Motoring Supplement

MARCH 18, 2012

FOUR PAGES OFFORMULA 1 NEWS

GENEVA MOTORSHOW 2012

TEST DRIVEHYUNDAI ELANTRA

FIRST DRIVEMCLAREN MP412C

EDITORIAL

2 The Sunday Times MOTORING MARCH 18, 2012

Connected in traffic

Ibelieve everyone has been tempted atone stage or another and everyone doesit. Every day while sitting behind thewheel in traffic, I get this uncontrol-lable urge to do something other

than sit behind the wheel; that’s right, the de-sire to multitask even while driving has be-come another way of avoiding stress androad rage.

Fiddling with the radio knobs is no longeran option and brings little relief; neither islighting up a cigarette since I gave those up afew years ago.

However, the urge derives not just out ofboredom or stress. It originates from today’sreality that I feel the need to be in contactwith the ‘world’ at all times, which has be-come a normal way of life, especially amongthe younger generation.

The urge to reach out for my mobile is usu-ally triggered off as I hear the familiar beepor vibration of a text message alert every timeI am stuck in traffic in Msida (sometimes forover an hour). It’s usually my wife asking meto stop by the corner store to buy milk on the

way home or my boss asking for some infor-mation on a meeting I would have had ear-lier. On rare occasions it is a friend whowants to meet for a quick beer.

With traffic moving in fits and starts mymind tells me the risk seems to be mimimaland I convince myself that it would take lessthan a minute to type a response, albeit withmy thumbs.

It is interesting to see that every driverseems to be thumb-texting around me. Butsoon I hear a thud as the driver next to mehits the car in front of him.

There is no doubt that texting or using themobile phone in a car is as dangerous as it iscostly.

However there is also no doubting the otherfact that in today’s technological age, everyonefeels that desire to connect at any time and in anyplace, including when baking the morningbrownies or when driving to and from work.

Mobile phones are part of our every-minute life and banning the use of mobilephones in cars is tantamount to banning carsfrom our roads. I believe we have to thinkoutside the box.

The recent Geneva Motor show (see pages16-19) had a section on fantastic gadgets and

technological concepts, but I would have liketo see some solutions for this problem.

Car manufacturers, mobile phone design-ers and legislators should cater for this tech-nological and social phenomenon ratherthan resist it.

Although it is pathetic to become totallydependent on our mobile phones, we justcannot stop people from posting acomment on their Facebook account, tweet-ing, or simply reading the latest breakingnews alert.

What we can do is ensure that this is doneas safely as possible.

Technology permitting (I believe there areno limits here) the future should provide mo-bile phones that will lock when the car isin motion and unlock only when the car isstationary.

Better still, we could have systems wheretext messages received could only appear onthe windscreen and answering a messagecould be done using voice. Although systemsclose to this already exist, I don’t think we’requite there yet.

In the meantime, those wishing to accessThe Sunday Times Motoring page on Face-book may do so at facebook.com/TimesofMaltamotoring.

Make sure you click ‘like’. It is full of thelatest local and international motoringscene. But please don’t do it while driving...for now!

www.timesofmalta.com/motoringwww.facebook.com/[email protected]

MATTHEW NAUDI

“Car manufacturers, mobile phonedesigners and legislators should cater forthis technological and social phenomenonrather than resist it”

NEWS

MARCH 18, 2012 The Sunday Times MOTORING 3

T o celebrate the production of the onemillionth Land Rover Discovery, LandRover have launched a ‘Journey of

Discovery’ with the millionth Land Rovertravelling from its birthplace at the JaguarLand Rover’s Solihull Manufacturing Plantnear Birmingham in the UK to Beijing inChina – one of Land Rover’s fastest growingmarkets.

The 50-day, 8,000-mile adventure is beingundertaken by three Land Rover Discovery ve-hicles travelling through more than a dozencountries across Europe and Central Asia, cul-minating at the Beijing motor show on April 23.

The expedition also presents Land Roverwith the opportunity to launch its most ambi-tious fundraising project yet by aiming toraise £1,000,000 for the company’s Global

Humanitarian Partner, the International Fed-eration of Red Cross and Red Crescent Soci-eties. The money will be used to support amuch-needed water sanitation project inUganda.

Production of the one millionth Land RoverDiscovery comes 23 years after Land Rover in-troduced its original model. The ‘Journey ofDiscovery’ began on February 29.

Millionth Land Rover Discovery on fundraisingexpedition from Birmingham to Beijing

B-MAX toreducerisk ofshuntsT he all-new B-MAX will re-

duce the risk of low-speedaccidents as well as the

likelihood of injuries being suf-fered when they are unavoid-able; this is due to theintroduction of Ford’s low speedcollision avoidance systemActive City Stop.

Each year more than half-a-million people are injured in carcrashes in cities in the UK,France, Germany, Italy andSpain alone. Of these, approxi-mately one in eight are hurt inrear-end shunts, the type whichActive City Stop might reduce inseverity or avoid altogether.

“Low-speed front-to-rear-endcollisions are one of the mostcommon accidents in urban traf-fic,” Roland Schaefer, safety ana-lyst, Ford of Europe, said.

“They can happen at trafficlights, intersections, roundaboutsand other stop-start driving situa-tions. You don’t have to be travel-ling fast to get injured. Even atspeeds of just 15 km/h you cansuffer soft tissue neck injury.”

First launched on Focus lastyear, Active City Stop is nowbeing launched on a compactFord vehicle for the first time. Itmonitors traffic ahead and ap-plies the brakes if it detects a col-lision with a vehicle in front isimminent.

In tests the system is proven toprevent collisions at speeds up to15 km/h, and reduce the severityof impacts at speeds as high as 30km/h. The system was awardedan advanced reward by EuroNCAP in 2011.

Active City Stop is just one wayin which Ford’s all-new B-MAXmulti-activity vehicle is usingtechnologies that help avoid themost common accidents on con-gested roads to raise the safetybar in the city car sector.

Ford’s Hill Launch Assist stopsthe car rolling back during hillstarts or when parking on aslope; B-MAX also is exception-ally easy to manoeuvre in tightspots thanks to a compactchassis, elevated driving posi-tion, small turning circle and arear-view camera.


FIRST DRIVE McLaren MP4-12C


MCLARENMP4-12C£168,500(€202,536)

ENGINE3.8-litre petrol unitproducing 592 bhpand 443 lb.ft oftorque

TRANSMISSIONSeven-speed dual-clutch driving therear wheels

PERFORMANCETop speed 205 mph,and 0-62 mph in 3.1seconds (with Corsatyre option)

ECONOMY24.2 mpg combined

EMISSIONS279 g/km CO₂

AT AGLANCE

As reputations go, McLaren’s ispretty much as good as it gets. Un-like most of its counterpartsMcLaren has created road car proj-ects following on from its daily

grind at the front of the F1 grid, not the otherway round. And the only other road car in itsback catalogue is the F1; a £634,000 (€762,000)all-carbon missile built without compromise, acar that cracked 240 mph and held severalworld records – including the title of the world’sfastest production car – for over a decade.

Only now have the final production-specifi-cation cars reached the road, and the prospectof road car project number two is a hugely en-ticing one when you understand that it wasdesigned and is built with the same near-fetishist attention to detail that goesinto its racing cars. As a simple exam-ple, one of the many weight-savingmeasures is the use of wiring that ishexagonal in cross section rather thanround; that saves you 4kgs.

But the most important measure isthe carbon fibre chassis, or Monocellin McLaren-speak. They claim a savingof 75 kg over a comparable aluminium

structure, and what that does for strength too ismassive; you can actually drive a bodiless chas-sis as all the panels bar the roof have no bearingon the car’s integrity.

That body is a thing of functional beauty how-ever, and rather than grabbing attention for thesake of it you can see why there are scoops,vents and curves where they need to be. Therear wing is discreet when it is stowed, it popsup only when needed (or if you want the extradown force) or when it is acting as an air brake.

It doesn’t follow fashion, it follows function,and it appeals to the head and the heart as a re-sult.

You get the same impression fromthe snug cockpit.There’s a low-key

centre console (even though everything isbeautifully finished) with a slick touch-screenpanel in the centre that takes care of most func-tions. The view out is superb, and the drivingposition gets you in the mood, particularly thegearshift paddle, which is actually one pieceacross the back of wheel – just like in the F1 cars.

Finger the starter button and the McLaren-designed 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V8 fires upquickly and with a characterful blare – forgetanything you’ve heard about it being too quiet– and with the automated transmission in D itrumbles away with total ease. Sedate driving onlocal roads shows that the MP4-12C can docomfortable and quiet. The Active Dynamics

Panel is a pair of switches onthe centre console,

one for power and one for handling. With themall turned down the ride is tightly controlled butcomfortable and the engine is aurally presentbut doesn’t disturb. You notice the easy torqueavailable with just the lightest brush of thethrottle and the measured, consistent responsefrom the steering, but beautifully judged; it’spossible to forget for a moment that you’re driv-ing something capable of over 200 mph, whichis exactly what you need should you be luckyenough to drive one every day.

But some track action is the only way to findout what the McLaren can really do, and hand-ily McLaren arranged some laps around theTop Gear test track at Dunsfold. Even witheverything still switched to its lowest setting, theMP4-12C attacks the straights and bends withvigour. In a straight line the performance is de-livered with silken brutality, a purposeful roar

from the exhaust and each gear change firingthrough in a fraction of a second.

Instead of traditional anti-roll barsthe MP4-12C has adaptive damp-

ing, but this is much more thanthe marketing gimmick you findon some cars. Roll is remarkablyabsent regardless of the setting,yet the ride comfort never dimin-

ishes. Turn everything up to Trackmode and the unmuffled roar

MATT JOY

from the engine sounds bor-derline illegal; the gear changessnap through even quicker andthe body remains incrediblycomposed and level, howeverhard you push.

