics. It would be a travesty if it had much depreciation left in it… meaning the biggest question mark I’d have would concern heads.
Or, rather, the gaskets between them. Do V6 K-Series suffer the same dramas as the 1.8s? ‘Cause replacing them here would be a damn sight trickier, for sure. Is THIS why they’re getting so cheap?
Experts, please offer your feedback!
Totally random used car – Golf V5
Totally random used car – Volvo S60
Can you help me buy a Mini in 2009?
Motoring entertainment for Easter April 11, 2009
Posted by richard in : Uncategorized , 3commentsLIVE in Norwich? Stuck for something to do over Easter? Got a car that’s spizzy through the corners?
Then get yourself over to one of Lotus’ own test routes, and enjoy some of the best roads in the district.
I did this, a few years back, on the Elise S launch. That’s the one with the old Corolla 1.8-litre engine, by the way – proving that 134bhp is just enough. It’s a sublime car.
The routes were as good, though. Google Maps will give you an idea, but a brief overview from the company’s Wymondham base will see you heading…
• North on the A47
• North on the B1145, just past Honingham
• Swinging onto the B1354 at Aylsam
• Peeling off onto the B1149 at Saxthorpe
• Threading through Little Thornage, then sniffing out the B1156
That gets you to Burnham. It got me to a hotel just outside Burnham. And, back to the factory the next day? Well, we headed…
• South on the B1355
• South on the B1146
• Just past Dereham, south on the B1135
Top stuff, and not a motorway in sight. Hark! What’s that ticking noise? Probably Lotus’ red Elise S test car, still cooling down.
Yes, you could say I enjoyed it.
bmwblog and UK car dealer agree
How Chevrolet today became cool
bmwblog and UK car dealer agree April 11, 2009
Posted by richard in : Uncategorized , 4commentsBMWBLOG has been reporting from the New York Auto Show. Of course, with a focus on BMWs.
But the guys there also took time to sniff around the other exhibitors – and came up with a ‘cars to watch’ list.
What struck me right away? The first car on the list – the Fisker Karma. A green petrol-electric combo, and set to be the world’s first high-end eco-supercar.
Why my interest? Because I spoke with a dealer of high-end cars in the UK last week, who said something very similar. Of all the forthcoming ‘green’ supercars, he reckons the Fisker is the most viable.
It’s got the looks, the performance and the prestige to both justify a high price tag and to stir customer demand. He’s thus watching it – because he knows his customers will be.
Two insider heads-up for the new Fisker, then. Guess we’d thus better be watching it…
BMW tells me why its instruments are lit in orange
Which totally random used car am I looking at today? 2 April 9, 2009
Posted by richard in : Uncategorized , 3comments9 April 2009 – Volkswagen Golf V5
VOLKSWAGEN’S Golf V5 is a Ferdinand Piech special. The father of the Audi quattro is a mechanical genius, who famously embraces anything that’s hard, technical or, seemingly, impossible.
Take the need to have an engine with a lower output than VW’s beautiful 2.8-litre VR6. You could, of course, make do with the 150bhp 1.8-litre turbo four-pot. Torquey, driveable and eager, it was hard to love but did a workmanlike job.
That wouldn’t do for Piech, though. Four cylinders, smooth as they are, simply lack the class of multi-cylinders. Yes, the V6 was a bit too juicy, but there was another solution staring (only him) in the face.
Chop a cylinder off the V6. Creating a 2.3-litre V5. From the father of the five-pot engine, it was like night following day. Production line efficiencies, shared components, lower development costs, bingo.
For everyone else, it was absurd. Odd cylinder numbers are naturally unbalanced. How the hell do you make that work in a vee, with three going one way and two the other?
With brilliance, methodology, determination, and a crankshaft that one wag said ‘looked like it had melted in the forging factory’, that’s how.
At launch, some griped it lacked torque, others that 150bhp wasn’t really an advance over the 1.8T. (VW later fixed this in part, with a 20V head that yielded 170bhp – nevertheless, this was still never a firebrand).
Everyone agreed, however, that the noise it made was utterly beguiling. Offbeat, both thrummy and warbling, it had character by the bucketload. And really was impeccably refined.
But, all that effort for an engine that wasn’t really necessary, didn’t sell in huge numbers, and hasn’t been replicated even by the Chinese? Only a man like Piech would see it through. He’s the Alec Issogonis of the 1990s.
Which is why I diverted from my Mini hunt to see how much Golf V5s today go for. £1895 is the answer. For a 150bhp Crème Egg of a gem, that’s smoother than Galaxy and tastier than even the freshest Chocolate Orange.
I adore them. I’d check the sump was still in one place, of course; the soft suspension and heavy engine meant ‘spirited’ motoring sometimes resulted in a loss of Castrol. But, for this sort of money, I’d have something very, very special indeed.
1.8T? Pah. THIS is the Golf you should be mothballing. I’m sure Piech has.
Volkswagen Golf looks to history for GRD inspiration
Porsche makes cranky Cayenne cool
What I learnt… from Autocar, 11 March 2009
