Articles by Mark Hinchliffe

The V8 Supercar driver was recently in Germany for the Nurburgring four-hour race and described the track as having all the elements of the Mt Panorama circuit, only tripled.Last weekend's Nurburgring 24-hour race also has all the elements of a triple Bathurst 1000; in time, crowds, energy and machinery.More than 225 cars, 2000 drivers and thousands of crew took part including legendary driver Hans Stuck who said it was his last race.The endurance race attracted more than 200,000 fans who erected tents, viewing platforms, makeshift grandstands and huddled around bonfires all night long drinking, eating sausages, singing and letting off fireworks.Substitute VB for Bitburger and it's the same atmosphere as Mt Panorama, except for the fireworks.The crowd was entertained by exotic machinery that included Italian, British and German supercars and other race cars from around the world, including a pink Holden Commodore from Australia that retired with mechanical problems.The only aspect where the Nurburgring race pales against the Bathurst 1000 is in noise.The cars are not as loud as the V8 Supercars - some are almost too quiet to be race cars - but the Mercedes-Benz SLS more than made up for it with a menacing growl.The earplugs by the bedside table in my hotel room on the main circuit straight remained in their packet as the constant purring of hi-tech engines rocked me to contented sleep.

The Golf GTI Edition 35 is the celebration of 35 years of one of the best-known and loved acronyms in motoring. But it may never have happened if Volkswagen hadn't paid attention to the internet forums of fans.Eike Wessel, the man in charge of the GTI 35 project says new models are sometimes decided by the bosses, sometimes by the workers, but this was endorsed by the fans."We decided in December 2009 to have an anniversary model, so we checked internet fan forums and it was clear the fans expected a 35 model," he says.More than giving birth to the notion of an anniversary model, the internet forums also "decided" some of the finer details such as the "tartan" patterned cloth seats of the original Mk 1 Golf GTI and an apt power output of 235 horsepower (173kW), says Wessel.VALUEThe 35 will arrive in the fourth quarter of this year, says Volkswagen Group Australia spokesman Karl Gehling.But he's coy about price, indicating it will be positioned between the five-door GTI ($40,490) and R 4Motion ($49,990). He says no decision has yet been made.He says it will come with limited options apart from leather trim, transmission (6-speed manual or DSG) and some extras such as satnav. It will compete in the market against the Mazda3 MPS ($38,435-$41,915), Renault Megane RS250 Trophee ($46,990), Focus XR5 ($36,490) and Honda Civic Type R ($39,990).Gehling says it will not be a limited edition model, but numbers will be restricted by production and high demand, making the model an "instant collectable".TECHNOLOGYSurprisingly, the 35 is powered by a detuned R motor (two-litre turbocharged EA113), rather than a re-mapped GTI engine. While the GTI has output of 155kW and the R 188kW, the 35 sits slap bang in the middle with 173kW.VW's engineers apparently spent some time getting the sucking and blowing noises just right, with a deep burble and booming burp on downshifts somewhere between the sounds of the GTI and the R, says Wessel. Like the GTI, it is front-wheel drive, not AWD like the R.The XDS electronic diff lock on the front brakes inside wheelspin for sharp handling and control and may also be a factor in almost eliminating torque steer. It runs 15mm lower to the ground like the GTI with suspension and other mechanical details also the same. The differences are largely cosmetic.DESIGNFortunately, the designers sat on their hands, rather than going berserk with sporty trims and badging like the Renault Megane RS with its garish yellow seat belts. In fact, the seat belts get a fine red border. Taste and discretion is the order of the day, here.Most importantly, the designers have gone back to the original, almost austere GTI interior, and borrowed several design elements. These include the golf-ball-style dimpled gearshift and the tartan cloth seats.Outside, there are small "35" badges on the front fenders, gloss black wing mirrors, smoked taillights, new wheel designs and slightly remodelled bumper with bigger air ducts. Only GTI "anoraks" will recognise it as a special model.SAFETYThe ESP system can be totally disabled, but will reignite when you touch the brakes. This is now standard across all new models. Yet the multi-link suspension and well-sorted chassis mean the ESP system is rarely invoked, anyway. It comes with the same suite of safety gear as the GTI including the seventh airbag to protect the driver's knees.DRIVINGI may be one of the few Australians who will ever be able to swear on a stack of Bibles that the top speed of the GTI Edition 35 is 247km/h as claimed.On the unrestricted speed zones of the autobahn between Frankfurt and Nurburg, the 35 willingly opened up to 247km/h, pulling mightily from 150km/h in sixth gear. In Australia, there may never be any need to use that final ratio.At those go-straight-to-jail-speeds, the Edition 35 is rock-solid stable and feels safe and quiet. We didn't even need to raise our voices to be heard over the wind and road noise. However, on Australia's coarse-chip tarmac, that may not be the case.The engine feels tractable in all gears with a hefty 300Nm of torque and a lazy, unfussed feeling of getting things done. No fizzing, popping and high-revving required. Similarly, the suspension gets things done with a minimum of fuss and bother.It keeps its wheels on the ground and the car balanced and poised in all conditions without having to pummel your kidneys into submission, even when the "sport" suspension mode is selected. Again, this may feel different on the far-less-smooth Australian roads.VERDICTSpecial editions seem to hold their value better than standard models, so this tasteful GTI Edition 35 should be good buying. The extra oomph from the detuned R engine, the tasteful cosmetic touches and its intrinsic value should justify the extra coin.