And you will push hard, be-cause the MP4-12C is workinghard to help you out. It has abrake steer system that appliesmeasured braking pressure to

an inside wheel as you enter a bend. You can feelit working but at no point do you feel the car isdoing all the work for you; instead you’re just left

feeling like a hero and that you’ve extracted everypossible ounce of performance from the car.

This is not a car for everyone, aside from thesticker price. It doesn’t shout about its perform-ance, it doesn’t have the outrageous curves of aconcept car to attract impressionable youngwomen and it does the boring everyday stuff ex-tremely well. And yet when you decide to exploitall it has to offer it displays a monumental abilityto flatter and thrill the driver while simply de-molishing the most challenging of roads.

This is a car that will keep on giving, years afteryou’ve signed on the dotted line. Above all, it’s acar for and by those who really understand whatdriving is all about.

“It doesn’t followfashion, it followsfunction, and appealsto the head and theheart as a result”

Ability to flatter

In the last three editions of theValletta Classic Car Grand Prix,the category for the two-litreclass sprint was always won bythe same person: Charles Vella

of Mġarr. On meeting him, one better un-

derstands why he has been so suc-cessful and why he has such afascination with the Triumphbrand.

“I have always had this irresistibleattraction to Triumph cars,” Vellasays.

“When I got my driving licence in1977, the first car I bought was a Tri-umph Herald 12/50 saloon. Itneeded a partial restoration – thebody had rust, and the engine

needed a ‘rebore’. In 1985, the vehi-cle was damaged in an accident,and I took the opportunity to carryout a full restoration project on it.The result was satisfying; howeversome time afterwards I got married,and I had to sell the Triumph be-cause it is not a family car.”

However, Vella’s love for the mar-que eventually got the better of him,and in 1993, he bought a 1970 Tri-umph Vitesse Mark I. The red con-vertible, powered by a six-cylinder,2-litre engine, was in a very goodcondition.

The Vitesse is a compact car builtby Standard-Triumph between1962 and 1971. The Vitesse namehad previously been used by thecompany on one of its pre-war ve-hicles between 1936 and 1938. Inthe early 1960s, Triumph started de-

veloping a sports saloon based onthe Herald, a successful modelwhich had been introduced on themarket a few years earlier.

They turned again to Italian de-signer Giovanni Michelotti, whocame up with a vehicle that har-nessed almost all body parts fromthe Herald, a six-cylinder engine, anew front end with a slanted fourheadlamp look, and an improvedinterior.

Vella has always had a soft spotfor speed:

“In the 1990s, I used to partici-pate, as a navigator, in night rallies

organised by the Island Car Club, achieving good results,” hereminisces.

“When the rallies were replacedby hill climbs, I did not have an ad-equate vehicle to take part with, butI stayed around and helped out as amarshal.”

His experience served him well,for when the first Grand Prix deMalte was organised in 2007, he wasin the marshal pool that managedthat unforgettable two-day event.

“In reality I wanted to participatein the races with the Vitesse, but itwas not to be.”

The Grand Prix de Malte was notheld in 2008, and doubts were ex-pressed whether such an eventwould be held again. But the localclassic car community put its think-ing cap on, and the Grand Prix washeld a year later.

This time there was no stoppingVella and his Vitesse from takingpart, and winning their category.

“Taking part in such a race bringson feelings and emotions whichcannot be easily described,” he admits.

“The sounds, the smells, thespectators, the roar of the engine asit picks up speed, the flow of adren-aline – I felt that at long last, I was inmy element.”

Come 2010, Vella was back foranother Grand Prix edition with hisred Vitesse, first racing along theValletta ring road, and then collect-ing another class winner’s trophy onthe podium.

There were many changes in the2011 Valletta Grand Prix . Due to theongoing public transport reformarrangements, the activity could notbe held around the capital city.

The organising committee optedto hold it around the hills surround-ing Mdina. In the meantime, Vellawanted to give the Vitesse a well de-served rest. However, this meantworking all out on a three-monthnut and bolt restoration project onanother, similar 1970 TriumphVitesse which had been gatheringdust in his garage for seven years.

“I worked flat out to get it ready intime. The chassis was dismantledbit by bit, and a similar process wasapplied to the engine and the gear-box. The only problem was to get ittogether again.”

He concedes the great disadvan-tage of the Vitesse was in its rearsuspension, as its single leaf trans-

verse spring leads to negative cam-ber when going around a corner,with subsequent narrowing roadholding and unevenness of roadfriction. He carried out all the workhimself. Vella is a professional panelbeater and a qualified mechanic.

The Vitesse was painted in oldEnglish white, and in preparationfor the Grand Prix, the lowered hardtop was manufactured in fibre inorder to reduce weight and gainspeed.

Come the day, Vella left the otherclassic cars in his category behind,collecting the first place trophy forthe third year running.

“These three awards take pride ofplace in my home, for the MdinaGlass trophies are a distinctive workof art in themselves. Every year anintegral part of a car is replicated inglass. As a result I now have a pistonwith a connecting rod, a sparklingplug, and a steering wheel, all madeof glass, in a prominent wall unit.”

Talking of original design, Vella isproud to point out that his daughterClaudia, an architect, was verymuch involved in the mapping out

of the alternative Mdina Grand Prixracing circuit, the spectator pits, as well as being the designer of the event posters, which were laterauctioned.

While admitting to the personalhigh which comes from gatheringspeed in races, he nevertheless getscaught in the dilemma that in theprocess, his vehicle is damaged bythe wear and tear of the exertions.

“I try to reduce the strain by, forexample, adjusting the gearbox. Myadvantage is that I started early inracing, am experienced on Tri-umph cars, and thus know the vehi-cle better”

Today the Vitesse is sought-afterby classic car collectors. In Malta,there are only five on the road andwith two trophy-winning Vitesses inhis stable, one would think thatVella is sitting back, resting on hislaurels. However, a few months ago,another marque member enteredthe pen: a 1971, black Triumph GT6,a six-cylinder two-litre relative of theVitesse.

“The body needs restoration, butthe engine is in perfect condition. IfI had the time, I would surely re-store it – to participate in a futureedition of the Valletta Grand Prix,needless to say,” he concluded. www.oldmotorsclub.com

JOSEPH BUSUTTIL

OLD MOTORS ENCOUNTERS – CHARLES VELLA


The thrillof thetriumph

Photos: Tony Vassallo/GrandPrix Foundation

“The sounds, the smells, thespectators, the roar of the engineas it picks up speed, the flow ofadrenaline – I felt that at longlast, I was in my element”

CAR RESTORATION


From the very beginning, fate hadcars in store for Joe Camilleri. Hisgrandfather was one of the very firstlicensed drivers in Malta and hetransmitted this love to Joe’s father.

It was a foregone conclusion that Joe himselfwould be raised to love cars.

“My father had beautiful cars and tookvery good care of them. My two favouriteswere the Willys-Knight and the HumberHawk. From an early age I started taking ininterest not just in the mechanical aspectbut also in the driving: I used to race in theera of the British Forces and I even took partin the first pursuit in Ta’ Qali and assortedrallies, treasure hunts and hill-climbs. I’venever really stopped enjoying cars,” he said.

And it was this passion that led him tomake his wife Jeanette’s dream – that ofowning an MGB convertible – reality, just intime to celebrate her 50th birthday in style.Although Camilleri’s personal choice for a dream car would always be the E-type Jaguar, something about his wife’sadmiration for the MGB convinced him.

“I’ve always liked the little car. Of course,there was no question at all but that it hadto be a convertible. This was part of whatmade it a dream car, after all. When I found the right car on the internet I wasoverjoyed.”

Although the MGB in question was still onthe road, it was in need of restoration. Fromoutside the car looked reasonable enough –but closer inspection of its interior revealedthat it was suffering from a bad case of rust-ing, all thanks to constant exposure to theEnglish roads.

“Luckily I had already dabbled in restora-tion. Twenty years ago, restoring cars waspartly a hobby and partly work for me, butthe restorations I carried out in those dayswere minor works and not to the full extentthat were needed on the MGB. This was definitely an ambitious project!”

Ambitious or not, Camilleri was deter-mined to get his wife the perfect gift. Oneyear and three months later – with someeight hours a week of straight work – the giftwas ready.

But before work could start, the treasurehunt for all the parts, nuts and bolts kickedoff. Luckily, almost everything was availablefrom England. And what was not availableor was out of stock, Camilleri manufacturedhimself. Some of the smaller parts orderedfrom England were sent down by post, butthe majority was brought back in the familycampervan.

“That was quite an adventure. I actuallyenjoyed the long drive and we turned it intoan opportunity to have a bit of a holiday inEngland. We were equally happy choosingthe parts and making new friends. I guesssome would consider this a hassle, but wereally enjoyed it.”

Back in Malta, Camilleri had to dismantleeverything down to the bare body, placingthe whole body on a rotating jig that he builthimself so that the car could be cleaned by

burning all the old underseal off. The carwas then taken for sandblasting to clean offall the rust.

“The next step was changing of all panels,including floor panels and running boards.When panel beating was ready, it was againtaken for sandblasting and then galvanizing.The next stage was spray painting, whichwas sprayed from bare metal to the nice fin-ish that it has now. Then it was time to startfitting brand new mechanical and electricalparts. This done, the car was put on wheelsand lowered to the floor again. The nextstep was putting the doors, bonnet, luggageboot, chrome and interior in place,” he said.

The last thing to go in was the re-condi-tioned and beautifully sprayed engine,which had already been bench-tested for acouple of hours; and the car was ready for its

first test drive. Surprisingly after this firstdrive, Camilleri found that there were onlya few minor setting changes that wereneeded.

However, Camilleri does not use the carevery day. “The car never gets wet. We justtake it out on a nice Sunday drive any timeor day that the weather and commitmentspermit,” Camilleri said.

