Archives for September 2016

Top down in the 2017 Porsche 718 Boxster

September 29, 2016 by Gary Grant Leave a Comment

For 2017, Porsche went back to its roots by dropping the flat six in the Boxster/Cayman line-up in favour of a four cylinder layout, just like road and racing cars of old. They also resurrected the badge 718, which first referred to an iconic four pot racer from the late Fifties through to the early Sixties.

The decision hopefully will also reduce the number of comparisons between the “entry level” Porsche and the 911.

The good news is that the new car is in every way worthy of the Porsche name and drivers will be instantly aware of what type of car they are sitting in.

2017 Porsche 718 Boxster

Base price: $63,900

As tested: $81,460

Energuide Fuel consumption rating

City: 10.5 l/100 km

Highway: 8.0 l/100 km

Combined: 9.4 l/100 km

One week with the 2016 Ford Focus RS

September 21, 2016 by Gary Grant Leave a Comment

After years of stiffing the North American market, Ford has finally brought the hottest of their hot hatches to our shores for 2016. I finally got to spend some time at the wheel of the incredible Ford Focus RS.

After the first few days of redline shifts and generally being a noisy nuisance, I discovered that the blue bomb is a thirsty wee beastie when driven hard. It isn’t too bad when driven like a grannie though.

Brack Classic Hill Climb

September 20, 2016 by Paul Gulde Leave a Comment

September 17th, 2016 dawned wet and the rain only seemed to increase as the day wore on. Yet many of the cars at the Brack Classic Hill Climb at Inglis Falls near Owen Sound, Ontario, still lined up ready to take the starter’s flag to commence their runs up the hill. Cars and motorcycles were scheduled to run Inglis Falls Road past houses with the residents waiting on their front lawns to see the action. They were watching for the cars to blast their way through the puddles in the road.

The Mclaren M8 E/F of Steve Gidman shod only with large slicks sat under a tent. Steve considered it unwise to run with standing water on the hill. Bill Brack left his Lotus 59/69 also equipped with slicks, in his trailer. The bikes, still on their trailers, left early realizing it was safer on 4 wheels than 2 on the hill in the wet.

The cars still lined up ready to take the starters flag to charge up the hill attacking the more than 1 km run. As the starter’s flag dropped the cars took off gingerly at first, more aggressively as the runs continued. Morgans in force, MGA’s, Jaguars, all getting a feel for the wet surface. Hay bales intermittently lined the road with a hay bale chicane at the end of the start straight. Several cars just blew through that chicane overestimating the braking ability of their cars in the rain. I think the rain slowed everyone down so that the chicane was not needed today.

1955 VW Bug of Emmanuel Thuillier with the prominent 36 HP Challenge sticker on his back window. Not so fast off the line in the wet.

The Brack Classic Hill Climb at Inglis Falls is in the style the Goodwood classic Hill Climb and is hopefully the first of many to come. It is coupled with the Cobble beach concours d’elegance and hosted by Bill Brack, 3 time Canadian car racing champion. There was a parade of vintage cars into Owen Sound on Friday September 16th and the weather was perfect.
We will look forward to seeing this event again and cross our fingers for better weather next year.

Al Weller ran his 1977 Volvo P1800. I guess Simon Templar could not make it.

Review: 2016 Chrysler 300C

September 7, 2016 by Tom Williams Leave a Comment

It’s a well known fact that Chrysler is owned by Fiat, saving the company from near certain bankruptcy. Few people look back on the DaimlerChrysler days with much fondness, with many holding the opinion that Daimler practically acted like they never even wanted Chrysler. Yet, in this era of an Italian owned Chrysler, there remains a car with a slight German accent. If there was a bright spot of the Daimler days, it is without a doubt the Chrysler 300.

If we turn back the clock to 2005 when the 300 debuted, the car was a revelation. The world hadn’t seen a rear wheel drive Chrysler since 1981. More importantly, Chrysler showed that America could still build an unapologetically full size, rear drive luxury car that people actually wanted to buy. With plenty of big German sedans and Lexus LS’ on the road, the Big Three had seemingly forgotten about a class of car Americans once dominated.

An instant hit upon release, the 300 is now a familiar sight. And as much as a success the car was, Chrysler, strapped for cash was sadly unable to keep the car fresh for years. Finally, in 2011 the 300 finally received a long overdue reskin. While some will argue to current 300 is not as “gangsta” as the original, there is no denying the car has presence. Chrysler may have refined the look some, but the 300 remains an imposing car with swagger to spare, a ‘brute in a suit’ as I was inclined to describe it.

Thankfully, the subpar interiors of Chryslers from the 2000’s are a fading memory, and the current 300 manages to deliver a convincing luxury experience for driver and passengers. This is a big American car for well, big Americans, so there is plenty of room to stretch out. Seats provide excellent comfort and should be perfect for long trips. Chrysler’s large touchscreen infotainment panel remains one of the best in the business, with an impressive sound system to boot. On hot summer days I appreciated the ventilated seat and thoughtful cooled cup holders. However in our black interior the chrome trim on the steering wheel would get scalding hot.

As always, the 300 offers a choice of two engines, a 3.6L V-6 rated at 292hp, or a 5.7L V-8 good for 363hp (Europeans can opt for a V-6 diesel). Either engine is paired to an 8-speed automatic. All wheel drive is available, but only with the V-6. Our test car had all wheel drive, and on paper 292hp may not sound like much to move a car with this amount of heft with much authority, but I was pleasantly surprised. After living with the 300 for a week I wasn’t really missing the V-8 at all, and to live with on a daily basis the V-6’s fuel economy (18/27MPG city/highway) is far more palatable. The 300 definitely shows its Mercedes DNA with a solid as a rock chassis and sure footed handling.