Recreational vehicle manufacturer Talvor has now released a new luxury caravan range with one model (550B) awarded "the best caravan at the show" by exhibition patrons at Caravan Super Shows in Townsville, Perth and Sydney.Apollo Motorhome Holidays boss Luke Trouchet, says Talvor already has a reputation as a volume manufacturer of high-quality motorhomes. "With significant RV production infrastructure and expertise already a part of the Talvor operation, we have been able to produce stylish, high-quality caravans and at a price point that reflects value for money," he says.The new Talvor 550B caravan costs $59,990 plus on-road costs, the 550A is $62,900 and the 650A is $64,900. They feature insulated, gel-coated fibreglass wall and roof panels, and an electric bed lift system which folds away two double beds. They come with a rotating 48cm flat screen HD LCD TV with built-in DVD/CD player and an iPod/iPhone docking station.Trouchet says each new model has a different appeal. "We build caravans to appeal to a growing segment of the market who want a caravan built tough enough to stand Australian caravanning conditions but also to represents the latest in contemporary RV looks," he says."We have set ourselves the target of becoming a significant player in Australia's caravan industry within the next five years.""Clearly, volumes will grow as our range expands to occupy more segments of the market and we expand the number of dealers who we endorse to sell our caravan. Our current purpose built plant has been geared up to have the capacity to produce something in the order of 400 vehicles per year."For more information visit www.talvor.com/au/.

…in the grueling Nurburgring 24-hour race, in Germany last weekend. (JUNE 25/26)Two VW Sciroccos finished first and second in class with the lead car driven by Dakar champions Nasser Al-Attiyah, Carlos Sainz and Giniel de Villiers, finishing a commendable 27th outright.VW Motorsport spokesman Andre Dietzel says the Scirocco ran "like clockwork"."The Scirocco race cars are real close to the standard car with its suspension, steering and transmission," he says.However, the endurance racing Sciroccos are powered by compressed natural gas."It shows what the technology is capable of, like Dakar and Le Mans showed the potential of the TDI technology," says Dietzel.However, he rejected reports that the racing Sciroccos will be coming to Australia to compete in our Bathurst 12-hour race."The cars are built to the specification for this race only, not international," says Dietzel.The road-going Scirocco will debut at the Melbourne Motor Show and hit the showrooms early in 2012.VW Group Australia spokesman Karl Gehling says we will only get the Scirocco R while the three-door Golf R will be discontinued. He says the Scirocco will sit between the Golf GTI ($40,490) and Golf R ($48,490-$49,990) and will be the first R model in two-wheel drive.The Scirocco R will be powered by a detuned version of the Audi S3 and Golf R two-litre turbo engines with 188kW of power and 330Nm of torque.It will come in front-wheel drive with the Extended Electronic Differential Lock from the Golf GTI and Adaptive Chassis Control featuring three mode settings.Meanwhile, the three Golf24 race cars prepared for the Nurburgring race did not finish due to mechanical issues.Dietzel says the result is "a bit disappointing"."However, people were enthusiastic about the car," he says."The car was completely new and this was just testing and a promotion for the 35th anniversary of the Golf GTI."The Golf24, however, runs a 330kW/540Nm 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo engine, not the GTI's 155kW/280Nm two-litre, four-cylinder turbo engine.Dietzel says they are not committed to returning to Nurburgring next year.