His wife wouldn’t have the heart to ruin itafter all the hard work that went into restor-ing it. “It would break my heart to havesomeone scratch or damage it while I’mdoing something as mundane as the groceryshopping!,” she said.

The MGB restoration seemed to act as aninspiration and now Joe is also in theprocess of restoring a mini. He explains thathe always loved the brand and one of hisdreams was to restore a nice Mini Cooper tobe able to participate in the Historical GrandPrix.

“I found this old Austin 850, which I wastold, by the previous owner, was in the firstconsignment that had come to Malta. I wasadvised by the people that supplied me withthe parts from England that the car is veryrare and it would be a sin to make it aCooper instead of restoring it to its originalstate. Because all parts are new, includingsuspensions, steering rack, all rubbers,springs, etc. the car has a very comfortable,quiet drive. It looks like a toy and is a joy todrive,” he explained.

This passion for cars seems to have alsobeen inherited by the couple’s son Dane. Al-though not as “obsessed” as his father, theyoung boy is already showing signs of beingvery mechanically-minded and is alwayseager to help – particularly when it comes topulling things apart!

“Dane loves modern sports cars, particu-larly convertibles, but once he saw the Minitaking shape he became very excited. Eventhough he is still too young to drive it he isnow very proud that the Mini is ‘his’. Hisname is on the car and he even has a Her-itage Certificate from England in his name,”Camilleri said.

Of course, neither the Mini restorationand much less the MGB came cheap. Camil-leri admits ruefully that he could have donea cheaper job.

“Jeanette was very sure about what shewanted in the end too... convertible, BritishRacing Green, polished wood dashboard,light beige interior, wire wheels and a picnicbasket on the back! I bought the car for agood price so I didn’t mind how much I hadto spent to make it safe and to bring it backto its original condition – though not its orig-inal colour, which was Flamenco Red. BeingJeanette’s 50th birthday present I didn’twant to spared no expense!

“The car not only has the looks, but drivesbeautifully, sounds nice and feels as if it is anew car. It is not only Jeanette who enjoysdriving it now We’ve been offered very goodsums for the car, but it is not for sale,” heconcluded.

A giftof loveWhen Joe Camilleri’s wife Jeanettecasually mentioned that an MGBConvertible was her dream car, littledid she know how seriously he wouldtake her statement. The penny onlydropped when her 50th birthdaydawned with a lovely surprise.RAMONA DEPARES finds out.

What Jeanette hasto say about herhusband’s gift“Although I can appreciate cars, my‘passion’ is limited. But I have toadmit to a weakness for convertiblesfrom the late 60s and early 70s... theyare so elegant!

“The MGB is really my dream car.I’ve always pictured myself with awhite scarf, big sunglasses and glossyred lips, settled into a British RacingGreen MGB (convertible, of course). Iam not sure where the image camefrom. I think there is something terri-bly glamorous about it.

“When I saw what Joe had done tothis MGB I thought it’s nothing shortof fantastic! I always felt guilty whenI’d see him surrounded by fumes, dustand smoke hour after hour (while Ichoked in minutes). I don’t know howmany times he rubbed down eachpanel to make sure each and every onewas spot on. I used to get frustratedjust watching.

“The result speaks for itself though.The car is everything I imagined and Iadore it! It is immaculate inside andout. But what you don’t know is thatthe underneath is just as perfect andshiny and clean as the outside. Youcould literally eat off it!

“I have to say that it was an experience in itself to see Joe on theinternet for the first time ever; he only did it so he could find the rightMGB.

“How was I to know he was serious?After all, the MGB was my dream carnot Joe’s. Admittedly, whenever wesaw a classic car on the road, I’d usu-ally say that an MG would really suitme, but it was just an off-hand com-ment, never to be taken seriously...and we never discussed it. Then,“bang”, Joe just goes and orders oneoff the Internet, a sight unseen. Andwhat’s more, he promises to have itfully restored in time for my 50thbirthday. Gob-smacked is an under-statement!

“I don’t think it really hit me until Iwas driving the car home from theport. I felt so excited but guilty at thesame time – it was so much work andsuch an expense. This mixed feelinglasted right throughout the restorationprocess.

Now I’m living the dream. Althoughit’s ‘mine’, I must admit I’m happy toshare. After his generosity and all hishard work, Joe deserves some of thepleasure too. I love to drive the car,but I get as much pleasure from seeingJoe enjoy it too. If we’re together, usu-ally I drive one way and he’ll drivehome. I also enjoy preparing to drivethe car; after all I do need my whitescarf, big sunglasses and glossy redlips!”

Jeanette enjoying her50th birthday gift.

The Austin needed acomplete rehaul.

Joe did all the paintworkfrom scratch.

Young Danelends a handas Joeoversees theproceedings.

NEWS


M ore than 800 projects from 87 countries were submitted online for Citroen’s creative design

competition, organised into three maincategories.

The ‘Idea’ contest focuses on the travellingcomfort of future cars, the ‘Video’ contest onthe DS5’s take on premium vehicle design,and the ‘Style’ contest on the creation of anoutfit inspired by the Citroën DS3.

The jury, led by Marc Duval-Destin, direc-tor of research and advanced engineering atthe PSA Peugeot Citroën Group, was com-posed of international personalities incldu-ing Véronique Morali, founder of theterrafirma.com website; Iain Percy, Englishyachtsman and winner of two Olympic goldmedals; Xu Qun, chief editor of Car andDriver China; Carlo Antonelli, director ofWired Italia; Nicolas Henchoz, academicand specialist in the relations between de-sign and technology; and Augustin PaluelMarmont, co-founder of the Michel et Au-gustin food brand.

It also included Fernando Calmon, Brazil-ian motoring journalist; Xavier Duchemin,director of marketing and communicationsat Citroën; Thierry Metroz, style director atCitroën; and Thomas d’Haussy, product di-rector at Citroën.

The jury chose the following projects: ‘Temptation’ by Natalya Zhirkova (Russian

designer) won the Style contest. ‘Junior Driver’ by Wouter Van Vugt (Dutch

graphic designer), a 3D simulator that

enables children to drive ‘live’ and comparetheir trajectories with a real car, won the Ideacontest.

The Video Contest was won by y FrançoisLadevie (French designer) with ‘Audace’ .

2012 Citroën Creative Awards

C live Gerada, the first Mal-tese man to complete therecent year’s Land Rover

Malta Half Marathon was spon-sored by Muscats Motors Ltd.

Mr Gerada completed the halfmarathon in one hour, 12 minutesand 54 seconds, finishing thirdoverall out of 1,044 male athletes.

He was also one of three mem-bers of the St Patrick’s team thatwon the Half Marathon Maleteam prize.

Muscats Motors Ltd congratu-lated Mr Gerada on his success,as well as all the other competingathletes.

2012 LandRover MaltaMarathon

T he Valletta Grand Prix Foun-dation took part in theRetromobile held in Paris

between February 1 and 5. Deputy chairman Joe Said,

secretary Charles Zahra andmembers Toby Ross and SophieRoss represented the foundationto promote the Mdina GrandPrix 2012, which will be held be-tween October 11 and 14.

The foundation shared a standwith Richard Scott, a keen UScollector of European cars, whowas exhibiting the body of a1930s car discovered in Europe,the origin of which he is seekingto obtain more informationabout.

A number of Bugatti ownershave pledged to participate in theMdina Grand Prix.

Malta’s Ambassador to France,Mark Miggiani, visited the standaccompanied by Claude ZammitTrevisan, and expressed his ap-preciation for the foundation’sdedication in promoting the eventin France.

For further information on theGrand Prix contact Josef Abela on9947 7735 (e-mail [email protected]) or Ivan Bartoloon 9947 3377 (e-mail [email protected]).

The VallettaGrand PrixFoundationtakes part inthe ParisRetromobile

FORMULA 1


RED BULL RACING RB8ENGINE: RENAULT

SEBASTIANVETTELCar number: 1Born: 3 July 1987 (24 years old) Grand Prix debut: United States,2006Total starts: 81Total victories: 21Total podiums: 36Total pole positions: 30Total fastest laps: 9Total points: 773World titles: 2010, 20112011 position: 1st, 392 points

MARK WEBBERCar number: 2

Nationality:Australian

Born: 27 August1976 (35 years old)

Grand Prix debut: Australia, 2002Total starts: 176

Total victories: 7Total podiums: 30

Total pole positions: 9Total fastest laps: 13

Total points: 669,52011 position: 3rd, 258 points

VODAFONE MCLARENMERCEDES MP4/27ENGINE: MERCEDES

JENSONBUTTONCar number: 3Nationality: BritishBorn: 19 January1980 (32 years old)Grand Prix debut: Australia, 2000Total starts: 208Total victories: 12Total podiums: 43Total pole positions: 7Total fastest laps: 6Total points: 811World titles: 20092011 position: 2nd, 270 points

LEWIS HAMILTONCar number: 4

Nationality: BritishBorn: 7 January 1985

(27 years old)Grand Prix debut: Australia, 2007

Total starts: 90Total victories: 17Total podiums: 42


Total points: 723World titles: 2008

2011 position: 5th, 227 points

SCUDERIA FERRARIF2012ENGINE: FERRARI

FERNANDOALONSOCar number: 5Nationality: SpainBorn: 29 July 1981 (30 years old)Grand Prix debut: Australia, 2001Total starts: 176Total victories: 27Total podiums: 73Total pole positions: 20Total fastest laps: 19Total points: 1086World titles: 2005, 20062011 position: 4th, 257 points

FELIPE MASSACar number: 6

Nationality: Brazilian

Born: 25 April 1981(30 years old)