The 300 is offered in our trim levels; ours was the top of the line 300C Platinum. Predictably, the list of standard equipment is generous, including dual zone auto climate control, navigation, Harmon Kardon premium audio, heated steering wheel,power heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seat, heated and cooled front cupholders, 19″ wheels, LED foglights, and a panoramic sunroof. Options on car include the SafetyTec Plus package (power folding mirrors, front and rear park assist, blind spot/cross path detection, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, brake assist, rain sensitive wipers, automatic high beams) and premium leather on the dash, console and door panels. Including destination, our 300 retails for $51,050USD.

The 300 may not be as attention grabbing as it was when it first appeared over ten years ago, and its sales figures reflect that. Yet in its current iteration this is the best 300 addressing, having addressed any of the original’s shortcomings. This is a car that not only looks like modern American luxury, but acts like it too, offering a true luxury environment. True, there are other choices for a full size car to be had, but none provide the amount of attitude as the big Chrysler.

GRC Makes a Bet on Atlantic City

September 4, 2016 by ponycargirl Leave a Comment

“…It’s going to be slamming banging, you’re gonna see the most exciting racing you’ve ever seen in your life. And if you’ve got ADD, it is the sport for you. It’s action-packed every turn, I have a hard time, like, taking it all in…” —Bucky Lasek

With that, Red Bull Global Rallycross arrived in Atlantic City, New Jersey for the first time with a Friday evening parade of race cars on the famed Boardwalk. After the cars drove past Bally’s and Caesar’s, they lined up for a GRC-style Parc Expose in Kennedy Plaza for a public press conference and autograph signing.

While Ford is still the dominant automaker in Supercars with five Fiestas driven by Steve Arpin, Brian Deegan, Austin Dyne, Nelson Piquet Jr., and Patrik Sandell, both Honda and Subaru upped the ante in the gambling town by adding a third car. Honda brought in Kevin Eriksson for their third OMSE Civic alongside Sebastian Eriksson and Joni Wiman; Kevin has competed in GRC Lites and currently competes in the FIA World Rallycross series in a Ford Fiesta. Subaru invited Australian rally driver Chris Atkinson to try his hand at rallycross in the #55 WRX STI with GRC regulars Bucky Lasek and Sverre Isachsen. Tanner Foust and Scott Speed rounded out the field in VW Beetles.

Being an itinerant series, the practice day always comes with its share of challenges – for example the wooden plank jump that caused delays in Detroit in 2015. In Atlantic City the course was on the tarmac of Bader Field, an aging municipal airport named after a Prohibition-Era mayor, and the racing cars created some potholes large enough to create flying chunks of the cement, warranting the postponement of a few heats to the following day. The stands were unusually packed for a practice day, being a Saturday, so GRC kept fans happy by adding a few rounds of door-to-door racing by the “Fastest Six.”

The Atlantic City course was also the longest course this year, measuring 1.102 miles. So long, in fact, that the usual Supercar final had to be cut down to eight laps from the usual ten, and the GRC Lites final down to six laps so the cars wouldn’t run out of gas. After Saturday’s qualifying, Scott Speed came out in front with pole position.

Sunday was bright and sunny for the finals, without the stiff breezes that blew the dirt around on Saturday. In the semi-final, Foust and Piquet Jr. tangled a bit, calling for a restart – moving the schedule around a bit. In order to maintain the live broadcast of the Supercar finals, the Lites finals ended up taking place after Supercars. The Supercars final did not disappoint, with teammates Foust and Speed jockeying for first, Speed ultimately staying in front for the win. On the last lap, Sandell took the Joker lap to take second, and Deegan sped past Arpin and a limping Foust for the third spot on the podium. Foust had a tire puncture for the last two laps, while Subaru teammates Bucky Lasek and Chris Atkinson suffered complete blow-outs.

In an earlier heat, Sandra Hultgren ended up rolling over after the first turn. She quickly got back onto the track in following heats. Alex Keyes won his first race on his last race of the season, with Oliver Eriksson and Miki Weckstrom in second and third, respectively.

Red Bull GRC goes to Seattle for the next race September 17, 2016.

A Day in the Life Of A Tall Pines Rally Volunteer

September 3, 2016 by Gary Grant Leave a Comment

One of the most common questions I am asked by new motorsport enthusiasts is “How do I start racing or rallying?” There are so many different types of motorsport that my first answer is to get out and spectate. Visit as many events as you can to figure out which form of the sport is the best one for you. Next step is to get out and volunteer. It may not sound glamourous, but every form of motorsport is so dependent on volunteers that the show would not go on without them.

You don’t even need any special skills, just a willingness to work and follow some basic directions. Volunteering allows you to see behind the scenes and meet the people who are in the know. Once you are ready to explore a bit of competition yourself, these people you meet along the way will be your biggest supporters and will usually help you out too.

So what does a volunteer do? It can be anything from organizing events to shuttling lunch around and pretty much anything in between. Canadian rally volunteer Justin Cohen put together a great video at the 2015 running of the Rally of the Tall Pines, to show how his day went.

Archives for September 2016

2017 Porsche 718 Boxster

Base price: $63,900

As tested: $81,460

Energuide Fuel consumption rating

City: 10.5 l/100 km

Highway: 8.0 l/100 km

Combined: 9.4 l/100 km

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