... and a production model for the streets is also on the cards. Volkswagen spokesman Martin Hube says the WRC will be a good platform for "future product communications". "We don't just do motorsport from the point of view of winning," he says. "If there is no connection between racing and what we sell it is useless." VW is not new to rallying, having won the WRC title in 1986 with Kenneth Eriksson and Peter Diekmann in the Golf GTI and taking out the past three Dakar rallies. VW Motorsport spokesman Andre Dietzel says they are concentrating on the WRC and not doing the Dakar next year, but will help privateers. The Polo R WRC is powered by an estimated 225kW 1.6-litre TSI engine using a competition four-wheel-drive system with limited-slip differentials. Hube says he can't speculate on the powertrain for a street version, but it would be "driveable". Volkswagen Group Australia spokesman Karl Gehling expresses interest in a hotter Polo. "At the moment Polo GTI sales are very good. We don't have enough in stock and are trying to get more," he says. "There would definitely be interest in a Polo R."

Kedron Caravans, known for manufacturing vans to suit latrge 4WDs, have produced a van suitable to be towed by mid-range 4WDs. Company spokesman Glen Gall says the new XC-3 Kedron caravan reflects "a growing request to compliment our range". "We have been known to be tough on the testing side of things with vans behind the 70 or 200 series, and pitched manufacturing over the years towards these tow-vehicles with a 3500kg capacity," he says. "While we will still maintain production of the ATV and TopEnder for this market, there was a growing request for a van that would be suitable behind the likes of a Prado for around Australia travel with the ability to get off the road into the likes of National Parks and places of interest without the need to be going to the more extreme off-road. It was this, coupled with the continuing popularity of the mid-4WD market that made us decide to move into building something suitable for them." The new XC-3 will be available with a shower and toilet in three varied body lengths: 5.4m  (Tare 2055kg ATM 2500kg); 6.4m (Tare 2250kg ATM 2800kg); and 7m (Tare 2450kg ATM 3000kg). The caravan has a new hot-dipped galvanised chassis, interlocked aluminium frame, insulated roof and walls and trailing arm coil suspension with dual shock. Furniture is made with a lighter timber but still v-nailed for strength with metal side ply-base draws and positive locking marine grade cupboard catches. Prices start at $69,450 for the 5.4m airconditioned caravan with 135w Kyocera Solar Panel, 120a/hr AGM house battery with charger and roll-out awning. The 6.4m ($78,800) and 7m (price to be announced) models have a separate shower and toilet. "With the new model, we have redeveloped from the ground up with a focus on weight reduction whilst maintaining strength," he says. "Over the past few months Dad (Barry), and brothers David and Peter have been developing a new model that will encompass a van that to suit long-distance touring, lowered in weight while still maintaining the strength to allow dirt road travel into sought after remote destinations." The 5.4m van has a maximum loaded ATM of 2500kg but can be upgraded to 3000kg if the tow vehicle allows. It has been built specifically for the five-door Prado, and larger sizes in the XC3 range. At 2250kg it is compatible with most of the mid-range 4WDs available. Gall says customers for the new van want to travel "with little limitations" "But still maintaining comfort and features for remote stays and being more conscious of efficiency with regards to running costs," he says.