Grand Prix debut: Australia, 2002Total starts: 152

Total victories: 11Total points: 33


Total points: 5822011 positions: 6th, 118 points

SAUBER F1 TEAM C31ENGINE: FERRARI

KAMUIKOBAYASHICar number: 14Nationality:JapaneseBorn: 13 September 1986 (25 years old)Grand Prix debut: Brazil, 2009Total starts: 40Best result: 5thBest start position: 7thTotal points: 652011 position: 12th, 30 points

SERGIO PÉREZCar number: 15

Nationality: Mexican

Born: 26 January1990 (22 years old)

Grand Prix debut: Australia, 2011Total starts: 17Best result: 7th

Best start position: 9thTotal points: 14


SCUDERIA TOROROSSO STR7ENGINE: FERRARI

DANIEL RICCIARDOCar number: 16Nationality:AustralianBorn: 1 July 1989 (22 years old)Grand Prix debut: Great Britain,2011Total starts: 11Best result: 18thBest start position: 20thTotal points: 02011 position: 27th, 0 points

JEANERICVERGNE

Car number: 17Nationality:

FrenchBorn: 25 April 1990

(21 years old)Grand Prix debut: Australia, 2012

Total starts: 0Best result: -

Best start position: -Total points: -

2011 position: -

WILLIAMS F1 TEAMFW34ENGINE: RENAULT

PASTOR MALDONADOCar number: 18Nationality:VenezuelanBorn: 10 March 1985 (26 years old)Grand Prix debut: Australia, 2011Total starts: 19Best result: 10thBest start position: 7thTotal points: 12011 position: 19th, 1 point

BRUNO SENNACar number: 19

Nationality: Brazilian

Born: 15 October1983 (28 years old)

Grand Prix debut: Bahrain, 2010Total starts: 26Best result: 9th




MERCEDES AMGPETRONAS W03ENGINE: MERCEDES

MICHAELSCHUMACHERCar number: 7Nationality: GermanBorn: 3 January 1969(43 years old)Grand Prix debut: Belgium, 1991Total starts: 286Total victories: 91Total podiums: 154Total pole positions: 68Total fastest laps: 76Total points: 1517World titles: 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001,2002, 2003, 20042011 position: 8th, 76 points

NICO ROSBERGCar number: 8

Nationality: GermanBorn: 27 June 1985Grand Prix debut:

Bahrain, 2006Total starts: 108

Beste result: 2ndTotal podiums: 5

Best start position: 2ndTotal fastest laps: 2

Total points: 306,52011 position: 7th, 89 points

LOTUS F1 TEAM E20ENGINE: RENAULT

KIMI RÄIKKÖNENCar number: 9Nationality: FinnishBorn: 17 October1979 (32 years old)Grand Prix debut: Australia, 2001Total starts: 155Total victories: 18Total podiums: 62Total pole positions: 16Total fastest laps: 35Total points: 579World titles: 20072011 positions: -

ROMAIN GROSJEANCar number: 10

Nationality: FrenchBorn: 17 April 1986

(25 years old)Grand Prix debut: Europe, 2009

Total starts: 7Best result: 13th

Beste start position: 12thTotal points: 0

2011 position: -

SAHARA FORCE INDIAVJM05ENGINE: MERCEDES

PAUL DIRESTACar number: 11Nationality:BritishBorn: 16 April 1986 (25 years old)Grand Prix debut: Australia, 2011Total starts: 19Best result: 6thBest start position: 6thTotal points: 272011 position: 13th, 27 points

NICO HÜLKENBERG

Car Number: 12Nationality:

GermanBorn: 19 August (24 years old)

Grand Prix debut: Bahrain, 2010Total starts: 19Best result: 6th

Total pole positions: 1Total points: 222011 position: -

CATERHAM F1 TEAMCT01ENGINE: RENAULT

HEIKKI KOVALAINENCar number: 20Nationality: FinnishBorn: 19 October 1981 (30 years old)Grand Prix debut: Australia, 2007Total starts: 89Total victories: 1Total podiums: 4Total pole positions: 1Total fastest laps: 2Total points: 1052011 position: 22nd, 0 points

VITALY PETROVCar number: 21

Nationality: Russian

Born: 8 Septem-ber 1984 (27 years old)

Grand Prix debut: Bahrain, 2010Total starts: 38Best result: 3rd

Total podiums: 1Best start position: 6th

Total fastest laps: 1Total points: 64


HRT F1 TEAM F112ENGINE: COSWORTH

PEDRO DE LA ROSACar number: 22Nationality: SpanishBorn: 24 February1971 (41 years old)Grand Prix debut: Australia, 1999Total starts: 86Best result: 2ndTotal podiums: 1Best start position: 4Total fastest laps: 1Total points: 352011 position: 20th, 0 points

NARAINKARTHIKEYAN

Car number: 23Nationality: Indian

Born: 14 January1977 (35 years old)

Grand Prix debut: Australia, 2005Total starts: 27Best result: 4th



MARUSSIA RACINGMR03ENGINE: COSWORTH

TIMO GLOCKCar number: 24Nationality:GermanBorn: 18 March 1982(29 years old)Grand Prix debut: Canada, 2004Total starts: 72Best result: 2ndTotal podiums: 3Best start position: 2ndTotal fastest laps: 1Total points: 512011 position: 25th, 0 points

CHARLES PICCar number: 25

Nationality: FrenchBorn: 15 February

1990 (22 years old)Grand Prix debut:

Australia, 2012Total starts: 0

Best result: -Best start position: -

Total points: -2011 position: -

FORMULA 1


The first official race of the 2012 Formula 1 grand prix starts today inMelbourne with great drivers battling it out for the chequered flag onsome amazing tracks around the world.

Every new season leads to new teams, new drivers, new locations andthe one-thing F1 enthusiasts don’t look forward to, new rules and regu-lations. This year is no different to the last with the FIA seemingly doingits utmost to squeeze even more fun out of this beloved sport.

Where is the joy and excitement of the 1980s? I wasn’t old enough thento understand and respect the sport but I’m young enough to enjoy thoseglorious moments over again on Youtube – the sound of the enginesroaring and cars dancing around the bends.

Has the FIA banned ride height stability systems to make it harder forthe established teams to compete or does the FIA simply want back the1990s era when the system was originally banned and Williams was theonly car using it?

Exhaust blown diffusers have also been banned this year. This is ba-sically the final 10 cm of exhaust pipe that releases the gases from theengine and can be passed over the rear diffuser to add down force. Thegoverning body saw fit to move the placement of the exhaust blown dif-fuser along with laying down certain specifications.

Nose height has also been altered so that the nose sits lower to avoidspearing of other cars and to stop it from flipping over. But now cars looklike they have a crooked nose known as the ‘platypus’.

Pirelli have released a new softer compound of tyres for the new sea-son which brings more excitement to the viewers. Pirelli have also man-ufactured tyres with different coloured ‘Pirelli’ brand names on the tyrewalls maybe to match the respective car livery.

After an absence of two years, we will be seeing the return of KimiRaikkonen behind the wheel of the newly named Caterham team (for-mer Team Lotus). This means that 2012 will see a total of six formerworld champions battling it out.

During testing in Spain, Raikonnen has shown that even after a two-year absence he hasn’t lost the touch that made him a world championposting the fastest lap at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya. Most peoplewould think that it is another winning year for the Red Bull team, buttesting has shown otherwise.

Ferrari still do not have a car up to standard. Fernando Alonso admit-ted that in the first races he will suffer because the car is not 100 per centready.

Lotus Renault have changed their name to Lotus F1 while Virgin Rac-ing have been renamed Marussia F1.

Student and F1 enthusiast NikolaiAttard writes about the new rulesand regulations that are changingthe thrill of racing.

Why ruin thethrill of F1?

TYRE PERFORMANCE IN AUSTRALIA• Australia is a semi-permanent facility that is not used extensively during the year and

with smooth, non-abrasive asphalt. This means that the track is quite ‘green’ towardsthe beginning of the weekend, but evolves considerably as more rubber is laid down.

• Around two pit stops per car are expected: this turned out to be the winning strategylast year, with 11 of the 14 classified finishers adopting it.

• Acceleration and braking are the main characteristics of the 5.303 km Albert Park circuit,rather than any especially demanding corners. So the longitudinal forces at work onthe tyres are greater than the lateral forces.

• The rear-left tyre is the most stressed at Albert Park as there are 10 right-hand cornersand six left-hand corners.

• A wide variety of weather conditions are possible, from torrential rain to bright sun-shine. The soft and medium tyres represent the most versatile combination of tyre todeal with an extensive range of temperatures.

• Last year, Pirelli nominated the hard compound together with the soft compound: thenomination for this year is less conservative – with the medium much closer in charac-ter to the 2011 soft.

SEBASTIAN VETTELRED BULL RACING“This year we start the season inMelbourne with the benefit of ayear of working with Pirelli tyres.

“For 2012 Pirelli have developednew tyres, with softer compoundsand improved warm-up. After alot of winter testing on cold tracksin Spain we will face new chal-lenges in much warmer condi-tions in Albert Park.

“The weekend always startswith the track being quite dirtyand conditions change and im-prove all the way throughout theweekend. It is bumpy and so easyto make a mistake and as the cir-cuit grip improves, the behaviourof the tyres changes a lot.

“There are lots of points to getthe right set-up for, in particularthe Prost curve – you need a goodset-up to look after the front tyresand avoid under steer to get thebest speed on the start-finish.

“We have had good winter test-ing, but now the real businessstarts. Last year was very good forus here, so I hope I will stay ontrack and have another goodrace.”

‘It’s allaboutthe tyres’

NEWS


T he sixth generation of theBMW 3 Series Sedan, theworld’s best-selling pre-

mium car, was recently launchedat the BMW showroom, MuscatsMotors in Gżira. Guests had thechance to get an exclusive firstlook and experience the newBMW which sets new benchmarksin terms of sporting prowess, elegance and comfort.

The new 3 Series’ powerfulstyling represents a fresh interpre-tation and conscientious develop-ment of traditional BMW designcues. The new BMW face, with flatheadlights reaching along as far asthe BMW kidney grille, empha-sises the elegantly dynamic designof the new BMW 3 Series.

The sixth generation of the 3 Series has grown in size comparedto its predecessor. Inside the no-ticeable increase in space benefitsthe rear passengers above all andthe BMW 3 Series range is now alsoavailable in a trio of trim and equip-ment variants – the Sport Line, Lux-ury Line and Modern Line.

The new sports sedan comes asstandard with a cutting-edge six-speed manual gearbox. An eight-speed automatic, which supportsthe Auto Start-Stop function, can

be specified as an option in con-junction with all the petrol anddiesel engines.

As components of the BMW Ef-ficient Dynamics technology line-up, the Auto Start-Stop function,Brake Energy Regeneration andOptimum Shift Indicator playtheir part in reducing fuel consumption.

The new Driving ExperienceControl switch not only offersComfort, Sport and Sport + op-tions, but also ECO PRO mode,which gives all the models in therange the potential to further improve these figures.

This switch helps drivers max-imise fuel economy through theirdriving style, thereby enablingthem to increase the distance theycan travel between visits to thepumps. The same goes for the CO2-minimising BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Edition, whose peak out-put of 163 hp contrasts with averagefuel consumption in the EU drivingcycle of 4.1 l/100 km and CO2 emissions of 109 g/km.

BMW will add further cutting-edge engines to the line-up in2012, when the BMW Active Hybrid 3 will also celebrate its premiere.

Passion wins

R ed Bull F1 Racing hasjoined forces with Sonax,the leading manufacturer of

car care products. Identifying sim-ilarities, the two brands agreed onan on-going partnership andSonax is now an official supplier toRed Bull Racing.

The car care specialist will workto ensure the cars of SebastianVettel and Mark Webber look pristine ahead of every FormulaOne race.

Premium products and partner-ships with top international motorsport teams have helped Sonaxachieve a solid worldwide reputa-tion. For the past nine years it hasbeen an official supplier to Voda-fone McLaren Mercedes and byagreeing this new partnershipwith Red Bull Racing, Sonax con-tinues its commitment to FormulaOne.

“We are looking forward to co-operating with Red Bull Racing,”Manfred Hoffmann, owner andmanaging director of SonaxGmbH, said. “We have more incommon than simply a passion for

motor sports and cars. Red Bull’slifestyle character and innovativestrength inspires young targetgroups, which will be the mainfocus of Sonax’s communicationsas well. The partnership with RedBull Racing will bring the brandcloser to young fans. Sonax enjoysgreat popularity among motorsport fans who intensively care for

their cars,” Manfred Hoffmann ex-plained. “However, co-operationbetween the No. 1 in motor sportsand the No. 1 in car care will helployal and potential Sonax cus-tomers among motor sport fans totrust the right brand.”

Sonax are exclusively dis-tributed by Kemimport Ltd. tel: 2149 2212.

Brilliant performance by Red Bull

C ombining style, power, space and flexibility with clever engi-neering solutions, the Honda Civic 1.4 i-VTEC comes with amulti-function driver computer, an engine start button and re-

mote keyless entry system among other innovative features. It also en-sures maximum safety with systems like VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist),ABS, EBD, EBA and dual front, side and curtain SRS airbags. With a cli-mate control A/C, electric power assisted steering, front and rear elec-tric windows and steering wheel mounted audio controls, the Civicpromotes comfort and convenience for both driver and passenger.Moreover, the Civic has magic seats technology, which creates endlessspace at the back, making it the ideal five-door family car sports back.

If you are seeking even more power, special discounts are also avail-able on the Honda Civic1.8 i-VTEC. The Civic is also part of the scrappage scheme and can be yours for €17,800.

Call us on 2278 1222 to book your test drive today, or visit the Asso-ciated Motors showroom, Mriehel By-pass, to experience it for your-self. Offer is also valid during the March Fantastic Discounts Month.

One morereason to

get yourselfa HondaCivic 1.4

i-VTEC!

ON TEST HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS 1.6 DOHC


The new Elantra was re-cently awarded the NorthAmerican car of the Year2012 and the Autobest2012 award from 15

European countries.Since the Elantra appealed to our

North American cousins, I feared itwould not get an entirely objectivereport, as I am not exactly enam-oured with some of the ‘great’ prod-ucts that stream from the Americancar industry.

There was no need to worry, theElantra slots into the Europeanscene like spaghetti with a Bolog-nese. It is an entirely friendly five-seat family car, masses of room,both for extended legs as well aslong and Americanised bodyshapes. This is probably why theAmericans are so fond of her.

She is a doodle to drive well, ut-terly responsive to acceleration,braking and twiddling of the steer-ing wheel. Gadgets abound. Thedriving position once the columnhad been extended and lowered,and the seat raised was as near per-fect as any car that’s come under recent scrutiny.

Partly as a result of a cavernousboot (with an overhang of 970 mm)the car is marginally bigger at 4,530mm by 1,775 mm width by 1,445mm overall height than many con-temporary five-seat family vehiclesdesigned around European param-eters. Distances over the Atlanticcan often be somewhat longer thanwe are used to.

Remember the Elantra has rearseats that fold down so that in two-or three-seat mode some consider-able amount of luggage can becarted around without detractingfrom the pleasures found in drivingthis car.

It was frankly amazing to drivethis car over some unruly, undulat-ing roads in complete comfort evenwhen the local maximum speed hadbeen well and trulyreached. Handlingwas perfect, brak-ing from speedperfect and thegeneral feeling ofconfidence thatthis Elantra in-spires will satisfy awhole cross sec-tion of motoristswho need and demand a good-

looking, well made, well-function-ing and ever-willing workhorse.

The car comes pretty fullyspecked: ABS brakes with EBD andESP immediately set the mind at restabout braking functions. The safetybuilt into the passenger cell is aHyundai speciality, bearing in mindthat from the inception of the origi-nal Pony, Hyundai was destined forthe Canadian market.

Driver, passenger, side and cur-tain airbags are standard. Seat beltscome with pretensioners. Steering iselectrically assisted and is tilt andtelescopically adjusted. Five head-rests help control the dreadedwhiplash (responsible for an extra£93 on the UK insurance bill).

We found the reversing sensorsparticularly useful, as immediate

rear view vision is non-existent be-cause of the contemporary wedgeshape that is so important in keep-ing the car aerodynamically able to slice through the air so that petrol consumption is kept pleasantly low.

As most people will have becomeaware front and rear fog lamps mustbe part of the original spec, other-wise they infringe local law.

The manufacturer as a standardfeature lists these, among others:high mounted third stop light anddaytime running lights (allows theElantra to be seen when visibility isfoul).

Tinted glass is standard as are theremote controls on the steeringwhich is just as well as there is aRadio CD MP3 with six-way speakers, USB and auxiliary ports.

We especially liked the leatherand cloth seat covers, a great touchlike the leather gear change knoband steering. The split rear seats60:40 actually allow either one ortwo passengers to sit in the rearwhen carrying a very decent load.

Electric windows can be found atboth the front and rear and outsidethe electric outside mirrors areheated. Inside the centre consoleDLX comes with storage and a cen-tral armrest and there is a map Lightand sunglass case, ideal for those ofus always mislaying sunglassessomewhere within the car.

There is a trip computer, a digitalclock and outside temperature dis-play and most importantly the vitalspeedometer, and of slightly lesserimportance the rev counter aremost easily read on the approach toone of our splendid, money makingspeed/safety cameras.

All in all this is an utterly splendidvehicle for family motorists inMalta, Continental Europe, eventhe islanders in the UK, as well asthe giant American segment quiterightly praise this Hyundai with actions as well as words.

HUGH ARNETT

Made in Americawith European DNA

COMFORTIt’s very difficult notto be comfortable inthis vehicle.

PERFORMANCEMore than adequatefrom a 1.6 litre engine.

COOLThe wrong word fora masterly five-seatfamily car.

QUALITYFactually very hardto fault.

TOP SPEED200km/h

0-100km10.7seconds

ECONOMY6.4 l/100 km

C02148g/km

ENGINE1591cc, Euro V

POWER132 bhp at 6,300rpm

PRICE€21,950, but starting at €19,950

VERDICT

AT AGLANCE

“An utterlysplendid vehicle for family motorists in Malta”

FIRST DRIVE SUBARU XV


When you’ve built your brandon the toughness element ofyour vehicles, adapting tomarket trends and offering a‘soft-roader’ option is always

going to be a challenge. The upside is thechance of attracting new buyers, but at thesame time you’ve got to be careful not to alien-ate loyal followers.

Spare a thought for Subaru, then, as it rollsout its XV. Its rakish profile and low-slung ap-pearance give the impression that it should beviewed alongside the likes of Nissan’s popularQashqai, Kia’s Sportage and BMW’s X1. But anXV wouldn’t be a Subaru if it didn’t come witha full-blown all-wheel drive system to keeplong-time fans happy.

It’s a tough gig, but Subaru is keen to sur-prise a few people with a car that satisfies bothcamps. Keen to move on from a past domi-nated by turbo-powered Imprezas and rally-ing successes, recent years have seen Subaruattempt to boost its family-friendly line-up of4x4s and sturdy estate cars. Transforming theonce low profile Forester into a rugged SUVhas helped matters, and now the XV has beenpositioned beneath it to steal some of thelifestyle market.

At one level the difference between the twocars is a simple one; the Forester boasts aproper low range gearbox for added versatilityand the XV doesn’t. But far from being the softoption, the XV’s transmission is the genuinearticle and easily trumps its softer rivals de-spite the absence of a low range mode.