Michael Gregson, spokesman for EarthCruiser Overland Vehicles, says caravan parks are becoming too expensive for many travellers. "They spend all day driving around looking at the sights and then want to pull in to camp late in the afternoon and pull out first thing in the morning. They won't pay $30 to a caravan park for that," he says. "That's why so many free campsites are springing up all over the country." He says travellers also want to be able to go off road to remote sites where there are no caravan parks, but don't want to rough it. His Brisbane-based company has been making rugged go-anywhere self-contained motorhomes based on the Mitsubishi Canter truck for the past three years. They have sold 16 vehicles including one to Egypt, Sweden and the US. "Customers are from a wide range of ages from people in their 30s to retirement age," Gregson says. The EarthCruiser range includes short and long-wheelbase Expedition models with a pop-up roof, short and long-wheelbase utes, a dual-cab ute and two new Outback models. Gregson says the new full-size 4x4 and automatic 4x2 Outback are being built in Portland, Oregon. "We're having a red-hot go at the Winnebago market," he says. "There is more room inside, more comfort for the older generation with softer shocks fitted and twin suspension seats fitted. They are a high-sided vehicle so there is plenty of headroom (190cm)." The Outback comes with a microwave oven, airconditioning, sylights and a bigger shower, lounge and fridge. Gregson says the advantage the EarthCruiser has over the Winnebago is that it is based on the Canter. "Even the 4x2 with off-road tyres will and extra clearance will take you further than you can in other vehicles," he says. "It has a Posi-Lok rear differential that will lock when one wheel slips more than a quarter of a turn more than the other. A good driver can even get along quite well on the beach. They can be driven on a car licence and they are easy to drive." EarthCruiser range SWB EXP: $215,000LWB EXP: $230,000SWB Ute $85,000LWB Ute $87,000Dual Cab Ute $95,000Outback 4x2 $160,000Outback 4x4 $190,000

…yet a paint expert says there should be little variation. BASF Chemical Company spokesman Allan Knight says metallic paint is just "standard paint" with particles of polished aluminium added. He says it should cost more because it takes longer to apply. "It's more time-consuming because you have to put a clear coat over it, otherwise metallic paint goes dull," he says. However, Mazda, Lexus and Subaru do not charge any extra for metallic or "mica paints". Mazda Australia spokesman Steve Maciver says they have "always done it as an advantage for our customers". "We obviously know how much it costs to use metallic paint, but we made a business decision." Subaru Australia spokesman David Rowley says it was a "value-added" decision made several years ago. "Feedback from customers and dealers is that it's seen as a positive," he says. Yet Knight says car companies are within their rights to charge more for the paint because it costs more. "It can be more expensive, but it depends on the colour. Some colours are more expensive than others," he says. "For example the bright blue metallic paint used on a Holden Commodore is one of the most expensive you can buy." However, prices charged to buyers do not always reflect the cost of metallic paint. Holden charges a flat $500 for metallic paint, despite the fact that it uses one of the most expensive metallic paint colours in its pallet. Knight says prices shouldn't vary according to the brand. "A Porsche, Land Cruiser or a Commodore could use the same can of paint," he says. Yet some car companies, such as Audi, BMW and Porsche can charge as much as $2000 for metallic paint. Most car companies charge between $250 and $500 for metallic or pearlescent finishes. However, even within one manufacturer, metallic paint prices can vary substantially. BMW charges $1940 for metallic paint on a 3 Series Sedan, but no extra for an M3 Sedan, says product spokesperson Lucy McLellan. "On most of the high-end products, metallic paint is standard and with the models where it's optional, the prices do vary," she says. Porsche charges $1950 for metal-flecked paint on a Boxster and Cayman but $2190 on Cayenne models, while it's a no-cost option on other Porsches. Porsche Cars Australia spokesman Paul Ellis says the price variation is also effected by the surface area of the vehicle. Australian Competition and Consumer Commission spokesman Brent Rebecca says businesses are able to set their own prices for options such as metallic paint, so long as their advertising creates an "accurate overall impression". The ACCC has produced a 28-page pricing manual for the motor vehicle industry which makes no mention of metallic paint. WHAT IS METALLIC PAINT? It is also called mica, metal flake and polychromatic paint. Small polished flakes of aluminium and other metals are added to the paint to produce the glittering effect. It also adds a more 3D effect to the surface, reflecting body contours. Metallic paint is sealed with a clear coat to preserve its lustre.