Sitting on a new platform the XV boastsa greater ground clearance than the com-petition, which reinforces Subaru’s asser-tion that the car won’t let you down whenyou’re driving off the road. The short frontand rear overhangs help matters, too.

Under the bonnet there’s a choice oftwo petrol engines and a diesel unit. Theformer -1.6 and 2.0 - offer sufficient per-formance, yet for many the attraction ofthe 2.0-litre diesel will prove thestrongest. All motors are built in Subaru’strademark ‘Boxer’ style, and the dieselunit benefits the most from this unusualapproach as it’s considerably quieter andless diesel-like in the way it behaves com-pared to a conventional engine. It’s alsosurprisingly frugal despite the inclusion ofall-wheel drive.

The XV’s cabin is another pleasant surprise;with its generous levels of occupant space foreand aft it’s a genuine family holdall. Cabinquality, often a sticking point of past Subarus,is much improved and there’s no doubting itsdurable nature – an ideal quality when you’retalking about a family-friendly SUV. Simplecontrols and easy to read displays completethe XV’s understated cabin.

If you think the XV’s interior is too modestto compete with the bold and brash examplesof its rivals, you’re forgetting the real reasonwhy the chunky Subaru exists. Anyone who’sserious about getting out and about will al-ready be interested in what the car can do, nothow shiny it is.

And in this context, the XV is comfortablyahead of the competition. Granted, plusherrivals are happy to focus more on image but

this Subaru comes with a brand heritage that’sfocused more on doing stuff rather than beingseen posing on the high street.

To that end the XV’s permanent all-wheeldrive system allows you to take more libertiesthan you could with any comparable soft-roader. Factor in Subaru’s clever traction andstability electronics and the only limiting fac-tor is, predictably, the car’s ground clearance.It’s also no surprise that the XV’s diesel motor,all 150 bhp of it, is happy to haul you up anddown dale all day long without complaint.Thanks to its ample reserves of torque it’s alsocapable of trundling around town and pilingon the motorway miles with barely a murmur.The slick, six-speed manual gearbox is good,too. Opt for petrol and you can choose be-tween manual and CVT transmissions.

Okay, so not every XV buyer is going to wantto scale mountains at the weekends, but thereis a lot to be said for the car’s go (almost) any-where abilities, lofty stance, decent groundclearance, accommodating cabin and refinedroad manners to convince families of its po-tential as an activity wagon. That it’s just asadept at towing is a bonus.

Only time will tell, but it’s all part of thefirm’s focus on strengthening ties between thedealer and customer. Subaru’s network is atightly knit operation plus buyers tend to beloyal, which makes it important to attract newbuyers to the fold.

The XV’s combination of looks and abilityalong with the promise of enhanced aftersalessupport are compelling factors in what is afiercely competitive market. In truth, the XVis more of a lifestyle choice than those so-called ‘lifestyle’ soft-roaders.

IAIN DOOLEY

Ability to go anywhere

MODELSubaru XV 2.0D SE.

TOP SPEED120 mph

0-62mph9.3 seconds.

ECONOMY50.4 mpg.

C02146 g/km.

ENGINE2.0-litre diesel unitdeveloping 150 bhp.

FUEL SYSTEMCommon rail.

TRANSMISSIONSix-speed manualtransmission as standard, driving all four wheels.

AT AGLANCE

GENEVA MOTOR SHOW 2012


SWISS STYLESWISS STYLET

he Swiss city of Geneva is hardly thoughtof as an epicentre of automotive creativ-ity, but once a year the global motor in-dustry descends upon it with all its mightto showcase its wares and attempt to get

one over on key rivals.Due to it being one of the smaller shows in terms

of physical size there’s a greater emphasis onchoosing wisely; what you see on the stands tendsto be the cream of the crop. It also means makingan impact is crucial, and arguably no car did thatmore than Bentley’s EXP 9F concept. Whether youthink it is pretty is a matter of personal opinion, butwith that trademark nose, huge 23-inch wheels anda cabin that required several forests and a herd ofcows to complete, there’s no doubting it will be ano-brainer for some wealthy buyers.

Over on the Volkswagen stand the Cross Coupédiesel-electric hybrid was almost constantly sur-

rounded by crowds of people. Although Volkswa-gen is adamant it won’t be built, it was one of veryfew cars that it was impossible to get close to.There’s huge interest in it from all quarters andVolkswagen might change their minds if sales ofPeugeot and Citroen’s similar Hybrid4 system takeoff.

Land Rover’s Evoque Convertible concept wasone of those rare show cars - one that’s managed toprompt genuine surprise from the assembledmedia. The UK firm is on a roll with a steady streamof new products, and the drop-top Evoque is a boldstatement of intent from the maker of the smash hitEvoque SUV. Tentatively described as a conceptcar by Land Rover bosses, it can’t be long before theonly modification will be a tax disc holder.

Any motor show that has a new Ferrari within itshalls is going to go down in the history books. TheF12 Berlinetta is the replacement for the 599 GTBFiorano, and is certainly a fitting crown to the Fer-rari range. Using a development of the V12 enginealready seen in the FF, it has 730 bhp to make it themost powerful production Ferrari ever. It combines

jaw-dropping looks with electric performance – topspeed is uncomfirmed but is reputed to be over 211mph, with 0-62 mph taking only 3.1 seconds. Fer-rari claims to have already taken over 350 orderswith a price tag in excess of £250,000.

There was huge promise on show at the Mit-subishi stand as the Japanese firm revealed the lat-est generation Outlander. A smart redesign insideand out has moved it several notches up the qualityscale and a stack of new safety systems are a realboost to its showroom appeal. But the planned2013 plug-in hybrid version is the real news; withthe potential for under 50g/km CO2 emissions itcould be the first SUV that’s better for the environ-ment than even the cleanest city car.

It is this that is one of the joys of Geneva. With a relatively confined space there’s enoughroom for the little guys to shine and take centrestage, and you can go from Alfa Romeo to Zagatoin just a few hundred yards. The Swiss motor indus-try may be limited, but while the Geneva show isstill running it will be the annual pilgrimage ofchoice.

MATT JOY, IAIN DOOLEYand MATT KIMBERLEY


Key changes under the skinfor new Audi A3 A new A3 has been unveiled as Audi’s headline act for the2012 Geneva show, although at first glance it’s hard to spotthe difference.

The new car duplicates the silhouette of the outgoingmodel very closely, and even sharper light clusters can’tdisguise the obvious similarities – although from some an-gles it looks more like a larger A1. The interior fit and finishhas been improved though, setting new standards in thesegment.

There are other areas of success to report with the new car.Aluminium wings and bonnet construction as part of an‘Audi ultra’ lightweight tech package contributes to an overallweight saving of 80 kg, allowing the most economical versionto escape road tax altogether at 99g/km of CO2.

The 1.4 TFSI petrol model weighs only 1,175 kg, making itastonishingly lightweight for the class and size of car.

Three four-cylinder engines will be available at launch,thoroughly revised from existing platforms. Two tur-bocharged petrols, a 120 bhp 1.4 and a 178bhp 1.8, join a 2.0-litre diesel with 141bhp. The 1.8 will be linked to the S Tronicdual-clutch transmission as standard while the other two willuse six-speed manuals.

The tax-evading 99g/km 1.6 diesel model will becomeavailable further into the model’s life.

The latest online infotainment package is installed, includ-ing Audi’s most advanced MMI user interface, with internetaccess and live traffic updates possible.

The A3 has been a huge success for Audi and the develop-ments don’t stop here. Later in the year another 1.4 petrolversion will arrive, with a cylinder-deactivation system likethat recently seen on the Bentley Continental V8 . It will helpboost fuel economy even further.

Grand entrance for BMW’S GranCoupe Alongside various M-badged cars, BMW’s 6 Series Gran Coupe took pride ofplace on its maker’s Geneva Motor Show stand. The car, as its name implies,is a new model that’s been spun off BMW’s existing 6 Series coupe platform.

Aiming to steal sales away from the likes of Mercedes’ successful CLS, the 6Series Gran Coupe is another in a growing number of streamlined four-doorcoupe-like cars that offers the best of both worlds: coupe styling and saloonversatility. Powering the Gran Coupe is a range of advanced petrol and dieselengines, while an eight-speed auto gearbox will be standard fit across therange.

Also on the BMW stand was the firm’s hot new M6 coupe and a selection ofvehicles boasting the firm’s new range of high performance diesel engines.Available for 5 Series, X5 and X6, these new triple-turbocharged diesel enginesare said to offer M Power-like performance but with more sensible runningcosts.

Citroen C4 Aircrossbreaks cover French car maker Citroen chose the GenevaMotor Show to debut its new C4 Aircross com-pact SUV. Positioned to compete in a rapidly ex-panding market of ‘soft-roader’ SUVs, the C4Aircross is a five-seater car with a noticeablefocus on details such as the car’s LED lights.

The range will be biased towards front-wheeldrive, with only select models offered with all-wheel drive. Power will come from 1.6 and 1.8-litre motors, while there will be a range oftransmissions depending on fuel choice.

Alongside the Aircross, Citroen also unveiledrefreshed C1 and Berlingo models, plus wheeledout a full compliment of DS variants.

Show-stopping Evoque drops its top Clearly on a roll since the launch of its Evoque SUV, Land Rover chose theGeneva Motor Show to unveil a convertible version of its popular 4x4. Com-pany bosses were keen to stress that the Evoque Convertible was just a designand engineering study, but it’s clear that it wouldn’t take much to put this caron the road.

Boasting that the drop-top Evoque was the only genuine convertible SUVwith production potential, Land Rover executives appeared bullish at themotor show press conference and said they were keen to gauge public opinionbefore making any more progress with the concept.

Industry experts have observed that there is potential for such a car with theright badge, and there’s obviously no question that the Evoque in regular tin-top guise has done much in its short life to boost sales and raise the profile ofthe Range Rover brand amongst younger buyers.

We’ll just have to wait and see if Land Rover can make a business case forsuch a car, which, judging by the mood at the show, shouldn’t be too long. »



Show-stopping Ferrariraises the game Of all the manufacturers at the 2012 GenevaMotor Show it is the Ferrari stand that has aqueue of people waiting to be let through, andthe star of its display is the brand-new F12Berlinetta.

Replacing the 599 GTO Fiorano, the F12 isboth the flagship of the current Ferrari range andalso the most powerful road car it has ever pro-duced. Following the template set by the previ-ous model, the F12 is a 2+2 coupe with afront-mid mounted V12 engine, driving the rearwheels through an F1-inspired dual-clutchseven-speed transmission.

The vast 6.3-litre power unit is a developmentof that seen in the FF, but with extra power andtorque it delivers a remarkable 730 bhp and509lb.ft of torque, with 80% of that torque avail-able from just 2,000rpm. Unsurprisingly the per-formance figures are sensational: 0-62mph iscompleted in 3.1 seconds, 0-124 mph in only 8.5seconds and the top speed is quoted as ‘over 211mph’ – 220 mph is not out of the question.

It is also a more visually arresting design, withF1-inspired aerodynamics including brake ventsthat close when not needed to improve the dragcoefficient and a so-called ‘Aero Bridge’ alongthe bonnet which diverts air from the wheels andalong the curves in the doors. It combines thisefficient aero performance with the drama andpresence that a top-drawer Ferrari needs; judg-ing by the response the assembled crowds thelegendary Italian firm has another winner on itshands. Expect to pay over £250,000 and have along wait, with UK sales not expected before2013.

Hot Fiestabreakscover Hot on the heels of therecent debut of Ford’sFocus ST, the BlueOval unveiled its littlebrother at the GenevaMotor Show. The dis-played production ready Fiesta ST is the latest piece in Ford’s performance jig-saw, and promises an affordable entry into the world of hot hatch motoring.

In a departure from the previous Fiesta ST, this latest models packs not 2.0-litres but 1.6-litres of petrol power. This is due to Ford’s new downsized Eco-boost range of turbo petrol motors. However, keen drivers won’t beshortchanged as this Fiesta produces a healthy 180 bhp.

Complete with a tasteful bodykit and developed by Ford’s in-house Team RSperformance outfit, much is expected of the Fiesta ST. All the right features ap-pear to be present though, with the car boasting a lower stance than the regularmodel plus the usual sports seats and ST-themed design cues in the cabin.

84g/km Hyundaii20 revealed Hyundai’s next assault on the su-permini segment has been uncov-ered on the company’s stand atGeneva, claiming to have the low-est CO2 emissions of any conven-tional-engined car on sale. The i20hatchback features a slightly moreconservative version of Hyundai’s‘fluidic sculpture’ design language when compared to the existing ix20 that usesthe same chassis, but it makes very bold claims regarding efficiency.

Of four engine options that will be available at the car’s launch, a 1.1-litre three-cylinder diesel designated ‘U-II’ will emit just 84g/km of CO2, not just escapingroad tax now but almost certainly future-proofing it against road tax pricing bound-ary changes for years to come.

The other diesel, a 1.4-litre unit, also dips under the free road tax barrier at96g/km. The i20 looks like a very cheap car to run at this stage.

Despite the styling changes the i20 has exactly the same width and height as theolder model. Some people might be disappointed not to see more adventurousstyling in the i20, but its low running costs and sheer efficiency are sure to win cus-tomers when it reaches the UK later this year.

Kia showcasesnew concepts Kia has used the Geneva show to flexits technological muscles and turn onthe style, displaying four concept carsalongside its brand new European-tar-geted Cee’d.

The Cee’d, which as ever is de-signed, built and sold in Europe, is

Kia’s rival to cars like the Ford Focus and Toyota Auris. At 4.3 metres it’s longer than before but also lower and sleeker. It was designed

partially with the help of wind tunnel testing, to aid aerodynamics as well as thelooks. Kia is also citing high-tech equipment, higher-quality materials and moreefficient engines across the range. Petrol and diesel engines, in both 1.4-litre and1.6-litre guises, will make it to the UK offering between 89bhp and 133bhp.

The star of Kia’s concepts is the Track’ster, a souped-up and rather fantastic ver-sion of the Soul. Lowered, with chunky wheels, big Brembo brakes and smoothedbodywork, it’s also fitted with a new engine for Geneva.

Lamborghini goesroofless with Aventador J Grabbing the headlines and attention on theLamborghini stand was the Aventador J, an evenmore extreme version of its remarkable super-car.

Not just dispensing with a roof, the AventadorJ has only small wind deflectors in place of thewindscreen, meaning that the driver and passen-ger will need protective headgear. The incredible691 bhp 6.5-litre V12 is carried over from thecoupe but with less weight (now down to 1,575kg) thanks to no sat-nav or air conditioning theperformance should be even more spectacular.

Inside the open cockpit the Aventador J has anew type of patented carbonfibre fabric calledCarbonskin. Combining traditional carbonfibre

weave with an expoxy resin results in a bold pat-tern that will be comfortable and extremely hardwearing.

Lamborghini confirmed that the J is a one-offand has already been sold to a lucky customer for2.1 million Euros, but it does point towards aneventual production Aventador Roadster.

Public debut for Mercedes A-Class Like a Golf but not a Golf – that’s the short versionexplaining the new A-Class from Mercedes. TheGeneva show was the venue for the car’s publicdebut, and a lot is riding on its future success.

Keen to be part of the mainstream hatch mar-ket, Mercedes has opted for a more conventionalapproach to five-door motoring. More stream-lined than the recently launched B-Class, theentry-level car in range could be viewed as theleast Mercedes-like car it’s produced in years.

This is, however, a time of evolution for the carmaker, and the A-Class is evidence of the marqueseeking out new sectors outside of its traditionalcomfort zone in a bid to remain top dog in thepremium market.

And make no mistake, you won’t be slummingit in A-Class. From the car’s advanced, frugal andrefined engines to a wealth of safety and comfortkit – including full integration of Apple’s latest de-vices – the A-Class experience promises to be acut above the rest.

Volkswagen’s 157 mpgSUV ‘concept’ One of Volkswagen’s star Geneva attractions hascome in the Cross Coupé concept, a 157 mpg,46g/km SUV – but Volkswagen is refusing to saywhether it will go mainstream. It uses a complex hy-brid system combining a powerful TDI diesel enginewith two electric motors and a battery pack allowingrunning on electric power for up to 28 miles.

The TDI diesel now makes 187 bhp and 295lb.ftof torque. The Cross Coupé is good for a total outputof 301 bhp and a huge maximum of 516lb.ft, whichshifts its 1,858 kg weight to 62mph in 6.5 seconds.

The driver can choose to use the engine to chargethe batteries, for example when approaching a built-up area. There’s also an off-road setting that ensuresall four wheels are driven.

On top of those two engine modes there is theobligatory Sport mode, which gives the driver fullpower from every part of the drivetrain.

In size the Cross Coupe sits between the Golf andthe Tiguan.The boot is 380 litres, or 1,280 with therear seats folded down.

Hotter Mini Countryman on the way Most attention has lately been focused on Mini’s newCoupe and Roadster pairing, but at the Geneva MotorShow the firm unveiled a new, more powerful additionto its Countryman range.

Until now a hot John Cooper Works edition of theCountryman has been missing from the five-door car’sline-up, but that has now changed. Packing a 215 bhpturbocharged 1.6-litre petrol motor, the Countryman‘JCW’ can sprint to 60mph in 7.0 seconds and the en-gine includes an over boost function for enhancedovertaking.

Unlike other JCW cars, executives say the Country-man’s sports suspension offers a softer ride than theusual hard-core settings of the regular Mini hatch.

Bugatti unveils record-busting VeyronAlready well-known as the world’s fastest production car, Bugatti has raised thebar even higher by unveiling the Grand Sport Vitesse version of the Veyron. Byadding enlarged turbochargers and intercoolers the power output has been in-creased by almost 200 bhp to take it to a vast 1,184 bhp, alongside the mammothtorque output of 1,106 lb.ft. Reduced back pressure in the exhaust system has notonly liberated more power but also reduced fuel consumption. Remarkably thissuper-powerful Veyron still has a convertible roof which will undoubtedly make itthe world’s fastest convertible by some margin.

A top speed of 255 mph and a 0-62 mph time of only 2.6 seconds is quoted, al-though achieving those kind of speeds with the roof down will be impossible. Un-surprisingly Bugatti have also made changes to the chassis in order to cope withthe extra performance. The dampers have been retuned, there are lighter 20-inchalloy wheels and the brakes have larger cooling ducts.

Prices are as yet unconfirmed but the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse will certainlycost in excess of £1 million when it goes on sale later this year.



The Geneva Motor Show is a popular event in theexhibition calendar. The media like it becauseit’s a compact event that’s not spread over halfof Switzerland. Unfortunately, the same can’t besaid for Germany’s vast Frankfurt show.

It’s a slightly different story for the general public. Anoutsider’s view of Switzerland – polite people, chocolate,clocks, polluting motorcars generally frowned upon – ischallenged by rows of garishly modified performance cars.

Okay, so there is some balance; the growing number ofalternatively powered cars helps to redress the taste anddecency mix. Some things never change though, andyou’ll see a steady procession of visitors staring open-mouthed at cars with zero ride height, 25-inch wheels,covered in acres of carbon fibre and packing millionhorsepower engines.

Back in the real world the 2012 Geneva show threw upsome pleasant surprises. Peugeot’s new 208 compacthatch is the long awaited replacement for the 207. There’sa lot riding on this car, and there was no shortage of curi-ous visitors keen to check out the promised improvedcabin quality and Peugeot’s new design policy.