THE name means "all roads" and now Ducati's Multistrada has proved it with an around-the-world journey.It took 31-year-old Paolo Pirozzi, president of the Naples Ducati Dreams Club, 350 days to travel 100,000km over five continents on his Multistrada 1200 S, and eight sets of Pirelli tyres.Pirozzi, who says his profession is "motorcyclist" has now clocked up more than 450,000km on his Bologna-made Ducati bikes.The Multistrada 1200 features electronic engine management and suspension adjustment that makes the bike suitable for all road surfaces with the rider able to select between riding modes of Sport, Touring, Urban and Enduro.Pirozzi's round-the-world trip began at World Ducati Week in Misano in June 2010 and ended at the racetrack of Imola at the end of May.He visited 80 Ducati Owners Clubs around the world with one Moscow Ducatista becoming a travel companion for three weeks through Siberia. In Malaysia, Pirozzi rode around the Sepang track with his hero and three-time World Superbike champion, Troy Bayliss, of Australia where he also visited.Paolo Pirozzi's dreams are not over yet and this intrepid traveller from Naples is already planning his next trip, which will take him to the magic half a million kilometres and the next World Ducati Week event in 2012.

THE Aussie muscle car bubble has burst, but car dealer Donald Smith isn't concerned even though he could have made a sizeable profit on his 1980 HDT VC Brock Commodore. "I actually put the VC on the market to buy a Brock VL and had an offer of $132,000," he says. "But I changed my mind and I'm glad I held on to it even though it's only worth about $80,000 now," says Smith who owns four Brock specials. Legendary touring car racer Peter Brock collaborated with Holden in the 1980s to produce high-performance Commodores to fund his Holden Dealer Team (HDT) racing exploits and to homologate some models for racing. The first HDT Brock special was the VC, available in HDT racing colours of black, red or white. Brock made 502 VC models, but only 69 were black and only about 30 had four-speed manual gearboxes, making Smith's VC build number 110 one of the rarest variants. It was originally bought by HDT Car Club of Queensland foundation member Clinton Fox in 1980 for about $20,000. Smith bought it from a dealer for an undisclosed amount in 2007 with only 71,000km on the odometer. "The oil was blacker than the paint and we polished it about six times," he says. The dashboard has been signed by Brock and his brothers Lewis and Phil, lauded race team manager Harry Firth, Brock's co-driver John Harvey and HDT parts manager Chris Ceswell. It is in original condition except for the wheels which have been replaced with Simmons mags and Bridgestone Potenza RE55S road-legal racing slicks. However, Smith has six original Irmscher alloys fitted with "very hard" Uniroyal Steel Wildcat tyres. The VC is powered by a 5044cc (308 cubic inch) V8 pushrod engine with just 160kW of power which is 30kW less than today's 2997cc V6 Commodore. He only drives his cars to HSV Car Club events and plans to show the VC and VL at the RACQ Motorfest at Eagle Farm racecourse in Brisbane on July 17. "You don't see too many 31-year-old cars that look as good as this," he beams proudly.Peter Brock's Holden Dealer Team made about 4000 road-going cars from 1980 until the introduction of the highly controversial "Energy Polariser" in 1987. They included the VC Group C, VH SS Group III, VK SS Group A and VL SS Group which were primarily made just to meet racing regulations. Holden approved of the HDT cars, but the relationship soured when Brock began fitting his "Energy Polarizer" in 1987. The unit contained crystals and magnets and was claimed to improved the car's performance and handling by "aligning the molecules". It was fitted to the Director model which failed to sell after the Polariser was criticised by the motoring community as hocus pocus. When Brock refused to let Holden test a Director, the company withdrew warranty support. This led to the birth of Holden Special Vehicles (HSV). SMITH'S OTHER HDT CARS ARE: 1985 HDT Brock VK SS Commodore (5L V8, four-speed manual) that cost $22,000 new. 1987 HDT Brock Director (4.9L V8, three-speed auto) with a controversial "Energy Polariser" fitted. It cost $87,000 new and only 12 were made. 1988 HDT VL Brock Commodore Bathurst Aero (4.9L, five-speed manual) that cost about $60,000 new. Only eight were made. AT A GLANCE Model: 1980 HDT VC Brock CommodoreYear: 1980Price new: about $20,000Price now: $80,000Engine: five-litre V8Body: five-seater sedanTrans: four-speed manual