The German marques also did well judging by the busynature of the various stands. Anything with an ‘M’ badgewill always draw a crowd, making BMW’s new M6 Coupea particularly popular attraction.

Offering significantly less horsepower was Mercedes’all-new A-Class. Effectively the firm’s rival to VW’s Golf,this car is a big deal for its maker and the display cars wereswamped. A genuinely affordable Mercedes is back on theprice lists, and the paying public showed considerable in-terest in this radical – for Mercedes – family hatchback.

Two seats is all you ever get with Porsche’s Boxster, butthat didn’t prevent the car from being the focus of atten-tion on the Porsche stand. This is another affordable carfrom a premium manufacturer, and its evolutionary de-sign appeared to be a hit with showgoers.

The same was true with Ford’s new B-Max people car-rier judging by the number of times its sliding doors wereplayed with. As its name suggests, the B-Max sits belowthe popular C-Max in Ford’s pecking order. This innova-tive car boasts the footprint of a small family hatch but of-fers considerably more in the way of a versatile ownership

experience. To its right Ford had placed a Fiesta ST, whichdisplayed all the muscular sportiness you’d expect to seefrom a performance Ford. And yes, it turned plenty ofheads.

There’s a predictability surrounding mainstream cars atmotor shows: you know they’ll draw the crowds becausethey’re new. With the more exotic metal it’s more a case ofhow deep the crowds are.

If we’re to stick with this metric, Ferrari easily won withits F12Berlinetta. The replacement for the 599, it’s claimedto be the fastest Ferrari yet. In contrast, the assembled

crowds were moving very slowly indeed past the Ferraristand. Second place went to Maserati, although being nextdoor to Ferrari probably helped.

And what about best in show? With only the odd excep-tion there very few duff motors on display. The MercedesA-Class could easily be a winner, as could anything onAudi’s vast stand plus Toyota’s hotly-anticipated FT-86coupe. The various supercars from the likes of Lamborgh-ini, Ferrari and Aston Martin predictably also did well.Bentley’s surprise SUV concept prompted the most inter-est, although probably for the wrong reasons.

What were the crowd’s favourites?

One of the best thingsabout the big carshows like Geneva isthat you get to see ge-nius at work, shaping

our future driving lives with newtechnology. The big noises at themoment are all centred on the ad-vancing technology under thebonnet.

Engines won’t be the same infive or 10 years. Even now, electri-fication is creeping into all manu-facturers’ ranges and the systemsare getting quite gadgety in them-selves. Take Volkswagen’s CrossCoupé range-extender hybrid con-cept, for example, with selectabledriving modes for minimal energyuse, full power, constant four-wheel drive and even one forrecharging the battery packs fully,so they’re ready for an extendedrun on electric power alone.

A similar system is already outthere in Citroen and Peugeot’s Hy-brid4 cars, and whatever misgiv-ings you might have about havingto get so involved, deliberatelychoosing specific driving modesaccording to the circumstances,it’s actually really good. It’s surpris-ingly satisfying in a techy sort ofway.

But there’s plenty more cooltechnology on the way; you onlyneed to have a glance at the con-cepts from the show to see that.One of the most extrovert is theHonda Diji, the outer skin of whichis a giant, curvaceous screen thatcan display just about anything.

Imagine waking up and decid-

ing you’d like your car to look likean image of the Milky Way galaxy.Find a picture online (via the car,because it’s clever like that) andthe car will display it for all to see.Business logos, messages; youcould do what you wanted – withinthe legal guidelines, of course.

If you’re a little less interested inouter appearance and more inter-ested in safety technology you’d bebetter off at the Kia stand, whereyou’ll find the UCD concept. It’sjust a mock interior on the face ofit, but under the skin it’s one ofKia’s ideas for saving lives and re-ducing accidents on the roads.

As well as a big touch-screen in-terface and head-up display, thereare infra-red LEDs and a camera tomonitor the driver’s face, mainlywatching for changes in eye move-ment. If your eyes are closed fortoo long… well, Kia doesn’t saywhat happens to wake you up butlet’s hope it’s not 40,000 voltsthrough the seat.

Something a little more humblebut no less brilliant has beenbrought to the fore by the newFord Kuga. Destined for UK shoresearly next year, you can open andclose the tailgate by swiping a footunderneath the rear bumper. It’ssimple genius for those timeswhen your hands are full walkingup the back of the car.

It’s just the first step in a series oftechnologies that will be move-ment-based. Imagine Xbox 360Kinect put in your car. Mercedes isworking on a system that useshand movements to navigatethrough general menus to selectmusic, for example. Designers lovethe idea because it frees the inte-

rior of switchgear and leaves muchmore room for originality.

Gadgets like that could removethe need for a dashboard in a con-ventional sense. Airbags could po-tentially be ejected fromsomewhere else, leaving muchmore room to make cars bothsmaller on the outside and biggeron the inside. The limit of what’spossible is defined largely by therate at and lengths to which thepublic is willing to accept change.

Whatever happens inside thecar, as a continent we’re trying touse less oil and in anticipation ofthe rest of the world following suit,manufacturers’ efforts aren’t lim-ited to fuel efficiency.

Dunlop Goodyear is refiningways of making grippy, long-last-ing tyres out of non oil-basedproducts.

The BioIsoprene concept seestyres made out of renewable bio-

mass, which is a remarkable stepforward if production can bescaled up and the tyres sold at acompetitive price. The idea is thatthese eco-friendly tyres would ini-tially be produced for electric cars,so efforts are being made to makethem particularly quiet and strong,to withstand the torque that elec-tric cars transmit to the road.

Then there’s the company’samazing ‘spring tyre’. Developedin co-operation with NASA, it fea-tures 800 springs mounted on arim in such a way as to overlap andcreate a rounded, balloon tyreshape. Its applications are obviousfor things like Mars landing craftwhere a puncture might be mis-sion-ending, but Dunlop

Goodyear is investigating how itcan be used on our own planet.

Geneva 2012 has given the in-dustry another chance to show thepublic what it’s up to. Some ideaswill get binned, while you’ll seeothers on family cars in a decade,and it’s that evolutionary processthat makes the big motor showsfascinating.

MATT KIMBERLEY

Car gadgets of the future

PEUGEOT 208

PORSCHE BOXSTER

BMW M6

MERCEDES A-CLASS

Regular ‘Motoring’ readers willremember that I providedphotographic proof that vehi-cles could proceed throughthe pelican crossing in Mosta

Road close by the football pitch androundabout at the end of IndependenceAvenue at 60 km/h. I expressed shock andoutrage.

Transport Malta wrote a pleasant littleletter in reply saying that 60 km/h wasquite OK and I had my facts wrong.

To date Customer Care has not sent methe correct version with approach speedsto pelican crossings.

A site visit with stopwatch establishedthat it took less than three seconds fromthe time the traffic light turned red, beforethe pedestrian facility, with audible effectsfor the blind, turned green. This is a re-markably short period of time.

The Highway Code gives stopping dis-tances for motorcars on a dry day travel-ling at 64 km/h, at 36 metres.

However, traffic management as taughtto professionals looks at any problem, notin the best light, but as a worst case sce-nario, and this road does not have thebenefit of a non-slip surface, as I found outrecently when I turned the traction controloff while test driving a decent, powerfulmodern car.

I would say that a 30-40-tonne, fully-laden truck thundering along at a legal 60km/h in the wet may well take over 100metres to stop, a somewhat unfortunatedistance in the circumstances.

The normal, in-town speed limit is 50km/h, and Independence Avenue, Mosta,

is a wide, modern road, restricted by thethen chairman of the Traffic ControlBoard to 40 km/h simply because of thenumber of pelican crossings provided forthe convenience of foot travellers

In the 1990s police regulations stillstated that the 50 km/h limit becamemandatory as you approach any areawhere 100 or more people lived. By thoserules, the crossing by Mosta football pitchwould automatically fall under the 50km/h limit and not 60 km/h.

Talking speed limits, Article 11.2.1 in mybooklet states that speed limits dependgreatly on the road classification andland use.

The recommended speed limits for spe-cific road classification and land use are asfollows: Arterial [Transport Malta road]with adequate street lighting, 80 km/h;Distributor [Transport Malta road] withadequate street lighting, 80 km/h; Transi-tion between non-built-up area and urbanarea, 50 km/h; Local Access road [councilresponsibility] 35 km/h; Access Only[council responsibility] 20 km/h; Vicinityof schools/community facilities, 10 km/h;central business districts, 10 km/h.

Article 11.2.2 states that speed limitsmay be restricted to specific hours of theday only.

As will be seen, 60 km/h simply does notfigure, and I rest my case until TransportMalta comes up with revised speed limits.

Another bone of discontent is a pelicancrossing that suddenly appeared on theŻebbiegħ/Għajn Tuffieħa road near themini roundabout at the end of Sir HarryLuke Street.

Transport Malta article 8.3.2 states thatat roundabout junctions, zebra crossingsmay be sited at distances of five to 20 me-

tres from the corners on each arm or be-yond 60 metres from the roundabout.

This crossing is about 32 metres fromthe junction and is causing a few motoristsapproaching from Għajn Tuffieħa to losesight of the fact that they must slow downand give way to traffic exiting from SirHarry Luke Street.

ClarificationA sentence was missed out of an article onMellieħa in last month’s Motoring issue.The sentence should have read: “Whenthe bypass is reopened, traffic passingthrough it should be encouraged, apartfrom those confounded buses.

HUGH ARNETT


CAR TORQUE

Approaching pelican crossings

Pedestrians using the pavement round the bend at Kennedy Grove on the Salina Bay CoastRoad could easily get injured in one of these holes and pitch headlong into the path of ap-proaching traffic.

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